News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1904-04-13

platform like lot of bad actors wait
ing to receive their tickets from
business manager who is already in the
next county"
She pressed her lips together prettily
and nodded half dozen times as il
marking the points in an unspoken ar
| gumant.
ITS not honest of the business man
ager," said she. "He should have staid
and seen them through. And l haven't
much respect for person who is dis
honest with himself about his trou
bles Mine shall go with me, but they
shall be my maids and lackeys."
discharge them ALL" said l, "pay
them their wages and let them go
They are not worth their keep"
yes, they are" she insisted. Il can
make them work. Yet, on second
thought, it occurs to me that l haven't
any. 1t was a mere fancy. l am really
very happy"
| gave her my hand as she seemed
about to rise, and l did not let go
when she was upon her feet. She
smiled at me in the cheeriest fashion
and gave me little shake Of the hand
as if we were great friends. Looking
| down into the sunbonnet | perceived
that Trask had been right about her
| l0olts, confound him. She was as pref
| ty as picture.
My thinking of him seemed to par
take of the nature of psychic sugges-
| tion, for l turned about Immediately
and looked straight at him as he came
| walking through the field. Miss Jones
| was with him, and they bore the GUS
| tomary burden of sketching material.
| | had no wish to meet the man at that
moment, for my sentiments toward
| him were not cordial, so l made a lame
excuse to Lucy Ann and slipped into
the path by which had come.
At dinner that evening | was surpris-
| ed to see Miss Jones in ScovePs place.
1t was the first time, to my knowledge,
that she had appeared thus with Trask,
and it struck me that this tete-a-tete
dinner was trifle pronounced. 1t was
strange that this girl, obviously bred
to all the conyentiOnalities, should con-
tent herself with so little chaperonage.
There was no longer any mystery about
her so far as | was concerned. She was
the original Miss Jones, and she shar-
ed with Sibyl half of the apple tree
lodge. Probably Miss Scott was some
one whom they knew and who occu-
pied her present quarters upon their
account | could not see, however, that
she was Of any particular use.
Miss Jones must have returned to the
orchard directly, for when after q
vather warm debate with myself, de-
cided to go down to the lake | found
Trask and Miss Witherspoon upon the
path.
There are strange tricks of sound on
sol night. Those two people We're
talking when l first saw them-both at
once, to judge by their attitude. Yet
l heard only a faint murmur. Then,
when | had taken not more than three
steps toward them. Lucy AIMS voice
became perfectly audible, though l am
sure she spoke no louder than before.
81 am so glad for you; so glad" she
said. Il know that you will be very
happy"
/ stopped short, and at that moment
they both saw me and began to walk
toward me. Trask had a nervous air,
and when he came close he looked at
me with singular embarrassment
Then he turned an eye on Lucy Ann,
almost as if asking her advice.
81 don't see any objection said she,
with a queer little laugh. Suppose
tell him?' And, as he made no sign Of
negaton, she continued: "There were
two people who lived in a free country
long time without finding out about
it. They imagined themselves to be
chained in separate cells in the wildS Of
Siberia or some place like that. Their
jailer's name was the Opposition of the
Young Lady's Family, and he looked
fierce, but in reality he was a paper
dummy. So at last, encouraged by
some of their friends, they decided to
walk out, leaving the poor dummy to
guard an empty prison. They decided
to walk out into the beautiful world,
where love is the sun by day and the
moon by night Her voice shook just
the least bit, but she steadied it. "The
man was fine fellow, take him for all
in all, and the girl was passing fair
and had developed an admirable nature
in the best surroundings. One of. them
will not live in so large a house for
awhile nor have so many servants, but
she will have plenty to eat and to wear,
and both of them will be very happy
In plain words, Mr.. Trask and Miss
Helena Jones have decided that they
will be married in September"
81 congratulate you heartily" said l.,
and the fellow mumbled something
about his great happiness and looked
rather foolishly at Lucy Ann.
For myself, was full of admiration
for her, but it was mingled with rage
against the inconceivable, blind brute
who paraded his happiness in her pres
ence.
We walked up the path together, and
when we came to the corner of the
house Trask said that he must go in
and write some letters Upon this l
urged Lucy Ann to 60 out rowing up
on the lake, which was all blended gold