The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-06
CHAPTER XIII.
Gossip.

This name once mentioned called for
more gossip, but of a somewhat differ
ent nature.
THE Lucetta of today is not like her
ancient namesake," observed Mrs. Car
ter. She may have the heart to love,
but she would never show that love by
any act of daring"
II don't know about that" 1 replied,
astonished that l felt willing to enter
into discussion with this woman on
the very subject had just shrunk from
talking over with the locksmith. Girls
as frail and nervous as she sometimes
astonish one at a pinch. l do not thInk
Lucetta lacks daring
You don't know her. Why, 1 have
seen her lump at the sight of spider,
and heaven knows that can be nothing
new to her among the decaying walls
In which she lives. A puny chit, Miss
Butterworth; pretty enough, but weak.
The very kind to draw lovers, but not
to hold them. Yet every one pltles her'
her smile is so heartbroken."
with ghosts to trouble her and a
lover to bemOan, she has surely some
excuse for that" said L.
yes I don't deny it. But why has
she a lover to bemoan? He seemed a
proper man beyond the ordinary Why
let him go as she did? Even her sister
admits that she loved him"
Il do not know the circumstances,
said l.
well, there isn't much story to 1t.
He is a young man .om over the noun
tains, well educated and with some
thing Of a fortune of his own. He came
here to visit the Spears, l believe and
seeing Iucetta one day leaning on the
gate in front of her house he fell in
love with her and began to pay her his
attentions. That was before the lane
got it's present bad name, but not be-
fore one or two men had vanished from
among US without anything being
known of their fate. William-that is
their brother, you know-has always
been anxious to have his sisters marry
so he did not stand in the way, and no
more did Miss Knollys, but after two
or three weeks of doubtful courtship
the young man went away, and that
was the end of it. And a great pity,
too, say I, for once clear of that house
Lucetta would grow into another per-
son. Sunshine and love, two very good
things, Miss Butterworth, especially for
those that are weakly and timid.'
l thought the qualification excellent.
YES" said I. 81 should like to see
the result of them upon Lucetta." Then,
with an attempt to still further sound
this woman's mind and with that the
united mind Of the whole village, 1 re-
marked: THE young do not usually
throw aside such prospects without eX-
cellent reasons. Have you never
thought that Lucetta was governed by
principle in discarding this very excel
lent young MANI"
Principle? What principle could she
have had in letting desirable husband
ge?"
"she may have thought the match
an undesirable one for him"
For him? Well, 1 never thought Of
that True. she may. They are poor,
but poverty don't count in such old
families as theirs. I hardly think she
would be Influenced by any such con-
siGeration. Now, If this had happened
this year, after the lane got its name
and all this stir had been made about
folks disappearing there, I might have
given some weight to your suggestion
women are SO queer, especially the
women of old families like theirs-but
this happened long ago and when folks
all thought heap Of the Knollys, least
wise Of the girls, for William does not
go for much, you know-too stupid and
too brutal
William! Would the utterance Of
that name heighten my suggestion?
surveyed her closely, but could detect
no change in her somewhat puzzled
countenance.
MY illusions were not in reference
to the disappearance" said I. II was
thinking Of something else. Lucetta is
not we'll"
'Ah, know! They say she has some
kind of heart complaint, but that was