The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-04-28

Briggs opportunity Tor q sensation.
They were running away. She grip
ped the seat firmly and held on with
all her might. She would have stuck
on variably to the end, had not the
horse dashed suddenly to one side, and
then plunged on more madly than be-
fore. Both she and the doctor were
thrown violently out.
When the doctor picked himself up
and looked around in dazed way, she
was standing erect as ever vigorously
brushing the mud from her dress.
She had experienced an accident and
had come out of it, as she had come
out of everything else, unscathed.
The party on ahead, alarmed at the
sight of the runaway horse dashing
past, despatched Mr.. Lumb, who was
on horseback, to investigate. As they
were near town, it was not long be-
fore he had sent a cab to their assist
ance.
Caroline said the doctor, as they
drove back in the twilight, 81 have
always been impressed with the rapid
ity with which the brain acts. Man
thinks at lightning speed"
THAT depends on the man." Miss
Briggs interposed laconically.
"When we went flying through the
air." he went on, without noticing the
interruption, 'it flashed across my
mind that / should find you lying
stunned and insensible-that | would
pick you up tenderly in my arms, and
kiss you, as l did long ago-that l
would claim you for my own again. f"
"Well," she answered provokingly,
al suppose the shock of such fall, to
a man of your weight, would naturally
bring him to his senses"
at was not that" he said, a little
confused and nettled by her cool reply,
"but the situation was not as romantic
as / had imagined-as l hoped it
would be-"
"You had hoped, then, that / should
be stunned?n
"Oh, Caroline he demonstrated,
ais there never to he anything but
Misunderstanding between Us? You
must listen To me, for it is fate that has
brought US across the sea to find each
other at last. | was sure of il when L
first met you, although you seemed so
stolid and indifferent. Think of the
time when we were all in all to each
other"
al thought Emily" began Miss
Briggs.
The doctor lauged happily. 'NO!
No, Emily is not as blind as her aunt.
She has known what | wanted from
the first. You have not said no." he
added presently, as they rode on
through the darkness, ''and I shall
not let you say it now. You are mine
and a thousand times dearer than
when you were the sweetheart of my
boyhooi.p
He slipped his arm around her, and
felt her shaking with suppressed sobs.
"Why, what's the natter" he asked.
"I don't know" she answered. For
Miss Briggs had met with an expert
enee she could not fathom. The ten
der undercurrents of her nature, frozen
so long that she doubted their exist
ences, melted as in a February thaw,
and found vent in tears.
At the hotel entrance they found the
drunken driver awaiting them, hat In
hand, "Tm sorry to be troublin' yez,
sorr, but theris the two shillin' six
pence for the journey out, and two
shilIin' sixpence for the journey back.
An the same shud be more, for it
broke me ,hicle an lamed me baste. F"
The doctor smiled down into the
face beside him, where his fond eyes
saw blooming again the beauty of girl
hood, and said, 1.-The rascal knows the
accident was all his own fault, but il
it had not been for him, might never
have found you as | did, on jaunting
ear
He dropped a shower of silver piece }
into the outstretched hand.
"Shure an ye're fit for a prince,
sorrr' cried the man, delighted at the
unexpected generosity, and shrewdly
guessing its cause. ''Good luck to We
an the swate leddyn'
And as they walked on down the
corridor, his voice followed them, in-
yoking the blessing of all the saints in
his calendar.-Tne Puritan.