Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-09-10

me from within hood of swansdown.
stood and started, too much sur
prised to think or form conjecture.
as there a letter box near?' she
gasped out, for she was breathless as
much from excitement it seemed to
me, as from the exertion Of running.
"Oh, please, please tell me. Where
shall l look for one ?" she went on
without giving me time to collect my
thoughts.
II don't know where the nearest
letter box is, I replied, "but I can
easily find out. If you will intrust
your letter to me l will see that It Is
posted" :"
"No, I cannot; l dare not trust 1t
to anyone. Do try to find out for
me-"
The words died away on her lips,
for she as we'll as |, had heard the noise
of some one running up to us, and the
next moment the man with the short
black beard stood over us. Rage knot
ted the veins on his forehead till they
seemed to be near bursting. Rage,
for the space of two seconds, kept him
speechless. During those two seconds
the girl crept perceptibly nearer to
me, and something smooth, stiff, thin'
like piece of thick pasteboard, was
pressed into my hand. Islipped it at
once into the pocket of my ulster.
"What are you doing here?" he said
to the girl in tone of suppressed fury;
and before she had time to answer ne
turned savagely upon me. "How dare
you speak to my daughter, he de-
manded, advancing upon me in a slow
I
and threatening manner. had Just
time to see look of mute supplca-
ton in the girls eyes. She was en-
treating me not to betray her.
Really, sir" l said, with as much
GOODNESS as l could command really,
you must pardon me for saying that
YOU seem little less than reasonable
One is permitted to speak to young
lady at a ball.
an the open street? In this clan
destine manner ?"
1--WE were not in great privacy to
be sure, but that might be urged IN
mitigation of the offence, " l said, with
smile.
"You shall not hoodwink me. What
was it that she was saying to YOU when
I came up
"If have been guilty of an lndls-
cretion, the fault is mine, and | am
ready to answer for it, but you cannot
expect me to repeat whatever trties
may have permitted myself to say tc
the young lady, whom fear l may
not have an opportunity Of meeting
again. No gentleman would be guilty
of such thing, nor, am sure, would
you, if YOU had been in my place. "
saw by the mans face that L hao
achieved my object l had led him
to believe that there had been moth
ing more than a little foolish Irritation
between the young lady and myself
He seized the girls hand, tucked 1t
under his arm, and marched Oft.
As for having an opportunity o.
meeting her again, I will take precious
good care that you don't, he threw
at me over his shoulder.
Alas there could be but little
doubt of it. And the letter? | bac
no doubt that it was note to he
lover. 1t seemed just little hare
that, anxious as | was to serve her
this should be the particular service
required Of me.
At the first pillar box came to
took out the missive she had givel
me. 1t was her programme for tn
evening, dainty card, folded book
wise, and secured at the edges by
number of postage stamps stuck al
around it. 1t was stamped with
penny stamp, and addressed in pen
Gil. OF cource, l had no business t.
read the address. l knew that wel
enough. 1t was, perhaps, an ungen
tlemanly thing to do; but then my Gu
riosity was greatly excited. hope
that the name pencilled on the bac
of the programme might be that Of
woman. But I was disappointed. B
the Tobt of a pas lamp I read
Immediate Arthur Bellnghau
EsQ.,-Furnivals Inn, ,Holborn, E. c
Bellingham? Bellingham?
seemed to know the name For
minute or two I stood trying to re
member whom it was had once mt
that owned it but, in vain. Wha
did it matter? The affair was at a
end. I dropped the queer letter Int
| the letter box and went home to n