The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-07-03

Of course there was n scene. The
old.mpni stormed'nnd Penelope. wept,
but staunch Ned Holburn stood up
likea man and "fnced the music" He
toldathc oldJman that he loved his
daughter, that his love wns returned,
and she had promised to wed him,
and the end of it all wis his dismissal
from the house nnd II pcremptory
command never to return.
And Phineai Paine WIS Srievel for
alter all these years Of confidence his
his system hnd proved Mt fault. In
spite of nil his repression he found
that his daughter was not well brought
up, aud when she had been put to the
test had fallen signally. '.
After this the old man was his
daughters shadow. He never allowed
her to leave his side. Necessity check
mated frugality and he hired II house
girl to take care OF his furniture and
get his meals
In vain poor Holburn sought for a
chance to talk to his sweeth cart. She
was as eilectunlly shut away from him
as if she had been immured within the
four walls of convent Ned groaned
in spirit and the grocer chucklei with
in himself.
Bat no one state Of affairs can last
forever, least of all such STRATA ed
one as this. 1t has been said before
that Mr.. Paine was an enthusiastic
Odd Fellow, and it was his devotion
to the duties of that order that first
made him relax his vigilance. 1t was
to be banner night, with the initia-
tion of some ten or dozen candidates
as its leading feature, anil in the
depths of his innermost soul the old
man longed to go. Bat prudence
said no. Painfully he argued out
with himself Was his duty to the
lodge less important than his duty to
his daughter?
Then visions of the society in ses-
sion and the frightened candidates
came before his eyes. II, laughed to
himself, for this hardened old tyrant
had not lost all his nste for fun. But
Penelope, passing through the room,
made him sober again as he Thought
of nll the possibilities that might arise
from leaving her alone. Then his
apologize mind said, zone night
can't DO nnv harm. You can leave
her alone this one time and, after alls
Ned Holburn will be at the meeting,
too, he'll want to see the men initia-
ted. " He hesitated and was lost and
after seeing Penelope securely locked
in he set off for his lodge.
But love has won the reputation of
laughing at locismiths and embodied
in the person of Ned Holburn he went
kn ocking at Penelope's window.
Something in the character of the tap
or some subtle intuition which only
love inspires, told her who it was and
she forgot her timidity enough to
raise the sash AMI opened the shutter
little.
Its me-Ned," said the ungram-
matical Holburn eagerly, and there
was a note of deep pleading in his
voice as he added 60
Its our only chance, darling. Get
you hat and climb out of the window
I've got chair here for you to get
down on"
Penelope went away from the win
dow for n moment, and wnen she re-.
turned she had her hat tied on, and a
shawl thrown about her shoulders.
Her heart was beating very swiftly as
she stepped out of the window ON. the
chair and into the arms of her waiting
lover. Holburn was thorough going
fellows and he had his buggy waiting at
the fence. They got in, he exultant and
tn, girl all tremulous, and away they
went across the river to the old minis
ter, who was already famouN for marry
ing runaway couples from three
counties.
In the meantime, the grocer, moi
finding Hoiburn, who was a regular
and devoted attendant at the lodge
meeting, had grown uneasy and sus-
picous. A vague foreboding, which
gradually grew into II terrible fear,
filled his mind. When he could en-
dure this suspense no longer, he was
excused and started for home. H.
had hardly entered the yard when an
open shutter tapping listlessly on it
hinges arrested his attention, and hi
heart sunk within him Penelope, h,
thought, would never leave shutter