Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1921-04-23

smiled fle drew her hand within his
arm and half carried her up the slip.
perry brick pavement that ran the
length Of the lawn. He even lifted
her onto the tiny porch and there
pulled away her wrap. Il want 10 re-
member you always just as you look
now. he said. standing back pace or
80 "a see more clearly. His headlights
ilumired the space with soft. suf-
fused radiance II etherealized ANA
bel. lie tried To fling his arms about
her, but the door opened wide and
Mrs. Neal candle in hand, stood
framed in 1t, her face cross between
steel and ice.
This must he n mistake" she said
With Il hard breadth. ours is a re-.
~pt,tablr huuSc-it does not harbor
scarlet w.ncn ! should hate to dis
turb my sleeping husband-so please
- aNay-at once" turning AT the
last word To shut and lock the door.
She was beside herself with rage
some STRINGS Of conjunction la
brought her home early. Anal ~
room. untidy, untcnanicd, told her how
she had been fooled. This added fuel
in compassion She had abjurcd her
rightfu throne added insult to her
SENSE of injury. A burning sense. ii
grew and mounted throughout two
hours of waiting. hardening her into
Il desperate resolve.
shut door was the only proper an
Swer To such trickery-she would open
ii after while-whcn Amabel. re-
duced to abiect fear. should make
proper supplication. She would have
10 do it--ihere was nowhere She could
hope To find safe harborage-beSidcS
if she stayed from home all night her
reputation would be gone. Mrs. Neal
believed herself dcvOut Christian
Yet the thought of that dread con.
tingency woke in her an unholy joy.
Up in her own room She waited
tensely for the knocking that would
tell her she had won. II did not come
Instead, she heard the motor moving
rapidly away. y feint she decided
meant to shake her resolution After
a little ii would come back-even thai
wicked Austin Ware would hardly de-
Sert girl AT this hour ~ night in
such bitter cold. She wondered that
he had not spoken up TO her-thai
both of them had stood silent before
her They had less face than she had
thought-but something must be done
she would 20 down and listen closely
maybe Amabel was outside the door.
trembling with cold. afraid to knock.
She opened the door. Nothing. no
body. Needless of her bare head she
ran To the gate. then began hurried
search of the thick shrubbery, the
summer house. even the makeshift ga,
rage at the farther side. Once she
ventured into the main roed and stood
for minute pecring VI and down,
trying To call Amabels name aloud
but finding herself voicelesS.
Shaking like leaf, she crept back
Within tried To rouse her husband, but
vainly; he was one of the seven sleep
ers. Better let him he; he will have
To know soon enough" she said to
herself, brokenly. Then She thought
Of the minister He was always a
safe counselor but as She rang the
phone her voice was so strained she
had to repeat the call thrice to get
ii sent on.
THAT you Sister NeaI?" came
hearty answer at last. You're just
in time to be too late. | married
your runaways hard and fast ten min
utes ago, and I'm bound to say they
look the happieSt pair have ever
helped into double harness. wanted
10 call you up before the ceremony,
but Austin wouldn't hear TO IT, Anna
bel begged me to go and tell her dad
dy first thing in the morning"
The good man stopped suddenly.
Over the wire he heard unmistakable
sobbing, then family: "Oh. thank the
Lord for this browning mercy. But
for II ! might be a murderess."
The minister never asked cxplana.
lions, but he gave out To the world
that Sister Neal had II mighty soft
heart. and was. in spite OF appear,
ances, wrapped up in her stepchIld.