Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-08-20

Resealing the letter, Trevellick hand
ed It to the lady and watched her fur
lively while she read. She was visibly
agitated by Its contents. the color COM
| ing and going on her fair cheeks.
Need state that when young Biggs
met the Lady Gwendolen In the sum-
mer house old Trevellick was listening
outsider think not; yet. fearing there
may be any Misrepresentation. will
state 1t and add that he had his ear at
| knothole. He heard every palpitating
| word, for tie two having no suspicion.
did not speak In whispers. Little do
young people know Of the meanness OF
this world.
"Don't you think we might try 1t on
a tandem?" asked Lady GwendOlen
sweetly.
mo, no." said young Biggs eagerly.
II think we should have two bicycles.
Then in case of pursuit we could go
down different roads and thus bewilder
| those who follow. We could meet at
the market cross in Puddlebury and 60
together to the place Of appointment"
"Yes; l suppose that would be the
better plan," sighed the girl, although
l dislike riding alone In the dark"
81 don't suppose 1t will be necessary
for us to separate on the road. am
merely speaking of what had best be
done should our plans be discovered, 9
most unlikely eventuality, for your ia.
ther has not the slightest suspicion and
may not miss you until 1t Is too late for
him to do anything"
Old Peter chuckled Extensively and
silently as he heard this.
"How thoughtful you are! VIII II
take long, once we reach thereT
"Only few minutes"
"And to think that an action fraught
with such consequences, m action
which changes the whole course OF two
human lives, occupies but few min
utes! l can hardly believe that we are
30 near to the realization Of our fondest
hopes. When shall l meet you"
81 shall be In the lane with two bicy.
cles at three hours after midnight. The
lighted lamps will guide you. We will
ride slowly unless there is pursuit and
should reach Puddlebury about day
light hope you will have no difficulty
in getting away from the castle un.
SEEN"
"There Will be no trouble about that.
At 3 o'clock, then|
Thus they parted, and Gwendolen
sought her own room. Had she any
qualms about leaving 1t thus surrepti-
tiously? I'm sure don't know. l am
compelled to keep strictly to the facts
within my own cognlzance.
am, however, delighted to be able to
state that here the villain met his
first difficulty. The proud earl was
not ut home. The county court was
in session that week at Scradling-
ton, ten miles westward from the cas-
tie, while Puddlebury was 20 miles to
the east, and the earl always attended
the county court, being usually sum.
moned to do so. He was a punctilious
observer of the laws of his country
and never fouted a writ. Old Peter
therefore had his work cut out for
him. He mounted a horse and gal
Topped for the earl. 1t was long aft
er midnight when Peter reached the
county town, and then there was much
delay in finding his lordship and In con-
vincing him that his daughter had &C.
tually eloped with the son Of q black
smith. No Stobcross since the days OF
Noah had ever so demeaned herself.
the earl maintained. He saw that II
this were indeed true he could not In
future keep his chin so high In the air,
and as he had become accustomed to 1t
in that position he hated to change. He
was very conservative anyhow and had
always hated change, never having any
Of it In his pocket. At last, however, he
rode grumblingly to his castle and ar
rived there about daylight, fully ex-
pecting to find Gwendolen in her room.
and then he told himself he would
make it lively for old Peter. who had
IQuS unnecessarily uistui bSu hAo hSos
He even confided this resolve to Peter.
but the latter had confident air that
troubled his lordship.
Sure enough, the castle was empty!
The bird had flown! Madly the earl
galloped to Puddlebury. He called first.
raging, on the Established clergyman
of the place. but found that placid old
gentleman had married no one for
weeks. Then crashing on the perturbed
nobleman's distracted brain came the
thought that the blacksmith's son was
sure to be Dissenter and had doubt
less been married by one Of the numer-
GUS ministers of that faith. He visited
in turn all the reverend gentlemen In
Puddlebury, but without hearing Of the
fugitives. There was now left only the
registrar. The last Of the cloth on
whom he called had suggested this OFF,
cial, as it had never occurred to the
earl that a daughter Of his would de-
scend to civil marriage.
The earl called upon the registrar In
towering rage.
IL am the Earl Of stobcross, and l
have come
"Oh, yes, my lord; about the little af-
fair 1 was honOred In carrying out for
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