Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-02-03


rash, you know, Stella. When should
you go!"
Next week, l think. The sooner We
are out Of the house th' better There
Is to be sale"
You see I shall not be able to stay
much longer in this neighborhood," said
Harrington, rather nervously. "My visit
to the Esquharts terminates next week,
and IL don't quite know what l am
going to do then. You will let me know
your movementsT
For almost the first time Stella felt
hurt and chilled. She lifted her eyes with
a lovely reproach in their azure depths.
'Of course l shall, John"
He bit his lip. "And I shall see you
again or write to you" he said. Il think
I must really be getting off; shall only
just be in time to dress for dinner
Stella was little surprised. ut is Eve
O'clock" she said. Il thought they did
not dine till eight at the Towers. You
will take some tee before you go?'
Thanks: no, would rather not. You
will give kind messages from me to your
aunt? I must see her another time"
He was becoming extremely anxious to
get away.
May tell her, John?"
mo, ! think not, dear. Not just yet.
darling" be said, turning hi. eyes away,
and trying to speak softly. Il will write"
He kissed her as he spoke. She had no
idea that he meant his kiss for an eternal
farewell. She clung to him tremulously
and looked piteousIy into his race. "Must
you gof" she asked.
Il must, indeed. Good-by, my little
darling. Don't try TO keep me, there's
good girl. I'll write"
Stella next day sent him a tinid little
note to say that she and her aunt were
Leaving Dundee on the Thursday of that
week. She inclosed her address, and ven
tured to add a sorrowful hope that he
would write to her very soon.
''The sooner tie better, perhaps" said
Harrington to himself. The task was a
hard one even for him, and be had some
difficulty In performing il. But letter
was written and dispatched on the Fri
day.
Some delay occurred in Miss Raeburn's
Arrangements, however. and it was not
until Saturday afternoon that Stella and
her aunt arrived at Dunkeld and were
met by their friends at the railway sta
ton Mrs. Sinclair was not a constant
resident in Scotland, but she lived at
Dunkeld when she was a girl, and was
exceedingly fond of the place. She and
her husband had taken a house for the
season, and, as they were much alta ched
TO Stella, they determined to keep her
and her aunt with them for as long
time as they would stay.
Stella looked admiriugly at the hills
and the beautiful old town, as she was
driven from the station in an open car
riage toward st. Anselm's-the house
which Mr.. and Mrs. Sinclair occupied.
For little while the shadow of her great
grief seemed to lift itself as she looked at
the exquisite landscape around her, and
heard the historic names of hill aud vale
Suddenly Mrs. Sinclair uttered an ex-
clamaton.
II declare If hadn't forgotten it till
now! There has been letter waiting for
you since yesterday, my dear Stella. I
brought it with me, in case you might like
to have 1t at once. Open 1t or not, just
as you please"
She HANDED the girl an envelope, nd.
dressed to Stella, in John HanninGton's
handwriting.
Stella hesitated, with the letter In her
lap. Then, seeing that Mr.. Sinclair was
speaking to the coachman and that Mrs.
Sinclair was attending closely to Miss
Jacky's crisp sentences, she ventured-in
spite Of the beating Of her heart-to open
the letter and peep at the contents.
Then she looked up. The scene was
what 1t had always been, but 1t had sud
denly lost all charm for her. For In his
letter John Harrington had not minced
matters. He could not marry a poor
woman; he would not-eould not-ask her
to wait for him; he renounced all pre-
tension to her hand. In short, he gavs
her up, utterly and entrely-because she