Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-08-22
THE GIRL
HE MARRIED
IN SECRET.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

at the hollow, wasted cheeks, the wild
eyes. the shaking hands, indicated only
too clearly the demon of hunger and utter
exhaustion.
She was Ill, sick almost to death, but
with her chin slightly poised In the air.
with kind Of dumb resolution to strug-
gle forward somewhere, she half clung to
a low wooden fence which ran along by
the public road. 1t seemed as II she had
exhausted her little stock OF endurance.
Where she had come from, where she
was going, she had almost forgotten.
She was conscious Of a dull, gnawing
pain, which was hunger, or, at any rate,
an intense longing for food, without the
pleasure Of appetite, and an oyermaster-
Ing desire to lie down and sleep.
Presently the dull crunch Of carriage
wheels and the dull thud Of pair Of high
stepping horses were heard on the road,
but the lonely woman seemed not to hear.
In the course Of the day she had encoun-
tered hundreds of wayfarers, but not one
had noticed her plight, or, at any rate.
offered to help. Some had glanced at her
almost with repulsion; others had not ap-
peared even to see her, being 80 wrapped
up In their own affairs. Consequently
she had long since ceased to indulge In
vain hope Of meeting with sympathy.
This carriage caught her up as others
had done. 1t contained a young lady OF
about the same age perhaps as herself,
who was dressed In furs and sat up
straight in her carriage, the very type Of
unbending aristocratic pride. The car
rage passed her as all the others had
done, and the occupant glanced round at
the bent figure on the path, painting. tot
tering, stumbling along. Then clear,
harp voice said "Stopw
That one word made all the difference.
It was only spoken In an impulse, half Of
kindness, half Of curiosity, but no human
being will ever know how much influence
1t had upon more than one life. The
lady alighted from the carriage and pick
ed her way carefully and daintily through
the mud, with her petticoats lifted so as
to avoid all possibility of contamination,
and stood by the girls side. Where are
you going, my good woman" she inQuir-
ed, somewhat severely.
In reply the young woman looked at
her with lackluster eyes. Her senses
were numbed, and she could find no an
swer. Where was she going? How could
she tell? The only ideas her mind re-
tained were food" Sleep" rest"
Mrs. Stanton frowned. Evidently the
creature had been drinking. and she half
turned away In disgust. A second thought
prompted her, however, to try again.
Can l do anything for your she asked.
81 feel bad" said the girl In low
voice, and she clung to the fence little
tighter.
A frown appeared ON Mrs. Stanton's
face.
"Are you trying to get to stowbridge"
she asked.
The girl nodded. She had no idea
serve as well as any other place.
The footman had jumped off his seat
and stood by his mistress side. "Stow-
bridge Is seven miles away, Is 1t not"
inquired Mrs. Stanton.
"Yes, ma'am," said the man, touching
his heat.
I'm afraid you will scarcely be able to
reach the town." she said In perplexity,
turning to the girl. In reply she gave a
short gasp and sank to the ground In a
heap. This seemed, on the whole, to
prove the truth Of Mrs. Stanton's words,
and she looked more perplexed than ever.
There was perhaps half a minutes 81
lence; then she said, Help me put her In
the carriage"
The man seemed to be surprised, for no
one knew better than her servants Mrs.
Stanton's cold, Unconditional nature. That
she should deliberately pick up an un-
known wanderer and take her into her
carriage was almost as surprising as IL
he had been invited to ride there him
self. He had not yet learned that a cold,
reserved manner does not always bespeak
lack OF feeling.
Together they lifted the semiconscious
girl into the luxurious victoria. Mrs.
Stanton took her seat, and the footman
stood waiting for instructions.
Where TO. ma'amT he asked.
Home" came the answer In q quick,
clear voice.
to look surprised.
"Rummy go, isn't tF' he whispered to
the coachman.
'"The rummiest 60 / ever saw" said
that functionary grayely.
"'Ow do you account for itT' whisper
ed the footman, as II he were discussing
O new form of influenza.
Don't know. I'm sure. I've noticed q
wonderful change ever since the captain
went to the war. Seems as II the missis
u6u kOL IL Dll
First time she's known trouble, sup
pose"
That's it," said the coachman phil
osophically, "and trouble does people a
power Of good. Makes the heart beat
faster"
A few minutes later and the carriage
swept up the handsome avenue that led
~ ave
Mrs. Stanton's orders were, as usual,
both prompt and decided. The house
keeper was to see the young woman put
comfortably to bed. She herself fetched
brandy for her. The footman was to ride
off for DR.. Langfeld and IL possible bring
him back.
All this was carried out with the swift.
ness that money can procure. The doc
ser, after visiting his queer patient, who
had not spoken a word since being In
stalled in her comfortable quarters, pufs-
ed his lips curiously. This young wona-
an Is very III, Mrs. Stanton" he said. II
recommend you TO send her to the work.
house at once"
Mrs. stanton frowned slightly. Would
It be safe TO move herr she asked.
"Well-er-hardly," said the medical
man, but II you don't get rid Of her you
may have her on your hands for a month
or two"
For a moment Mrs. Stanton hesitated.
Il cannot help It," she said, with sudden
decision. Here she is, and here she must
remain"
The doctor shrugged bis shoulders and
smiled cynically. "You know nothing
about her. my dear Mrs. Stanton" be
said. Isn't 1t rather eccentric to take
strange woman from the road into youS
house like this2 Why do you do itT'
Il hardly know" said Mrs. Stanton.
PERHAPS II was mad impulse: perhans
What A Tale 1t Tells.
If that mirror of yours shows a /