Middletown transcript., 1906-05-05
AN ELOPEMENT BY DEPUTY

cided, quite the loveliest woman
| had ever seen in my life. Way
ing masses of brown heir shaded d
u pair of lovely brown eyes, that
in their turn were eclipsed by the
perfect beauty Of the mouth and
chin.
Trn.. the expression Of The
eyes WIS a trife sad, but they
lighted up with qtaick flash as
her father turned suddenly and
said in irritable accents:
You heard from that rascal Jim
again this morning?
| heard from no one who could
possibly be described by such a
word, answered The girl coolIy.
Nonsense! What is the use Of
Geating about the bush? | saw
the letter, and recognized Jim S
handwriting, and after having
forbidden you to hold any further
Communication with him till he
las come to his senses Won make
II point Of
Doing precisely what I warned
you | should do, namely, use my
own judgement in the matter,
said the girl.
Do you mean that you intend
to defy me and encourage
You forget, father, interrupted
Lis daughter coldly, that this is
l.ardly q place in which to discuss
our private affairs.
Do you think l care IL hang for
a crowd of confounded tourists?
said the old man tiercely. l will
discuss this matter when and
where | please, and though you
may not choose to listen
That is precisely what | do not
choose to do, at any rate not here,
said the girl, rising to her feet
and moving slowly down the pier.
The old man was just about to
follow her, when he was accosted
by one of the tourists with the
request for the loan of match.
l. did not wait to see the eX.
preston of disgust on the old
buys face as the man produced
an evil-smelling pipe, but hurried
OH 10 overtake Miss Barton and
make the most of my opportunity.
She had turned at the sound of
my footsteps, and it was plain
that her calmness was more as.
samed than real, judging by the
trembling Of the hands that held
the roses. One of them fell to
the ground at my feet; and it was
when | was in the act of restoring
it to her that I managed to slip
The, note into her hand.
From Jim, l said hurriedly,
but found no time to add any
hing else us / met her fathers
questioning stare.
| caught muttered, What The
deuce does the fellow mean by
his impertinence? and the girls
10 E-voiced explanation, before I
walked quickly away in the oppo-
siLe direction.
[ had fulfilled my part of the
compact so far, and Was free to
] idulge in any dissipation afford
cd by the extremely dull little
watering place of Brightsands.
These proved to be so meager
that I returned at an early hour
to my hotel, where | found a
short note awaiting me which ran
thus:
Will be at the place jim men
tons as near nine o'clock as pos
sible.
The note had been scribbled
very hurriedly in pencil, and the
initials were quite undecipher-
able; but in spite of haste the
handwriting was a pretty one,
and therefore in harmony with
tile rest Of the delightful person
aIity of Jim Harcourt's promised
wife.
1T was indeed case of ''lucky
Jim" I decided, as l fell asleep
IL, dream that I had ousted him
il the lady's affections an hour
before his marriage and had car
ricd off in the motor the bride
from the church door.
Z
This comes of deputy elop-
nent, | decided, as I opened my
eyes next morning and realized
that had barely an hour in which
to dress and drive to the rendez-
vous at the Ivy Inn.
Fortunately | managed to get
there about ten minutes before
Miss Barton's carriage came lum-
beFiug I'D the fIiff.