Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-08-24

$50, there a partc lar reason YOU don't
tell more, is Thereof she went on ieerinnlv.
"lts my private opinion you can't tell
anything that's true. | don't believe
they're engaged any more'n / am
"Well, now? For the lands sake, Be
you atellin me I'm lynn, Charlotte Frost?"
Don't seem 'sif you could make any
thing else out Of what | saidw
silence as profound as that which
dominated an uninhabted region followed
this audacious statement Charottes two
listeners sat rigid with astonishment at her
daring Mrs. Frost's look of frightened
amazement was tinctured with certain
admiration of her daughters fearlessness,
Mrs. Pease's with insuted dignity. For
one dreadful moment she had been com
pletely overcome at her wickedness in pro-
claiming as true that which had no other
foundation than her own strong hope, but
the sceptical sheer on the angry face before
her, the tone of defiant accusation in the
vibrant voice. aroused her naturally com
bative spirit 10 defence. "I've got to be-
leve it's true now she kept saying 90 her
self at is true. I'm sure of it, Char
lotte's eyes seemed to possess the quality
OF augers. Their pitiless scrutiny was al
most uncomfortable Mrs. Pease's inward
perturbation was such that she scarcely
knew what she was saying She was sim
ply conscious, in dim, indeterminate way,
that she must support the statement she
had been led INTO making, however indie
feasible it might be.
81 had no idee it would touch you so
deep Charlotte she remarked, feeling
that She must say something TO prevent
herself from thinking. "If had l wouldn't
nave thought of mentionin' it even to your
mar
well, Of all things" screamed Char
lotte. Il amt said | cared a row O. pins
about Steve Judkins, have !? ! only said
he'd give me as much encouragement to
think he liked me as he ever did Dry. l
don't want him, but / amt goin' to turn
him over to anybody without good reason,
II ] don't. So. now
Prob bly, you'll have to make up your
mind to it sooner or later, replied Mrs.
Pease, whose faith in her own prediction
was gro wing unaccountably Charotte's
refuge in generaities had lightened her
burden wonderfully, and her courage waxed
valiant. You really give me turn calm
me liar she added, reproachfuly.
you acted kind of strange, anyway
/ put in Mrs. Frost, who had not hitherto
ventured TO interpoate a remark since she
]
| daughter. "How longs ii been since they
/ fixed things up between enc
The natural question aroused Mrs
| Pease's sickening dread by reducing her to
/ plain facts, for which she was unprepared.
Il amt goin' to say another thing about
/ ii, said she, resolutely. II hadn't ought
/ to a spoke at all, but it can't be helped
| now All ! ask OF you is to keep il close
/ till l give you liberty to tell it round
We'll ! s'pose We can promise that.
said Mrs. Frost, reluctantly. "Wh9t do
/ you say, Char.otte?"
The girl had seated herself on the top
step, trembling with the reaction from the
/ passion that had mastered her. She lifted
face no longer red, and a pair of eyes IN
which dw0lt a curiously unsatshed and
/ puzzled expression. There was something
/ incomprehensi de to her about the matter
still, and she wrapped her arms round her
tall knees and hesitated before giving the
desired assent. In the distance the roll of
carriage wheels could be heard approach
ing rapidly. The pace was so much more
/ rapid than was customary in that vicinity
that the three women were conscious of a
/ thrill OF curiosity even in the midst OF their
personal excitement. Each turned her
head in the direction from whence the
noise came, and the carriage and its occu-
pants burst simultaneously upon the vision
of all.
"Massy sakes There they be them
selves - said Mrs. Frost, rising and going
close TO the railing to see to better advan-
tage. How under the light of the sun do
/ you pose they happened round this way?
Hail EN-, Charlotte"' she added, authori-
tatiyely. Tell Dry her mars here"
Mrs Ppag4a uay. a intellectual plutpl of
desperation at Charlotte's sleeve as the girl
flew past her. She could make no sound.
| The impending crisis had rendered her
dumb.
They can take you home as well as
not, continued Mrs. Frost, turning to her
visitor "Twould be pity if they couldn't
after such tramp as you've had. Land
alive, Have you got a pain? You look
real mzerble."
Its a crick in my side" gasped Mrs
Pease. Seemed 'sif / couldn't git my
breath for a minute
'Poorisy,' asserted her companion.
Put on tiaxseed poultice as soon as you
git home. There amt anything to equal
'em. There, They're DRAWN up. Char
lotte's stopped EN-"
Mrs. Pease shivered visibly, but Mrs
Frost was too much interested in watching
| what was going on before her TO notice it,
81 can't make out what they're mp to, ="
she announced in puzzled tone. They
amt a-gittin out, but they're talkin at a
great rate Hadn't We better go down to
the gate and speak to en-
I'D rather set still, said Mrs. Pease in
a faint voice.
well, if you don't mind bein' left, I'll
run down. Think you'll be all right if
leave You a minute?'
Eyes"
As soon as the brown and white calico
had tiuttered over the last step Mrs. Pease
raised herself in her chair, and gripping its
wooden arms tightly looked toward the
carriage, which was drawn up by the road
side near the gate. She could see that
Steve and Ora were bending forward lis
tenirg to Charlotte, WAC, leaning on the
rail OF the white fence, seemed to be talk
ing with animation.
"She's a-tellin EN- groaned the poor
woman, stung for the first time into a real
ization OF the enormity of her offence
"What shall | do? Seems 'sif the very Old
Boy got into me and driv me to tell that lie
Itll mortify Dry to death. She'll never
git over it, either. Oh, what am ! goin' to
do?'
She was a sad spectacle as she sat there,
4, b., l.. Il.