Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-08-21
A WOMANS WAY.
[(DnyriEht. l%l l

ing fire.
 "Oh, reckon not! Tom Trrnur rc- spandcd chcrrfully. "Tou uin't Sot the least call ter do it. I never done you mite of harm-only asked your muthcr fer yuIi- and she says yes. She s;tyS, tnu-and .,r,'n with hcr-we jest as well git married the last of this munth-that 's d leisure t!mc you know-hetwccn hay and harvest"
 "1'd rather die than marry yuu, the girl broke out passionatcly. She wnS lini and light of foot, with big, appealing llue eyes set in a rosy face full of hahyi-h dim ples Trenor was square and hrA,y .,';, with eyebrows that slantrd q trillc, a thick straight nose and firm, yet good nutIu'rd mouth.
 You jest got the notion you hate me Patty" he went on rIuahly in face of her outburst. It's goin ter take time ter per suade you out of it, but l know can do it; we tanned a heap of wild things with pains and patience
 If you will marry me, l shall hate you. There! know you can-with mother and all of them on your side, Patty said. Then, a choke coming into her voice: :" No body cares about me noW-CxCcpt to get mo out uf tlr Way. Mother has never loved mo as she did sine" she married your uncle and has his children 10 crowd m" aside"
 'I.otrn to mc Patty.'' he said, still equahly, but with ind"inahle under trc-. m0r. " 1 sh;lr't never N;ty nuthin more about this, but we'll have il all out, right lirro and LOW. nin't biud-ncithcr quite ;t plumb idiot. 1 klnw ynu think you love that fine lawyer gentleman that passes here SO often, and always has tn stnp fer watc. Or huttcrnilk or tn ask his way. Hes the reason l mean to marry you whether or Iu My wife will be >utr from him, but a pretty girl with 10 brother and only a weakly strptathcr-Why he can play with her jest Is hr has mind lain [ handsome like him, l uin't cdicatrd, 1 don't know much more Il the law allows a workin farmer, but I'm big enough and ugly enough and strong enough fer keep my own in spite uf him, and when you re mine 1 reckon he won't have SO much business in this end of the county"
 Are you tlone:' Patty asked, her eyes darting sparks. "fhru hear me! I love Leon Ardslcv; shall love him all my life! No ho has not talked love to me; think he does not care the least bit for me. But would rather love his shadow than any other man x SullStance'-
 "HuSh! There he comcs" Trrnur said as horselnan dashed down the road bounding the young peach orchard in which they stood. At sight of them the rider vaultcd down, sprang over the rail fence and came up to them, saying eagerly:
 "Patty-MiSs Laucrns, I mcan-can I speak with you minute? have some thing to tell you-somrtlng very, very important" '" smiling down at her while he held her hand fast.
 You can say it before me; I'm going ter marry Patty in sh"rt!' Trcn"r said sturdily. The newcomer fell back a pace. To SiityI,t and p1,,r,lnt with :l ,is face and shifting cruel eyes. 'This-thS is very sutldCn!' he said. Patty, you surely know '"I am frcr!' Patty said, folding her arms on her breast some note in the voice of this man for whom she had Sn lately proclaimed her love grated now | upon tho most sensitive tibcrs of her soul. It was a false nutC--hollnw and eager His | eyes. ton. had q strange hardness II am | free, - she repeated; free [" listen, or {" | shut my ears. Mir. Trcnor likes his jokes, you know! Say! What is it you wish to l tell me-
 "A very cid story, darling, Ardslcy I said, the last word under his breath. But I I cannot tell it properly except to you | alone. Wall 2 little apart with me; even i thec I shall find it difficult 1 Patty went with him, but did not touch 1 the hand Inc held out. She could not un- derstand herself. still that curious re- vulsion of feeling held and possessed her. l Heavy and inert, she heard him say sweet words that but yesterday would have given | her tho widest rapture
 | You must wait-I cannot think-ev- I erything is so strange, she said when he | had done and pressed for his answer. He l gave her a sharp glance. What have you | heard:" he began. Before he could finish, I Patty's mother, Mrs. Trenor, came darting | at them.
 "Oh, praise the Lord Thank him fol | all his mcrcics'' see cried with streaming
 eyes. Patty! Precious daughter! IL
 think it has all como at last jest like | your poor father always said it wOuld!" | "What has come, mother?" Patty asked | when she had shaken herself free of hel I mothers embrace. Ardsley stood by l frowning the picture of disquiet, as Ton l Trenor was of bewilderment
 "Yes! Do tell Us what you mean, Aunt
 Maria?" Tom said, making to stand beside
 her. She raised her cfasped hands ovel
 her head and said ecstatically: I "Why the fortunel Patty's fortune
 Don't you know her pa was rich man:
 sonp some day, he used to say, she Il como
 to her own.' She has come to it-the olC | lawyer that wrote her grandfather's will il | at tho house now-came to tell Us he wa! 1 dead and buried-and Patty's heir to hi!
 fortune."
 "You knew this?" Patty asked of Ards
 ley, strange new sternness wiping ou
 her baby dimples. He tried to deny-tt
 prevaricate. Her clear gaze made it vain A minute she looked at him, standing
 shamed and unfuent, then went up t.
 Tom Trenor and held out her hand.
 "Ithink you want mo for myself alone,
 she said. "Take mo. think, after all, | cbaIl Dot he hard to tamen