The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1899-11-09
XIV.

road n horse tied up, whose empty sad
die spoke of a visitor within. At any
other gate and on any other road this
would not have struck me as worthy Of
notice, much less comment. But here
and after all that l had heard during
this %eventful morning the circumstance
was SO unexpected 1 could not help feel
ing establishment and showing it.
IA visitor?" l asked.
"Some one to see Lucetta."
William had no sooner said this than
! saw he was in a state of high excite
ment. He had probably been in this
condition when we drove up, but not
having my attention directed to him l
had not noticed it. Now, however, it
was perfectly plain to me, and it did
not seem quite the excitement Of dis.
pleasure, though hardly hat of joy.
"She doesn't expect you yet" he
went on to remark as l turned sharply
toward the house, land if you interrupt
her On it, if l thought you would
interrupt her.
l thought it time to teach him a les
son in
"Mr. Knollys," l i~nterposed some
what severely, II am a lady. Why
should l interrupt your sister or give
her or you a moment of pain?"
Il don't know" he muttered. "You
are so very quick l was afraid you might
think it necessary to join her in the par
lor. She is perfectly able to take care of
herself, Miss Butterworth, and will do
it. I'm afraid''-. The rest was lost in
indistinct cultural sounds.
made nc effort to answer this TRADE.
I took my usual course in quite my usual
way to the front steps and went up them
without so much as looking behind me
to see whether or not this uncouth repre-.
sentative Of the Knollys name had kept
at my heels or not.
Entering the door, which was open, l
anne without any effort on my part
upon Lucetta and-a young gentleman.
They were standing together in the
middle of the hall and were so absorbed
in what they were saying that they
neither saw nor heard me. l was there
fore enabled to catch Il or two sem
fences which struck me as Of some mo-
AlChU. IN lllSU ollO "Go W Iva
and was very pleadingly said:
ga week-I only ask a week. Then l
can give you an answer which perhaps
will satisfy you"
His reply, in manner if not in mat
ter, proclaimed him the lover of whom
I had so lately heard.
81 cannot, dear girl indeed / can
not. My whole future depends upon my
making today that move in which l
have asked you to join me. If l wait a
week, my opportunity will be gone, Lu-
cetta. You know me and you know how
l love you. Then come
A rude hand on my shoulder distract
ed my attention. William stood lower
ing behind me and as | turned whis-
pered in my ear:
"You must come round the other
way. Lucetta is so touchy the sight of
you will drive every sensible idea out
Of her head"
His laundering whisper did what my
presence and by no means light foot
steps had failed to do. With a start Luz
cetta turned and, meeting my eye, turn
ed scarlet and drew back a step. The
young man followed her hastily.
SIS it goodby, Lucetta?" he asked,
with a fine, manly ignoring of our pres
ence that reused my admiration.
She did not answer Her look was
enough. William, seeing it, turned fu-
rious at once, and, bounding by me,
faced the young man with an oath.
you're a fool" said he, ''to take nc
from a silly chit like that. If loved q
girl as you say you love Lucetta, I'd
have her if / had to carry her away by
force. She'd stop screaming before you'o
got we'll out of the lane. | know wom-
en-. While you listen to them they'll
talk, but once take matters into YOU
own hands and''- A snap of his fin
gers finished the sentence. / thought
the fellow brutal, but scarcely so stu
pid as | had heretofore considered him
His words, however, might just a
well have been uttered into empty air
The young man he had addressed ap
peared hardly to have heard him, anC
as for Lucetta, she was so nearly insen
sible from misery that she had sufficien
ado to keep herself from falling at he
lovers feet.
"Lucetta, Lucetta, it is then goodby
You will not go with me-"
II cannot-William here knows
cannot. | must wait till
But here her brother seized her s.
violently by the wrist that she stoppe'
from sheer pain, | fear. However tina
was, she turned pale as death under hi
clutch, and when he tried TO utter som
hot, passionate words into her ear shool
her head, but did not speak, though he
lover was gazing with a last, final appea
into her eyes. The delicate girl wa
bearing out my estimate of her.
Seeing her thus unresponsive, Will
liam flung her hand from him and turn
ed upon me,
Its your fault" he cried. "Yo1
would come in
But at this Lucetta, recovering he
poise in a moment, cried out shrilly:
"For shame, William. What ha
Miss B%utterworth to do with this? YoI
are not helping me with your rough