Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1901-03-07

full bit Of ground on one lower slope Of
that wooded eminence. Before Rane-
lagh reached it his mood changed.
I've mind to surprise my spunky
little lady by joining Halloway's whist
party he mu.tered as he abruptly stop.
ped by the roadside. u don't know that
I blame her much for getting uppish
and fractions. l suppose was little
boorish and over bearing and shouldn't
care much for a girl who couldn't show
a little spirit Of her own. And it's a
walk of only few minutes if l 60 by
the path across lots
Now that he had decided to join the
party he was becoming impatient. At
the next angle Of the road a narrow path
wound downward to the ravlne, and
along the edge of the gulch to the bridge
He turned into it and in less than IF
teen minutes he was standing on the
threshold of the Halloway drawing
room.
But his fancee " as not there, nor had
she been there.
Ranelagh's surprise was 80 intense
and poignant that his face whitened and
his pulses almost ceased to beat for a
moment.
His perplexity aad distress were be
yond telling, nor could he regard the
matter with any sort OF composure and
reason. 1t seemed to him that some
thing tragic must have happened, that
she must have committed some reckless
act in her passionate anger.
The next thirty minutes held an an
guish of fear and dread and remorse
which Ranelagh meyer afterwards liked
to recall.
He started to retrace his steps, but it
was without aim or purpose. Now he
plunged onward in frantic. desperate
haste, and then he Jagged along the
path as if dazed with measureless de-
spair.
He stopped for few minutes on the
bridge. leaned against the massive stone
parapet and stared down into the mar
row stream which dashed and roared
along its rocky channel IN a pitchy flood
cleaning with wierd convolutions of
yellow froth.
,Oh, love- he murmured distractedly
If could only unsay my cruel words |
could endure all else. But the memory
of my brutal tauuts will haunt me till
| die.
He could not rid himself of the tor
turing fear that they two should never
meet again in the world of the living
She was always sensitive and impetu-
Gus, and now in her insulted pride and
passionate anger, it seemed to him that
she might have committed aim ost any
act of reckless folly.
But Miss Dorne was having an exper.
ience not unlike his own.
During the afternoon and early even.
ing she tclt quite certain that he would
present himself with all entrsaty for her
pardon-the pardon which she had
magnanmousIy resolved to vouchsafe
him if he would appeal for it with suffi
Gent humility. But when the bell
changed forth those nine resounding
strokes and be had failed to show him
self or to send her any message, she be.
came more indignant than before.
Perhaps hewould prefer thatI should
carry his pardon to his house, and offer
it to him on my bended knees,' she re-
marked to herself resentfully and with
fine sarcasm. THESE lordly autocrats
imagine that everybody ought to obey
their arrogant commands, and cringe at
their displeasure as a pack of hounds
cringe at sight Of che keepers lash. I'm
glad let sgd understand that | have
little spirit. l was actuated by the
principle of the thing; l didn't care a
bit about the whist party. And | sup.
pose must start for theHalloway house
now although | would much rather stay
at home
Outside IN the quiet night, under the
calm white stars, with soft breeze
cooling her feverish cheeks, her anger
suddenly began to evaporate.
After ALL she reflected, u needn't
hayd been quite SO cross and sarcastic
with Syd. | needn't have provoked
him by pretending to be jealous of Bes,
sic Secor, when l know that he loves
me, really and truly. Oh, wouldn't he
stare if | should walk into Bessie's
drawing room just as if nothing had
happened2 He might regard it as a con
cession. or as a sign that I am sorry;
but don't care if he does. I'm will
ing to admit that some of the fault was
mine