The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-11-04
AUDREY'S RESCUE.

She looked at Ned Narroway, so
straight and tail and handsome and re-
allied for the first time just how she
felt toward the young man.
"Good-by, Audrey" he said.
Audrey gave him her hand.
''Good-by," she said. "And you came
the whole way across just to see me
again? Thank you."
IL couldn't have gone without good
by, Audrey" said Ned. Yesterday
and last night, with all the strangers
about at the picnic, gave me no chance.
Will you think of me now and then?'
ave shall think and talk about you
a great deal.n
They sat down under the grapevines.
al have great hopes of this Journey
said Ned: "Uncle Edward promises
by and-by to take me into partnership.
He's very nice old fellow, Audrey.
You'd like him."
"Should I?''
Audrey thought she would like no
one overmuch who had tempted Ned
away from Bloomfield's slopes.
"And Pm to board with him" said
Ned, "and we shall get on splendidly,
I've no doubt; and when I'm junior
partner"
Just then a whistle sounded.
"Nou must go, Ned"
He caught up his portmanteau.
IL shall have To run for it," he said.
"Good-by, Audrey"
a vague disappointment thrilled the
girl she had thought so much, and he
had said 80 little. Just then he leaned
toward her.
"One kiss at parting" he said.
Audrey drew back.
She was no prude; she would have
given ner lips to any friend leaving
heI without thought of wrong; but she
could not even let the man she loved
kiss her who knew but it might be
betraying ordeal? Everything or moth
ing for Ned Narroway, and he had
never uttered one word of love to her.
"Good-by," she said.
She gave him her hand, he took it
and went, little dashed, and just a
little wounded.
When Mrs. Drew came home she
wondered what made Audrey's eyes
so red.
Oh, women's lives! How they glide
on, for the most part tangled in the
mesh of trifies. There was the parlor
to dust, rufflas TO flute and a cake to
bake; afternoons to be spent at friends
houses; friends to entertain at home;
important nothings to be done fr ON
dawn until dusk; but through il all one
thought ran-a thought born of "a
maiden's first love, as pure and tender
as any ever sung by poet, though she
was but plainly reared country girl,
and he a nobody with a thoughtful
heart gone out to seek his fortune.
The time of roses passed away, and
grape time came.
Somebody-it was Tom Pepper-had
a letter from Ned, who was very well
pleased with New York.
"He's been TO see everything" said
Tom, with a laugh. "Wait; its quite
what | call historical kind of a letter,
-.ireadfully interesting. Do you want
to read it?i
Yes" said Audrey.
Tom gave her the letter.
1t was at sewing circle at Mrs.
Doves and in a minute more Audrey
slipped up into Mrs. Doves bedroom,
and red the letter.
1t was Just such bright account of
himself and what he saw as any intelli-
gent man could have written; but to
Audrey it was miracle of genius, and
above all, he wrote it. 1t brought to
her vision of himself.
Under the shade of Mrs. Doud's
chintz window curtains Audrey kissed
the letter as mothers kiss their babies.
Then she came back TO the parlor with
a calm face.
bright isn't it?" asked Tom.
"What?" asked Audrey. "0h-yes
the letter; very nice"
She would have given all the money
she had in the bank-earned by max
ing cottage cheese for the market
could she but have that letter for her
very own.
Watching and waiting wears one
thin. Audrey was not quite as pretty
as she had been, if bloom and bright
ness make all beauty, as most folks
think they do, and she was conscious
of this, and aware also that her new
best dress was of an unbecoming color,
when, at Christmastide, it was known
throughout the vii age that Ned had
come down to spend the holidays.
They met at church and the rest of
Christmas Day Ned went with his old
employers family, while Audrey lost
her appetite, and wished she had never
been born.
There was Nathan Prior, to be sure,
doing his best to please her, and her
cousin Jack, from Hampton, trying to
cut him out; but her heart was as heavy
as lead, every smile forced, and every
word wrung from her lips.
The next day Ned called.
At the announcement her heart flut-
tered then she ran to the glass. How
ugly she looked!
She went down to greet him, full OF
this thought, gave him frigid and
impassive hand, and sat bolt upright
on the remotest chair.
You're not well, Audrey"' said
Ned, injudiciously.