The Penn's Grove record., 1895-04-19

" that II hurt her ; her breathicame In
little, miserable gasps.
She hardly knew what she was do
ing, when she passed out across the
broad piazza, and, bareheaded, went
gropingly out into the thickenine
dusk.
To be alone-toge get away from every
body and eyerything-that was her be.
wilderod longing.
.tHo must have come by the seyel
o'clock boat" she said to herself. me
oh~anically, again and again.
And that was at first ms far as hei
thoughts would go; for she could moi
believe what she had cen
.No, moi" she whispered, wringinl
! her hands. "It wasn't Stanley. No,
| no" as though every feature OF his,
every look, were not familiar and deal
to her.
She found herself mounting the hill
and sinking down on the rustic seat
where they had sat together so often.
And there she pressed her face on the
rough wood and tried to think.
Think? She could not. One thing
blinded her to all besides and stiAed
thought-ths remembrance of that
which the mirror had rehected-ol
that sight OF the man she loved and
had trusted tenderly, bending to
caress another woman.
He did not love her, then. She was
a plaything merely-asource of whim-
steal amusement for him during the
idle hours of the summer. He had
not cared for her-he had not been
serious. He had meant to make love
to her while the mood was upon him,
and to break the bond when he should
tire of it. Else could he be making
love to another woman?
And she had cared for him so deeply
her faith in him had been so entire
And her love for him had so filed her
heart aud her lifel Oh, it had been
40 light matter to her.
And now-what? She could mol
hnd relief in tears, as she asked her.
self that wrenching question.
She felt frozen, benumbed. She
sat motionless, and stared up at the
arst faint star in the gray skin.
ssNettiei" a voice called, impera.
lively and half impatiently.
It was Stanley Mayhew's, and he
followed it. He came hurrying up
the bank.
"Mrs. Loney told me she saw you
coming up her. What on earth
You must have known I'd be there.
Or, NO; I told you the eight O'Clock
boat, didn't I? Well, I got through
before I thought I should, and here ]
sm."
He threw himself down beside her,
q shadowy form in the dimness, and
patted her hand by way of greeting
nor did he notice that she drew il
away quickly and far.
He was laughing, and when he had
paused a moment to get his breath, he
began to explain why.
"Now, what do you think?" he de-
manded. Snow guessi I've just seer
Eleanor Wells. What do you thinl
he told me?"
Nettis shivered.
"Well, they're engaged" said he,
lover, with an air of triumph.
What did he mean? she wondered.
But she did not care. What difference
lid it make what he meant? Wha
difference could anything mako now
They're engaged" he repeated
1.-THE trouble is over, the storm |
ended, and they've got into smootl
waters, with the matrimonial port il
plain sight. OF course she's told yo'
all about Leonard? Talked to yol
,bout him for hours, + supposeP"
"No?" he went on, though Netti
had not spoken. 81 can't believe it
And you such chumsl
"Well I've told you about Leon
ard, you know-my next older brother
who went to California in April t.
manage a mining syndicate-the clev
srest fellow you ever saw.
"Well, he and Eleanor were en-
gagged. Really, didn't she tell you
Why, that's part of our family record
for it's an old affair. The Wells chs
iren and we uns' used to play doll
and tag together, you know, andit ha
always been q settled thing, somehow
that Eleanor would marry Leonard
when they got old enough, becaus
hey we're always sweet on each other
"Well, they had been regularly en-
gagged for a year or So, when 10, an,
behold early this spring they had
if.
SIT was all about a young Spaniart
that Eleanor didn't care any NOR
about than she does about me; bu
the spat grew into q quarrel, and tn
quarrel ended in Eleanor's sendin'
back poor LENS ring and all his pho
togfaphs and tin types and presents.
"i believe there was . packing DO,
full of them, and Fred and I arranget
them in his room, and put Grape owe
the door. But we were really broker
up about it, all of us. Mother Va
actually sick for a week. And Lem
len was o mental wreck. 4
"He looked like . ghost. He sd
he'd got to get away, and first \
knew he'd packed up and goae OF 2
California to manage a syndicate.
"T've been glum enough oyerit.
knew Leonard thought the world o
her, and that she-well, III come t.
the point" said Stanley, with anothe
breezy laugh. II met Eleanor dow
at the house just az I got there. an
she told me that it's just fixed up.
''She said she knew all the Will