Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-07-18
Copyright, 1897, by Anna K. Rohlfs. I
CHAPTER XIV.
A PARTING.

ment. He had probably been in thi
condition when we drove up, but nc
having my attention directed to him
had not noticed it. Now, however,
was perfectly plain to me, and it di
not seem quite the excitement of dis
pleasure, though hardly that of joy.
'She doesn't expect you yet. h
went on to remark as turned Nsharpl
toward the house, land if you Interrupt
her Dbl it, if l thought you woul
interrupt her.
thought it time to teach him a les
son in manners.
"Mr. knollys," interposed some
what severely, II am lady VIII,
should l interrupt your sister or Civ,
her or You moment of PAIN
Il don't know" he muttered. "Yol
are so very quick was afraid You NIGH
think it necessary to join her III the par
lor She is perfectly able to take care o.
herself, Miss Butterworth and will dc
it. I'm afraid The rest was lost il
indistinct cultural sounds.
l made no effort to answer this TRADE
took my usual course i'll quite my usua
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, !
came without any effort on my part
upon Lucetta and-a young gentleman
They We're standing together i'll the
middle of the hall and We're so absorbed
in what they We're saying that they
neither saw nor heard me. | was there
fore enabled to catch one or two sen.
fences which struck me as of some mo-
ment. The first one was uttered by her
and was very pleadingly said:
ga week-I only ask week. Then
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
l had so lately heard.
II cannot dear girl; indeed l can
not My whole future depends upon my
making today that move in which ]
have asked you to join me. II wait
week, my opportunity will be gone, Luz
cetta. You know me and you know how
I love you. Then come
A rude hand on my shoulder distract
ed my attention. William stood lower
ing behind me and as I 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 start Lu-
cetta turned and, meeting my eye, turn
ed scarlet and drew back step The
young man followed her hastily.
sis it goodby, Lueetta:" he asked,
with 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 fool" said he, "to take no
from a silly chit like that If l loved
girl as you say you love Lucetta, I'd
have her if 1 had to carry her away by
force. She'd stop screaming before you'd
got well out of the lane. l know wom-
en. While you listen to them they II
talk, but once take matters into your
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 az
we'll have been uttered into empty air. /
The young man he had addressed APP
oeared hardly to have heard him, and
is for Lucetta, she was so nearly lnsen-
,ible from misery that she had sufficient /
ado to keep herself from falling at her
overs feet.
"Lucetta, Lucetta, it is then goodby!
You will not go with me.
II cannot-William here knows l
,annot. | must wait till
But here her brother seized her so
by the wrist that she stopped
rom sheer pain, | fear However that
vas. she turned pale as death under his
dutch. and when he tried to utter some
lot. passionate words into her ear shook
Ter head, but did not speak, though her
over was gazing with last, final appeal
nto her eyes. The delicate girl was
gearing out my estimate of her.
Seeing her thus unresponsive, VIII
lam flung her hand from him and turn
d upon me.
Its your fault" he cried. "You
would come in I,
But at this Lucetta, recovering her
,oise IN a moment, cried out shrilly; A
"For shame, William What has
Hiss Butterworth to do with this? You
re not helping me with your rough ,
ess. God knows this hour is hard |
nough for me without this show on ,
our part of your desire to get rid OF {
ne. =,
sThere's woman s gratitude for you, !
ras his growing reply. 81 offer to take
IL her responsibilities ON my own
houlders and make it right with-with
er sister and all that, and she calls 1t
esire to get rid of her. Well, have your {
xvn way. ;" he cried out, storming down d,
he hall: "I'm done with it for one. 9
The Young man, whose attitude OF re- |
awe mixed with strange and linger-
no tenderness for this girl whom he I
vidently loved, without fully under 9
banding her, was every minute win 7
inc more and more of my admiration. q
adj meanwhile raised her trembling c
and TO his lips in what was, as we all 7