The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-05-05

young mistress give evidence OF nav
ing a common huckster for a lover.
She said nothing to Catherine, but In
her heart she was turning over the
prospect of misalliance.
Tracy came home to dinner and went
away again after it was finished. Soon
after his departure Catherine went to
the barn and proposed to Marcy to
take him in her fathers sleigh a part
OF the way on his return journey. He
accepted the offer rather from a desire
for a ride with the girl who had
charmed him than to get lift De
scending from the loft he harnessed
the horse. Catherine went to the house
for her wraps, and, returning, Marcy
got down In the bottom Of the sleigh
under the robes, that he might not be
seen leaving the premises.
Dinah was not to be thus fooled. Her
mistress going and coming from the
barn, especially carrying a platter COW
cred with a napkin, was. to say the
least, suspicious. She believed the man
she suspected to be her mistress lover
was In the sleigh, and as Catherine
drove away Dinah went to the barn to
look for the huckster. Not finding him,
her fears were confirmed, and she be-
lieved Catherine had eloped.
1t did not take Dinah long while
to make up her mind that her master
should be Informed of a step which
might turn out to be regretted. 1t was
no great distance to Tracy's place Of
business, and the old woman went
there as fast as she could go and told
him that his daughter had eloped with
a peddler in Tracy's own sleigh. Tracy
borrowed a sleigh and, taking Dinah
with him, drove at breakneck pace In
the direction she said the fugitives had
taken.
Unfortunately for Tracy, he had not
unstrapped the bells from about the
horse. Catherine, unsuspicious of dan
ger, was not hurrying, and 1t was not
long before her father caught sight of
the sleigh that contained her and Mar
cey. She had thought 1t prudent that
Marcy should retain his position I'M
der the robes until they had attained
some distance from her home, and
when her father saw her she alone
was visible. Hearing a distant Jingle
of sleighbells, she turned, and, seeing
a horse and sleigh coming at a rapid
pace, scattering the snow, she sur
missed that something had gone wrong
The position of Marcy was one of
/ great danger, for If caught it was
quite likely 1t would come out that
he was an American soldier. Cath
| crimes position was difficult, because
If she were not convicted OF aiding
spy she would be accused OF having
lover unknown to her father or, In.
deed, any one else. What was to be
done? She told Marcy that they were
pursued, and, since she did not know
why, both came to the conclusion that
Marcy had been suspected us spy.
If this were proved he would be hang
ed If caught
Catherine looked back and saw that
the sleigh behind her was gaining on
them rapidly. There was no hope of
escape. As soon as she had seen that
she was pursued she had whipped up
her horse and made 1t plain that she
was trying to effect an escape. Had
she gone on at an ordinary gait she
would have been in better position
As 1t was, no story could be concerted
to satisfy her father. However seeing
that escape was impossible, she drew
rein and waited for the blow to fall.
q
jumped from his sleigh and. running
to the other one, pulled the robes from
Off Marcy. Tracy whose only idea was
that his daughter was In position to
compromise herself, was livid with
rage. Looking Marcy over and seeing
I that despite his cOuntryman's clothes
he was fine looking young fellow, he
came to sudden resolution. Order,
ing Catherine Into the sleigh with
Dinah, he got In with his captive and
drove In the direction of church
spire Stopping at the parsonage, he
ordered Marcy and his daughter both
out of the sleighs and drove them into
the house. They were received by the
parson, and Tracy said to his captive:
Il don't know who you are, but
don't believe you are a huckster.
think | know a gentleman when l see
him, and Pm sure you are one. What
the relation has been between you and
my daughter doesn't matter, for you
shall either marry her or will kill
you"
Marcy and Catherine cast a quick
glance at each other This unexpected
denouement changed the conditions.
II am gentleman" replied Marcy,
land the one object Of my life Is to
marry your daughter"
Catherine was not consulted in the
matter and needed not to comply or
dissent She was married passively.
AS soon as the two were made one
Tracy returned to his sleigh, where
Dinah was still sitting, and drove
away without word. Marcy and his
wife went out and stood beside their
sleigh. and for the first time since their
marriage their eyes met
This is pretty piece OF businessr'
exclaimed the bride.
"a very satisfactory piece of bust
ness to me-" replied the groom.
IF your life had not depended upon
my acquiescence would have explain
ed to father"
I'm well pleased that you did not.
Come, let US go where we both belong,
to the American lines. We are both
spies, and have escaped the halter by
your consenting to marry me. will
make you good husband"
That evening when they drove up
to Washington's headuuarterz thev on.