Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-01-24

| LES, ble bhlu, anu her nearU knew
his errand even before he spoke.
Celia, her husband is dead, and she
has taken the Hall at Orlestone.
Celia Ringwood held out her hand
to him. The light went out suddenly
in her face, but it left the kindly
mouth and eyes as he had always seen
them, and one who had loved her
would have noticed the change.
"Only last night" he said, sit
seemed to me there was nothing left
in life but duty and the blessed faith
in the life to come. But now-oh,
Celia II feel young again"
"Shall you ask her again to marry
you" There was harsh note in her
voice which she herself noted with
dismay. But he did not perceive it.
Eyes, of course" he said simply.
Miss Ringwood bit her lip.
'You are very poor" she said, "and
Lady Mountdew is very rich. People
will say-she might think"
"You don't know Eva Mountdew,"
he said, proudly.
Celia was ashamed of her words be-
fore he had answered them.
She held his thin hand a moment
between her soft palms and looked at
him wistfully.
"Whatever happens" she said, 'T
know you will not forget old friends.
Her voice trembled little as she said
it.
"Dear Celia" he answered-and
some faint subconscious stirring of
remorse made his voice very gentle
and tender
"Dear Celia, l am very selfish. You
have been too patient with me; you
have spoiled me-"
She laughed little and took her
hands away.
can old maid must have something
to SPOIL" she said. 'If it had not
been you it would have been a cat or
canary bird When shall you see
her?"
"This afternoon. She has asked me
to come up to tea. She has let the
Ashford people furnish n few rooms
and she is camping out, as she calls 1t,
till the rest of her furniture comes
from IOEuOl.
There was pause. Then ne got up
suddenly, and began to walk up and
down the narrow space between the
door and the window, with knitted
brows and hands clasped behind him.
"Well?" said Miss Ringwood.
'It isn't that 1 doubt her con-
stancy," he said, ''but l don't know
whether it's fair. I'm old, you see,
and have grown dull. 1t is rather
like offering her the dry husk Of
Of"
"Of what she threw away fifteen
years ago"
'You are unjust" he said.
"No, no; didn't mean it, James.
Now you must go. l am very busy
and be sure you come in and tell me
about it. You need not be afraid be-
cause your hair is gray. Ii she loved
you-well, good-by."
He went off down the street with
new hopefulness in his step. When
he was gone Miss ,Ringwood went up
to her room; she leaned her elbows
on the little white dressing table,
among the prim wool mats and the
little daily textbooks, and looked
again at herself in the glass. Her eyes
were very sad, though no tears stood
in them. Presently smile stirred the
corners of her mouth, where dimple
still fingered.
CATER ALL" she said to herself,
"she is fifteen years older, too"
Tbo,, ,L,1 l1,,glal % -,
inc thoughts, and the new color in
her cheeks became her so that she
turned away from the glass in confu-
sion.
"But he is just the sort of man not
to care how old any one was if he
loved them"
Then the pretty color faded quite
away, and Miss Ringwood went slowly
downstairs to cut out petticoats for
the Dorcas meeting that afternoon.
For four days Miss Ringwood looked
hourly for the rector. He had brought
his sorrows to her always; surely he
would bring his joy, too. Next morn
| ing there was letter. 1t was not
from him; she saw that while yet it
was in the postman's hands, for she
had been watching at the window,
and had to run to the door when she
saw the postman cross the road. 1t
was from his housekeeper.
"Please forgive the liberty, it said,
after decent heading of address, date
and "Honored Madam" -"but master
is very bad, and ne says NO DOCTORS
He has been ailing these three days.
If you was to think fit to come over
you might persuade him for his good.
Your obedient command, Emma Well
ings."
'I'm going out, she cried to her
little maid, lat once"
The shortest way to the rectory lay
through the fields, and Miss Ringwcod
took it. She hurried on through the
keen, sweet air, devoured by burn
ing anxiety that consumed all self
consciousness, all personal doubts and
dreams. When she saw the blue
smoke curling from the red chimneys
| c L. Al. I