The Marble times and Crystal silver lance., 1901-02-01
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! A New Years Romance. !


Antrim, without waiting for reply,
betook himself to the smoker, leaving
Reyburn in just the state of mind he
| intended, halfway between insanity
and desperate intent.
But by and by Reyburn's mind clear
ed to Joe's last sentence. Only gossip
| OF course that was ALL but Joe was
mean to hash it over, to him OF all
persons. and in such an insinuating
manner, too. Well, he would go on
to Rockland now if he met her COM
plete bridal party; he would see for
himself, and if it was all true. why,
he would not go home that night, and
perhaps Gladbrook would never see
him again.
At Rockland he had only few min
utes to wait between trains, and al
ready the home bound one was waiting
on a side track. Purchasing his ticket
he ensconced himself where he could
plainly see the passengers leave the
cross train.
Now for the bridal party, at least
the bride and groom" he said, trying
to be jocular with himself, although
his face was very white and his mouth
twitched nervously.
At the cry train, train," everybody
began to hustle about. Friends, bag
gage and goodbys were mixed up in
discriminatory, but Leigh was very
still. He could hear his anxious heart
beat out its suspense in great suffocat-
ing leaps. as the fateful train thunder
ed in.
Sure enough, there was Miss Sum-
merfeld; and the fine looking young
man who helped her alight also took
charge of her baggage.
Heaven have mercy! Were gossip
and Joe Antrim right, after all? But
pshaw! any chivalrous fellow traveller
would have done as much.
Notwithstanding this plausible
thought, Leigh slipped into the home
bound coach like a thief, taking the
corner seat in the rear end of the car.
When Miss Summerfield came in, the
terrible groom-to-be, to whom the
bridal party had dwindled, even he,
was not in attendance. Marie carried
her own grip"
The man felt tremor of hope culver
all over him, something like an cleo
tric current. She took the third seat
from the door and leaned her head on
her hand wearily. A strange air for
bride, thought the man in the cor
ner. He could not see her face, but
some way felt that this New Years
Eve was not what she wished. o, was
she in trouble, too? He had half a
mind to go to her; the seat directly
behind her was providentially empty;
he could whisper Marie" over the
back of her seat when his courage war
ranted 1t. At the next stop he took ad-
vantage of the stir of the passengers
and slipped into the coveted groove.
Blessed privilege! He had not been
near, SO near her for years, and his
heart was on fire. When he could
wait no longer, he whispered over the
barrier: "Marie!"
She looked up surprised and startled.
After the confusion had left her lovely
face, she gave him her hand gingerly
and asked in strained tones: How
came you here, Mr.. Reyburn?"
Il could not help it," he confessed,
flushing, but looking straight at her.
II wanted to be near you once more.
| You don't know how miserable am
without you"
There was a world of emotion in
the undertone, but he kept bravely on:
Il came down to Rockland for moth
ing else than that l might get a
glimpse of you. felt it would comfort
me to ride home in the same coach
tonight of all nights"
He stopped and looked at her in such
pitiful, hungry-hearted way. 1t was
all out now, this confession of his.
He meant to make it at the risk of
everything before his heart failed him
and he had done SO.
OF course she could do what she
pleased with it, and him, too; he had
staked and would win or lose, all. Put
ting his elbow on the barrier and lean
ing little toward her, he waited for
her to speak. And her face was a
study. Presently she gasped out:
Then you aren't to be married to-
night?"
The interrogation snapped the last
thread holding Leigh Reyburn's great
love in reserve.
Marie, darling! Could you-did
you think-O, Heaven! as II I could
love anyone but you! o, Marie!"
The whiteness of her face was ter
rible to see; but it all dawned upon heI
at once.
lilo, Leigh!"-she put out both
her hands, and two great tears stole
down her cheeks to finish the sentence
more eloquently than words.
When the train stopped at Glad
brook, q very happy couple alighted
And out across the moonlit snow, from
the belfry bars of the gray stone