Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-08-16
THURMONT FREDERICK THURSDAY AUGUST

, sway lave you come here?" asked
uncle Sail in Il husky voice, suddenly
springing to his feet.
Annie Wolsey closed the door as de-
liberately as she had opened 1t, and
leaned her back against it-perhaps
for the support it afforded, for she was
CHASTITY pale, and seemed unable to
close her colorless lips to give utter
hnce to her thoughts.
"Why have you come here?" asked
uncle Sam again. You have received
my letter?'
"Yes, l have received your letter"
said the agitated woman, after pain
full pause, "and 1 will not believe its
contents in that form. With those
lips with which you have so often ex'
pressed you interest in me must you
you tell me that you have no wish to
see me again, or l can never believe
It."
"Annie," said uncle Sam sternly, yet
with slight tremor in his voice, what
/ have said to you in my letter is true,
every word, and must be acted upon,
1t is entirely your own fault that II
Is so. Had you but followed my sim.
pie advice, this had never happened.
How many times have / warned you
Of the probable outcome OF your com.
munications with your father. The
result is only such rs I feared and
foresaw. Now you have regained your
! father, and your father has put it out
| Of my power to be to you what once ]
was; but in whatever part of the world
you may choose to live you shall al
ways be provided with large means"
80 Sam, surely this is not to be the
end Of our friendship? Oh, don't for
sake me; defy the worlds opinion in
, this as you have defied it in so many
other ways. Consider your great
wealth and the independence it con-
! fers; what censure you cannot afford
to ignore, you can stitle with your
gold. Don't forsake me, Sam
The speakers face was flushed now;
and having found her voice, she spoke
rapidly, but in a plaintive. pleading
tone that was painful to hear. In the
tall graceful woman standing before
me could with difficulty recognize the
Suffolk village girl who but a few
years before had been my almost con-
stant companion, so changed was she.
! But her face and figure were none the
| less familiar to me, though for another
| and very different reason. When An
ME Wolsey first entered the room |
had started involuntarily, so great was
her resemblance to the portrait of my
mother which hung. in the drawing
room at Holdenhurst Hall. l would
! at once have withdrawn. as having
! neither the right nor desire to be pres
ent at such n conference, but that
Annie stood against the closed door,
and my presence embarrassed the dis
! putants so little that neither Of them
| took the least notice Of me.
Annie " olsey's passionate appeal Wis
| IDLY disconnected uncle Sam
annie" said uncle Sam, advancing
| towards her and taking her hand in
his, Il don't think my regret is less
intense than yours, but what | have
written have written, and come what
may l will adhere to it. Goodbye,
| Annie"
annie Wolsey took the hand which
my uncle extended towards her, and
muttercd Il brief farewell in Il voice
| too broken with emotion for me to
make out the words of which 1t was
composed, turned to leave. AS she
! did SO, my aunt Gertrude entered the
| room; and the two stood, scarce a
yard apart, regarding each other in
| silence.
Aunt Gertrude was the first to speak
Bowing slightly she addressed her in
| Icy tones, but with admirable restraint:
Il beg your pardon, Miss Wolsey, for
so unceremoniously interruptng your
conversation with my husband. Would
you like me to retire until you have
concluded your business with himE
The calmncss of the American lashed
the despairing Englishwoman into an
uncomfortable outburst Of fury. NO"
she screamed; Il would not" and
J with these words the cnraged woman
drew from her bosom Il small packet
of papers and cast it contemptuously
upon the table Then, drawing her
self up to her full height and darting
one last indignant glance at my uncle,
with flushed face and flashing eyes
! Annie Wolsey passed out of the open
door and was gone.
Uncle Sam, who had been u silent
! spectator of this scene made motion
as though he would follow her, which
aunt Gertrude perceiving, threw her
arms around his neck and prevented.
My uncle cndeavored to put his wife
gently aside, but could not. "Follow
/ her, Ernest, follow her.' he cried;
don't leave her while she is in this
mood Quick, or she is lost!'
| l FASTENED down the long staircase
and reached the sidewalk in front of
the hotel just as Miss Wolsey was
stepping into q landau which awaited
her.
Annie" I exclaimed, "Annie, dear;
wait moment. want to speak with
you"
II have nothing more to say to any.
one who bears your name" said the
companion OF my childhood, regarding
me with stony, immoyable express
| sion as she fastened the door from the
! inside. Drive on!'
! And in obedience to her command
the driver lashed his horses, and my
girl-aunt was borne swiftly away. |
watched the carriage on it's course
down town until it turned aside to-.