Middletown transcript., 1904-03-19

trouble to remember who sends her the
pretty things which she has got She
does not even knew If Mrs. Chilcot's
present has arrived or not-do you
Stella?
i / should remember If I lad known
that cousin Tony had chosen ii, said
Stella. smiling sweetly at Anthony.
She had been sweetness itself to him
on the few occasions on which they had
met since Mrs. Deane's tea party. She
had been eager TO talk over with him
all the plans which she and Alan were
making, and she had told him that she
meant to wear his present, an old
diamond ring that had been his mothers,
| on her wedding day and constantly after
wards.
Anthony had listened and sympathized
} and had hidden the aching OF his heart
by smile. But his visits had grown
fewer and fewer as the days went on.
Nina Chilcot was taking up his time,
IStella had said to herself. She looked
after him as he crossed the field to
the blacksmith's. He was walking gate
briskly now, whistling as he went, but
she had not forgotten his detection when
they had first caught sight of him.
/ Melancholy Jaques could not have
looked more melancholy, she said to
Molly. Did you ever see man with
a more hang-dog air? What is the mat
ter, wonder? Has Nina been scold-
| ing the poor dear fellow?
| Molly looked at her, her soft brown
eyes full of indignant wonder.
Stella, you are heartless-you are cruel !!
Do you think only of yourself? The
words were wrung from her; she could
not keep them back. But when she
saw the strange look that overspread
Stella's face she stopped. Stella, didn't
you know, she said, after a moments
silence-hayen't you guessed? But he
did not want you to know; he was afraid
that you might reproach yourself. And
1 IlC WHi kCb OtCI mCu IdNC uIC0
of grief before, but not for love-
The bitterness in Molly's yoice-the
voice that was always SO gentle--did
not reach Stella's ears. ALI conscious
ness was absorbed in the great truth
| that had suddenly come TO her.
The rest Of the drive passed like a
dream. Molly saw how profoundly she
was moved, and did not try TO make
her talk. She wished that che had been
able to keep back those reproachful
words which had betrayed Anthony's
secret. She feared now that Stella would
blame herself.
But it was not self reproach which
kept Stella silent. Molly's words had
been like the tearing aside Of dark
curtain which had hidden the truth from
her. She knew now by the trembling
delicious joy which flooded all her being
at the knowledge that Anthony loved
her why she had been so miserable,
why the moments had passed by on
such leaden wings. The desert through
which she had been painfully plodding
had suddenly begun to blossom around
her. It was assuming the sweetness and
perfume Of the rose garden. She felt
young once more-young and merry
hearted. Even the thought of Alan and
the nine days wonder which the break |
ing OF her engagement would cause did
not tend to oppress her. 1t mattered
very little what people said, and Alan |
would think himself well rid OF her when |
he learned that her heart had all the |
time been in the possession of somebody |
else.
A little irrepressible smile broke cut |
on Stella's face as Miss Willoughby |
fdgeted over the gray poplin that was
being made for her to wear on her we'd
ding journey. She felt inclined to tell
her not to fuss so much, as the dress
would not be wanted.
Alan was waiting for them when they
came out He looked older and grayer
than ever in Stella's newly-opened eyes.
She watched him furtively at intervals
during their walk and the luncheon that
followed. And her inward re1ectionl
was that he deserved to lose her; she
was not sorry for him in the least. Why,
it was within a week OF their wedding
day, and he did not even know when
she looked at him
Luncheon was not a. long affair, and
when it was over Molly, on whom
the chief burden OF the conversation had
fallen, hastened to leave Alan and Stella
to themselves. She had some purchases
to make in the town, she said. They
would find her at the chemists il: half
an hour.
Fright took hold Of Stella directly
Molly had gone. A tete-a-ete OF half an
hours duration with Alan was an ordeal
that she had not been prepared for. To
tell him face to face that she wanted
their engagement to be broken off was
more than she had the courage to do.
She had meant to write to him; the
letter was already written in her thoughts.
But speak TO him she could not. Yet
how was she to answer him il lie be-
gan to talk of their marriagel SHE felt
intense relief therefore, though the re-
lief was mingled with little. scornful
amusement, when Alan suggested that
they should employ the time by looking
at the church.
They duly viewed the brasses and the
cross-legged effigy Of the Crusader in the
chancel and the Norman tracery in the
porch, and then went to look for Molly.
Stella was tired when they came to the
hotel. She suggested that she would I
wait there while Alan went on to the
chemists, and he agreed at once. He
went off with eager steps.
Molly had finished her shopping be- I
fore the half-hour was over. She had |
left the chemists and was walking slowly