The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-10-24
THAT LOW CREATURE.


Don't touch me or speak to me,
said Nina Wilbur, as her betrothed |
husband, Ashton Craig, came up the
steps of the low veranda of the Farm
ers' Rest.
"Oh. Imean it. l am not one who
does not know when she has been in
suited"
.'Nina, YOU do not know anything
vetu said Ashton. "When have told |
YOU
Told me?" said Nina. "Well, L
scarcely need telling. You invite me |
To the races and when we are almost
there leave me here alone until they |
are over"
II left you to save life" said Ash
ton.
''The girl was not thrown out" said
Nina. at was well enough for you TO
stop the hor~e and carry her in when
she pretended TO faint, but TO send me
a note telling me 10 stop where | was
until you came for me, and stay all this
while-why, as | said, it is an offense
beyond forgiveness.
"Oh, Eve been nearly wild with NOR
tification, and that good old lady-igno-
rant, of course, but 80 sympathetic
how she has pitied me y
''You don't seem the sort TO he used
so, miss she said. You don't know
men folks yet, my dear" she said.
"when you are my age, you will TO
your cost. That gall that was run
away with Is one of the sort that come
To the races in crowds. She came too
quick enough once she got things the
way she liked 'em, and he's been with
her on the grand stand all this time
while you've been cooling your heels
here, my dear
blessed old lady," said Ashton,
''and you accept her views"
Nina was visiting an aunt, and at the
door of this lady's residence he paused,
assisted her to alight and drove away
with very polite bow, never once
looking back, as she saw plainly.
BY this time she, being a woman,
was nearly mad 10 hear from his lips
what had happened-to listen to some
story which might give her chance to
forgive him.
At best, ii WAS very wrong of him
very unkind, but ifhe had only con-
fessed the truth, and pleaded and offer
ed excuses, at least she would have been
able to play dignified part.
Now she felt that she had neither
spoken nor behaved as lady should
no, not kindly, as one should even TO a
friend.
She should have listened to him be-
fore She burst out into that TRADE, and
she entered her aunt. h~--~ Nth snch
a face that the ladyfe matter Where
Is Mr. Craig? Why didn't he come
in? I've a lovely tea ready Wy, Nina
/ believe you have quarreled with
him"
And then Nina burst into tears and
was forced to tell her stary-her ver-
sion of il, of course.
I'VE were very near the race course"
she said, 'when a carriage dashed past
us-the gentleman was thrown, and
the lady-was in danger. Ashton made
me alight and go into a little country
hotel 10y the roadside-then dashed on.
and somehow, | cannot tell how, stop
ped the horses.
''The girl was not thrown, and / saw
Ashton take her in his arms and carry
her UP the steps Of AN elegant hotel, not
far away.
Later he sent me a note, telling me
not to come over on any account, but
To stay where i was until he came for
me. He came after the races were over,
and made neither explanation nor
apology"
why, that seems impossible, Nina"
said her aunt, "What did you say 81
"Well, was not very amiable,n y said
Nina, ''but you could not expect that ~
''He should have explained" she
said.
Nina went to her room in tears, and
resolved TO return Ashtons ring on the
morrow, which she did, with a scorn-
ful note and then she told her aunt she
would go home at once.
Poor Nina As her journey over, she
walked up the garden path, how heavy
was her heart
Now that there was no going back
she felt that she could forgive him al
most anything. And just as she came
10 this there was sudden rush of sis
tiers down the path, kissing and en-
bracing and cries Of:
''Oh, she ever 80 much better There
j. not the least reason To be anxious
We knew you'd come at once. But,
oh, how pale YOU are. And don't you
feel proud of Ashtop ~
Nina simply stared at them.
t'She doesn't know" cried the young
est sister.
-- aAA@sNS -A-hNpii l'toltii~C nbA 10 lCli
her until this morning." said the
eldest
'But what did he say to make you
Gomez" said the third sister.
You know Cousin Rodney came to
take ma 10 the races with him." said
the elder sister.
"And he didn't understand the hors-
es," said the middle sister. .'It was a
new team.
And they ran away"
''oh, good heavens Was that moth
er? Was Rodney driving here" pant
ei Nina.
How noble He never told-he
kept his promise" said the elder sister.
And ma tainted away, and the doc
tor thought her dead"
''When Ashton brought her home
we all shrieked," said the youngest.
''But she is quite well now-only we
make her lie down, you know and
she'll be - glad you are not frighten-
ed.r
But just then, whom did they see
entering the gate but Ashton CraigI
u