The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1895-09-20

promise the other mover again TO seek
her hand In marriage"
.Your proposal suits me exactly"
They shook hands earnestly and
vowed again and again to be faithful
TO their pledge. They were as friendly
now as they had been hostile o short
time before.
Meanwhile Miss Meadows also cher
ished anger. She resolved never to
forgive either Of her admirers, But at
the end Of week her mood was some'
what conciliatory, She reflected that
the young men must by that time real
Inc that they had made fools OF them
selves and that she had done nothing
Of which she need be ashamed. She
expected that they would soon seek her
presence in sheepish manner and she
was prepared to show q gracious de-
meanor and TO let bygones be bygones.
But weeks went by and they did not
call. She met them several times and
they hurried by her and returned her
greetings with cold, formal bows only.
ii was now her turn to be very un'
happy, especially as it was revealed to
her that she did greatly care for one OF
her former admirers, viz, Mr.. Hutchin'
son. She knew now how to decide be-
tween the two, but alas, the opportun-
ity 10 make such a decision might never
return.
Mr.. Hutchinson also became uneasy.
He was astonished to find how deep
his love for Lucy was and how futile
were his efforts to overcome 1t. He
bitterly regretted his pledge, but as he
himself had been the first to propose
the compact, he could blame no one
but himself for making 1t and was un-
der the strongest kind Of an obligation
to keepit.
The painful situation was soon fur
ther complicated by an act OF Miss
Meadows. She began to encourage a
middle-aged widower named Slawson,
who had long desired to show her
4 marked attentions, but who had been
prevented from doing so by her cold
demeanor toward him while his two
< Younger rivals were in favor. He was
4 now filled with inexpressible delight
because of the winning smiles which
the charming maiden for the first time
bestowed upon him, and he was SO
elated because Of his unexpected sue
cess that he did not stop to inquire why
she treated him with cordiality that
she had never before manifested. But
unlike the infatuated Mr.. Slawson,
Lucy was not dominated by sentiment
alone. She was as wise as serpent,
while seeming to be as harmless as
dove. She hoped that her gracious
treatment Of the widower would render
Mr., Hutchinson Jealous and cause him
again to seek her society for the pur'
pose OF preventing, il possible, third
admirer from winning her affections
The maneuver was skillful. but 1t
only brought about part of what she
desired, and even Of that part she was
ignorant MIR. Hutchinson was made
desperately jealous, but the agreement
with Walters, which, Of course, wal
: unknown TO Lucy, prevented him from
endeavoring to become reconciled Y
her.
Two months elapsed Seemingly
Hutchinson was determined to main
tain his Indifferent demeanor. Mis-
Meadows was discouraged. She believes
that the young man did not recipro
cate her love for him and she began =
} think that the best thing she could d
would be to marry Mr.. Slawson. 4
be sure, he was a widower twent
years older than herself, and had tw
. daughters, each Of whom was not muc
! Younger than she was, but he was ais
wealthy and lived in fine hous'
Q Moreover, she rather liked him, and b
adored her. She might do worse tina
Q to accept him as husband.
At this critical time Hutchinson, vi
able longer to simulate indifference
+ resolved to tell Walters how he felt, a
v though he feared that his former rivi
Y might still love the girl as much as !
himself did. When the two young me
d next met Hutchinson, growing red
y the face, broached the subject that wi
ID uppermost in his mind.
IT II want to ask you" he said, in
blunt and desperate way, whether "
q are willing to release me from keepir
the compact by which each of
" agreed not again to seek TO marry nj
~ Meadows? i confess that Inow 10
% her more than ] ever did. ! suppc
ir YOU may love her, too. aIwould like
be free to court the girl again, and
l course If had that privilege, you, to
III would again have right to show h
!" attentions, provided you desired so
do. Let the better man win, ] say, al
4 II either Of us Is to win we must
OF lively, ! tell you, for the widower
making alarming progress in the j
provement Of his opportunities unle
~ am much deceived"
ID Walters laughed as the other spo
] and looked at him in peculiar wa
ur 81 release you from your promii
re Go ahead and may you have go
60 luck"
Hutchinson was much surprised.
to .'Can il be that you are no longer
terested in Miss MeadowsP' he ask
lot doubtfully.
re II am no longer interested"
to May l ask the reason?'
he siYAs. coufidentially / will tell y