The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1905-04-01

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| Jim Fcrress believed him. lie was not
very we'll vel>ed in the ways of women.
In all his careless, healthy young life he
had given them little thought until he
| had CHANGED to halt II runaway horse
attached to Annice Garvin'S phueton;
then his troubles commenced. From the
Girl herself he had little encouragement.
scarce IL dozen words during the summer
afternoons. when he would drive out to
! I.yudHle: but he had fallen in love in his
lhradluug fashion, as he would have
taken Il hurdle. needing no encourage
mrnt The quiet assent had satisfied
him-hc could tcah her to love him. once
| they were ria of all the troublesome
people and her father. Jim could not
stand odd GIrvin.' as he called him in
his most diSguSted moments: but "O!d
tiarvin" chucklcd and smiled to himself
over the success of his schemes.
The twilight brcczr> tluttrrcd the white
curtain at the windows, of Annicc Gar
wins room. where the bridesmaids were
grouped around her in admiring chorus.
but the bride stood pale and silent in the
midst Of their chatter. and the set lips
did not break into a smile. even when
they trld her to take last look at her
maiden srlf-a lovely face. framed in
the cloud of tulIc over the hron2c-brown
hair; fair and pure the violet eyes be
Meath their long laShcS. heavy with I'M
| shed tears.
Just below the window rang out the
horn note of the whip-poUrwill. .\nnicc
startcd-thr tide of red flashing over
check and brow. \ second timc-shc
turned to the laughing girls. I'VE have
still half an hour. and | am going to ask
| You to leave me alone for that little
time, and. wondering, the reluctantly
left her.
An instant later she turned out the
light and flung open the window. Jack"
>h" called in Il hllShcd tone; and in an
| Swcr. Jack Thornton drew himself. hand
lover lmnd. mp the rrclliS, as he had done
many time when they We're children
and stood at her side within the room
\ horse ncighed somewhere down he
low the orchard. and the clock on the
mamtcl chimcd out the half hour. Annicc
raised her head and Shudlcrcd; then
Thormton'S arms closed around her again.
will you risk it Amicr-Swccthrart
| have asked that question of myself
every milestone of the twenty that |
have ridden tonight. Will you come with
me to poverty Or-G0d knows but it is
forever and forever. until death do us
part answer me-" ana he lifted her
face to hiS-"fS it 4 long goodbye. or life
tngcthcr?
Annicc tore the white veil from her
head. tl3lmping the Grange flowers he
meath her feet. Ten minutes later two
horses sped through the night toward
Grrtna Green. while outside the dnor Of
.Annce Gurvin'S room the old Squire
paced. watch in hand. with Il strange
uncaSin,SS Juggling at his heart.
llalf-paSt s. and the Squire khockcd
gently ut the door. No answer and when
they forced it the first object that met
his eyes WAS the white veil and the
crushed bridal flowers. For a brief mo
mrnt the Squire thought that Annie" had
gone mad: then the truth broke upon
him. He staggered shouting mcohcrcnt-
| ly-thr coarse. dark face became purple.
| FcrrcrS mounted the stairs two steps
at time. and. aS he entered the dis
ordered room. knew intuitivcly the blow
that had bcfallcn him.
He turned to the gaSpng. choking
| Squire You - old Scoundrcl you
| were forcing ntf To ntllfE me. ana tnlS
| is the result The sudden lurch of the
heavy figure stayed the angry words
upon his lips. as the Squire fell heavily
to the floor. ApopleXy. the doctors call
ed it-mgc and disappointment the real
cause and before the night was over
Squire Garvin had gone to his last ac-
count. The mHn had few real friends,
none who cared to watch beside him but
4
much for one of his hounds. Through
the long night he tended the dying man,
the servants coming to him for orders.
and all things We're in order when An
nice came back in thc dusk Of the fol
lowing day. Annicc Thornton now. with
the joy Of her mal'riagr-dny turned to
bitter weeping. for the old Squire. under
all his, faults. had loved his child and
had humorcd her slightest within until
the matter of her marriage.
Fcrrcr> asked to see her. and clTcfuhy
avoiding all mention of the dead, con
trivcd to let her know the deception that
had been practiscd upon him; and then
only uld she know the gallant gentleman
who had loved her so well. yet failed to
win ought but her dislike and secret con-
tempt.
There were troubled days in store for
.\nnice. for Thornton positively refused
to touch II cent of Squire GHrvinS
money, or to live ut I.yndale. Then
came the astonishing disclosure of the
old Squirc'S losses in wheat and the fact
that Lyndale was mOrtgaged to the
caves. Dark days. indeed. until the day
when the gold bonds that Colonel Thorn
ton had Sstakcd his all upon We're re-
deemed at their face value. and IyndHle
I fell from the auctionccr'S hammer to its