The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1896-09-19

Isaac Deered cautiously over the wall.
Bertha was running toward the house,
and Will Carter, with his head thrown
back, striding in an opposite direction.
"Bless the little maid!" he calculated.
"One time 1 was afeared for Jim. But
he's got a good grip o. things. Yes.
! plenty more sweethearts for WILL" he
| chuckled, observant of the pose of his
head. "And there's but one in the
world for my lad-Bertha Tregon. May
my tongue be slit If .et out to him."
Rising, Isaac shouldered his basket
and proceeded on his round.
The old fisherman had been somewhat
rash, however, in his conclusions.
By her own admissions, Bertha's de-
cision had been prompted solely by fear
of her mother, and consideration for
James Hocken. But if on reflection she
were still willing to sacrifice her hap
piness, Will Carter certainly had no
intention of yielding to her weakness.
A fine seaman of whom Pengeliy was
proud, for the past year Will had been
on board yacht cruising in the Med
iterranean. But for reasons best known
to herself, Mrs. Tregon had discoun-
tenanced his suit, and, although he had
every confidence in her, Bertha's ST.
lence had inspired misgivings not easy
to allay. Once more free, he had re-
turned at the earliest date to England.
and at Plymouth, where he landed, had
met a friend, who, among other items
of Pengelly news, informed him of her
desertion, adding:
"And she'll be Mrs. Hocken in fort
night"
Determined to demand full explain
alton from Bertha herself, VIII made no
comment, but his laugh was unmil thful.
And with rage in his heart he had hailed
a passing cab, driven to the railway sta
ton, and taken the train to Walebridge.
Thence he would walk to the Tregons'.
But the house in view, in crossing the
field, VIII espied Bertha in the garden.
and, with muffied ahoy! sped to the
tree that sheltered old Isaac. She had
swiftly joined him. Nevertheless, the
shock of his return was visible in her
white face, and her trembling lips would
frame no welcome. Looking at him i'm
ploringly, her blue eyes filled. And
longing to clasp her in his arms, the re-
assuring words which, while enlighten-
ing him, had chilled Jim's father, did
duty for the reproaches he had come
primed with
But Will had taken Bertha by sur
Prise, and between her dread of him and
terror of her mother, who ruled the Ire
eon household with rod of iron, he
rightly OWNED that she had caught at
the readiest means of escape which in
her distraction had. presented itself to
Ier. Yet his faith in her firmness was
limited; the revival of fond memories
would tend to lessen her mothers in
fuence. And cunningly calculating
that apparent Indifference would fur
Their incline her to be guided by his
oounsels later, he devoted a week to his
friends and generally enjoying himself.
His disappointment treated this light
ly, he succeeded in deluding everybody,
including Bertha, who shed bitter tears
in secret that he should be so easily con-
soled for her loss. The bare sight of
James Hocken almost maddened her;
and she had to hide her aversion to him,
and listen evening after evening to his
dull talk. And in another week she
would be his wife.
The tree beneath which she and Will
Lad parted had become her favorite re-
sort. Here she could indulge in the
luxury of ga good cry" unrebuked; and,
grown desperate with the nearer APP
proach of the wedding day, sitting on
the gnarled roots one afternoon, she
burst into very passion of grief.
A neutrality-suspicious. above the
wall.
1regon?" he gravely ipquired. "Shall
fetch Mr.. Hocken to 'Gs?"
II hate him! Ihate } im'" she sobbed
That's bad" said VIII, sympathiz-
ingly. whats he been up TOP"
up to! Isn't he OLD; isn't he ugly;
isn't he stupid! And-and-I hate him!
hate him!" she reiterated. "And Il
"Oh ~sAOtuCI may StOTln,
but l don't care"
Will vaulted over the wall.
On the day appointed for James
Hocken's nuptials the whole village
fiocked betimes to the church. But
neither bridegroom nor bride put in an
appearance, and by and by it was
known that Will Carter and Bertha
Tregon were missing, and that there
would be no wedding at PengelIy that
day.
Weeks and months rolled by, and no
tidings could be CLEANED of the grace
less couple. They had clean vanished,
leaving no clew to their whereabouts.
Mrs. Tregon's tongue sharpened to a
double-edged sword, ready to slay
friend and foe alike who alluded to her
daughter. And the dumb misery of |
Jim's plain face was pitiful to see. Old
1saac's heart ached for his son. If he
had only DrenareI hir, for +ba l,Io,,.,