Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-04-23
LA PLATA, MARYLAND, APRIL 2s, 1897

. O.
woman, glancing from the note TO Mary.
what am l to do that forl / must say /
don't like the looks Of things
viii you give it to him or not2" asked
Mary. If you will not, will take 1t TO
Toby
IN give it to him; but / must say
again, l don't like the looks OF things"
Two hours later she put it in Jacks
hand, with the words
Il cont know what in it, sir. II may
be something not very pleasant; il it is,
don't mind it. Miss Mary has more hu-
mors than cat has lives. 1t comes of
her grandfather running her when she
was young.
Jack scarcely heard these remarks
he was reading his roe.
1t was written in pencil, and contained
these Is: :" | write this to spare my.
self the humiliation of ever seeing or
speaking to you again. | have discov-
cred all your miserable conduct, and II
you have one spark Of manliness in your
nature you will spare me the sight of
your face again.
Where is she2T he cried, hoarsely,
when he had gathered the full meaning
of the bitter lines e must see her."
She's gone riding, replied Jeanette,
rather startled by his face. / couldn't
say where, sir. She'll be coming back
soon. | guess maybe you had better
walt.
Jack found this waiting miserable
enough. Dinner time came, and Mary
did not appear, a fact which so dis
turbed Mr.. Millard that he failed to no.
tice Jacks peculiar mood.
1t was not until late in the afternoon
that Jack, standing near the gate, caught
the first glimpse of the approaching
Prince.
He waited until he was almost upon
him, and then starting quickly forward
grasped the bride, bringing horse and
rider to a sudden and rather sharp
standstill.
DO you know why have stopped you
in this way?" he asked in a stern voice.
No." responded Mary, with darken-
ing eyes and face from which every
particle of color had fed, unless you
wish 10 add another insult to your long
list.
You shall explain what you mean by
that, he exclaimed passionately. And
by this, too"
He drew her note from his pocket and
held it before her eyes.
A slight change passed over her face.
THE meaning is clear. If you wish
another answer, ask your own con-
science
She jerked her bride from his hand,
and giving Prince smart cut, dashed
by him without further words.
I will have an explanation, he NUT
| tered, looking after her
/ r., ~ =, 1,..,,.,, 1. .. -.
| Of paper from his note book, and hastily
scrawled upon it:
| i must see you"
| Joannette carried this to Mary, and
| returned looking both angry an1 per-
/ picked.
"She says you have her note, sir, and
she hasn't any more TO say. I'm very
sorry sir" added the woman, feeling
something was wrong.
| Thank you, Jeanette. must be get
ting my things together. will have to
leave you ton ght.
oh, sir, that's too bad Mr.. NIillard
! will be so sorry. suppose you couldn't
change your mind"
Impossible And Mr. AIillard must
think business calls me away 1t will
| be better so.
Yes, sir; l understand. It's shame
| Miss Marys temper"
Il cannot discuss that, Jack replied,
| with much pain in his voice. 1t is
something more than temper, though;
| I'm positive of that. I'll find out what
in some way"
Mr.. Millard saw Jack depart with gem
uine regret. He had built many hopes
upon this visit, and their failure disa2-
| pointed him keenly.
Mary's spirits worried him also. He
I attributed her present melancholy to
cause perfectly natural under the Cir
| cumstances.
The idea gave him such pain that he
decided TO take Jeanette into his conf
ience.
Il have been noticing Mary's indisro-
sition, he said, in breaking the subject
10 her, "and have feared-it may be
quite groundless, hope it is, but yet it
Is possible-that she cared for Jack.
Give me your opinion. You should be
able TO judge much better than l.
Il know this much, sir, returned
Jeanette, unable to hold back longer,
I know she sent him away. Whether
she cared for him or didn't care for him,
he cared for her and she sent him away.
She wrote him note. don I know what
was in it, but do know it made his face
as white as your shirt. He tried to see
her, but she wouldn't have it, and then
he left, as any self-respecting young man
would"
The gentlemans face had undergone
various changes during the progress OF
this speech, and when Jeanette con-
cluded he regarded her in panied sur
prise.
Il don't understand it, he said in q
musing tone. Il can't understand it.
NO, sir; nor no one else. You might
live TO be hundred and not understand
Miss Mary"
Mr.. Millard remained in deep thought
after Jeannette's communication, and
when Mary sat by him in the study that
night, he said to her, quite suddenly:
My child, you are not happy"
Mary locked away from him.
Il have been in low spirits lately" she
rejoined, but / shall get over it in day
or two, if you will try to bear with me a
little while longer, and not be too good
to me-"
But why should you be in low spirits,
Mary? Ii there is a reason, surely, l
should know it,
Mary looked panied and troubled.
Once more she turned away.
Grandpa, she said at last, speaking
with an effort, when have found a
reason which l can acknowledge TO my
own self 1 will tell it TO you. But it
only hurts me to speak OF it now. In
few days everything viii oe as it used
10 be. We will be happy together,
sha'n we? Nobody will ever come Le-
tween US now"
Il can scarcely tell whether Jeanette
was right, or wrong" unused the old
gentleman when rejecting on Marys
words.
CHAPTER Y.
You won't get no room down here,
sir. There's only one hotel in the place
and that amt nothing to speak Of; and
such as it is, it's full. There's quite a
big house up to Weston, sir. You might
be able TO put up there. AS it's no great
ways, can drive you.
Very we'll, replied Jack, in a relieved
lone. Il don't feel like getting back 10 |
New York tonight, and l must find
some sort Of a lodging. Get me there