Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-02-21

his quarters laden with Judge Wells choicest flowers he was greeted with a yell and clamoring questions. Where have you been? What have you got?"
 I've been hunting" he said gravely, land I've brought back lot of phess- ants"
 This remark was loudly applauded: but to their astonishment the young ot- ficer looked annoyed, and he presently walked away in a dreamy fashion. It did net take them long to discover where he hac been, and most of them felt inclined to follow in his footsteps. For 1t was not to be expected that Lieut.. King would be the onl: young soldier aroused by gal lant desire to gratify this heroine of now increasing fame. Agnes had beauty; she also had wealth, and, too, she was to be sought while the other girls were seeking. Under these enticing condi- tions 1t was not strange that permits ito go hunting" became the order of the day: nor was it strange that the atmosphere around old Judge Wells residence took on bluish tint; nor that the old man. being deaf and near-sighted, and long since insensible to the sound of low voices and the mystic changes in atmos- pheric tints, was entirely unconscious that his castle had been besieged. For far from being the least amusing fea- ture of the comedy as 1t unrolled was the fact that the instigator himself was the ''only innocent man in town"
 No one knew how it all came about Charles King was sure 1t had begun with him on the first day when Agnes gave i him the roses; from that moment with i definite purpose he had gone to work to shape the end. With Agnes 1t was differ. ent; she had drifted from the romantic utilization of one meeting to the dreaded but hoped-for ecstasy of the next, while l in the intervals her conscience lay on the rack. She had no time for thought of the future; she could only tremble and fear tremble and hope.
 It was not until the day when Charles first left her under the rose- vine and went into the library to speak 10 her father that she felt this uncer- tainty diminish: not until then did she ] feel diffused through the gentle waver- ing disposition inherited from her mother something of her fathers strong self-will. It crept over her slowly at first. self-affrighted; but when she watched her lover walk about the garden before coming near her, it suddenly leaped like liquid fire i through her veins. stimulating, cleo trifying. He read her promise, for bet ter or for worse, before word was ! spoken.
 Heaven bless you, my darling." he said, pressing her white hand to his | lips. "1t matters not what he says, you will marry me. see it in your eyes"
 But what dii he say. Charles?"
 Too much. He refused to glance at my uncles letter; did not, would not, even hear who ! am But it all makes no difference now; tomorrow we will be married"
 They were wrapped in twilight, and had no fear of interruption. All al once Agnes became motionless. afraid to stir. afraid to breathe; the tread of an old man approached the sheltered nook.
 "Doncher git scared. honey: tain, nobody but Uncle Joe. an he done seed young doves CT coon befo'. les go ou wid yer kissin' an huggin'-Uncle Jos don care. he bin CT watchin' ger all de time. Lord. but Tse glad it's you Narse Charles; case I bin so dazed by all dem blue coats CT fyin' round di: here chile wat I done raised. dat Tus feared she'd git fused an take up wid CT Yankee. Oats right, chil'n; jei go on wid yer foolishness; Uncle Jo< gwine ter hep yer tie de knot,"
 And he did But for him one of tn, party that gathered on the following afternoon as ;f bv accident at tn. church. the chile vat he done raised would have been absent
 One of the other servants. however had not been so faithful At the mo nent when the young min ter beg [ ;n a trembling voice io read the ma riase ceremony the father had beeT informed. and was valEing up ana down his library foor in a vtoleni rage When the minister warned: -I any man can show just cause why the,