The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-04-22

""'
without removing
his intent gaze from the girls beauti,
full face.
A vivid blush suifused Rennie's fair
checks for a moment (; then her lips
parted in n frank, happy laugh.
81 do not mind telling you, Mr..
Neal, since you will know 30 soon. /
am engaged to Roscoe Farnham."
For the first time Meals oyes
dropped away from hers; but the look
that flashed through them during that
brief interval was as quickly yelled as
he said, in tones whose slightly trem-
ulous accent seemed quite natural
under the circumstances:
"Accept my sincere congratulations,
Miss Lawrencel"
Then with q pressure Of the hand,
he was gone.
Once outside of the house, however,
the mask fell from his countcnance.
49," he Kissed between his set
teeth, "Roscoe F%arnham, the only
rival l feared, has supplanted me |
But let him beware! his apparent sue
cess in no way weakens the force of
my determination to win Rennie
Lawrence for my wife. He has n
pledge, but he has not yet the lady +;
and the old adage holds good, that
there's many n slip 'twixt CUP and
lip What luck has won, craft may
despoil him Of"
But no threatening of the secretly
vowed revenge was apparent for IA
time.
The young men met each other on
apparently the most friendly terms,
and Neal had promised to be best man
at the prospective ceremony.
Calling upon Mr.. Lawrence one
evening, Neal desired n private inter
view, at the close of which Rcnnie was
summoned to the library.
"My child" said her father, with
manifest excitement; "you have
bestowed your affections upon a man
devoid of honor or principle. Tell
her, Neal"
"Spare me, Mr.. Lawrence" said
Neal, averting his face. "You tell
her. l will assist you if necessary"
Between them the story was told.
How Neal, in consequence OF alleged
suspicious, had been investigating Mr..
Farnham's antecedents, and had
learned that his love affairs in various
places were quite notorious.
That, just prior to his engagement
to Rennie, he had cruelty broken n
previous betrothal, and finally that
his employers were even then investi-
eating grave charges against him,
which were likely to lead to his dis
missal from the firm,
Now, my daughter" said Mr..
Lawrence, in conclusion, twill you
wait to be publicly involved in this
mans inevitable disgrace, or will you
act the part OF wisdom by dismissing
him at onceP"
Rennie had listened without word or
sign, but 10Y she raised her beautiful
head proudly.
81 will do this" she answered
quietly. 81 will send him a letter by
James this very night, and'by his own
answer will 1 Judge him. II he is in.
deed dishonorable and unworthy, no
letter that he can write, no matter
how skillfully worded, can hide it or
disguise it from me2"
And without another wcrd she left
the room.
Twenty minutes later William Neal
took his leave. walk cd q few PAGES
away from the house, then returning,
concealed himself at q convenient
point and waited.
Presently a servant man emerged
from the lower part of Mr.. Lawrenco's
house, followed by u rosy.cheeked
chambermaid.
ut is too bad, sending you all tho
way down there tonight" tho girl
was saying. You could have dro pped
it in the post box just as well.".
miss Rennie says it's TO go straight
to his lodgings; aud il you had seen
the look on her face you would have
known sue meant it," answered james.
cpl DO back before long, for / haven't
gotjto wait for sn answer"
|,,oHe moved reluctantly of notwith-
standing and in another moment Neal
touched him on the shoulder.