Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1922-08-09
Carnaby's
Late Courtship
Bv JUSTIN WENTWOOD
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

CarnaDy hau come East dltei llteeh
years in California. Those in the viii
lage who remembered him as thrift
less ne'er-do-well, were impressed to
the point of revising all their old opin-
ions. Carnabys clothes, his motor-car,
his bank balance, reputed to exceed
hundred thousand, made him proml-
nent figure. Only-Carnaby was nearly
fifty
Hes come home to settle down and
marry" drawled Cy Butts, the hard
ware man. Reckon it's time. Reckon
it's that gal of Ebe Fishers he's sweet
on. Remember how he used to take
her ma buggy.ridingw
The Fishers had once been the lead
ing family, but they had gone downhill.
After his wife's death Ebe Fisher grew
shiftless. Their place was mortgaged.
And Mollie Fisher was reported to be
engaged to Harry Lucas, who had
never done any good for himself.
Soon gossip grew more insistent.
Carnaby was building a house. He
had the jerks place, adjoining Fish
er's. And he was often over to
Fishers.
Then it became definitely known that
Molie and Carnaby were to be mar
ried.
"Wonder how Harry Lucas is taking
it," speculated Cy Butts to his cronies.
Harry Lucas was taking it very i'll
indeed. But Carnaby knew nothing
about all this. If Mollie's cheeks grew
paler, he attributed it to the need Of
change. The new house was going
up apace. 1t was completed by the
time the day for the wedding was
fixed.
Carnaby loved Mollie with all the
ardOr Of a man returning to the scene
of his bOyhood, who sees in his new
sweetheart the image of the old one.
He had been desperately in love with
Agnes Fisher. Mollie was frightened,
amazed at elis devotion.
when we're married" said Car
naby, you shall have everything in the
world. No need to worry any more
about things. And I'm going to take
you over to our house next week. l
think it will please you"
Mollie smiled rather wanly. That
was the first time Carnaby wondered
whether anything was amiss.
That evening Anice Lawson enlight-
ened him. Anice was the village busy
body; she stopped him in the street.
"Oh, Mr. Carnaby," she gasped, II
am so glad to hear about you and Mol
lie Fisher. Everyone's saying what
splendid luck it is for her. and what a
good thing it is she isn't going to
marry that shiftless Harry Lucas.
what, didn't you known" she added.
"Oh. yes. there was lot Of talk about
her and Harry, but l guess it didn't
amount to much. You know how folks
will talk, don't your"
Carnaby went up the hill, deep in
thought. 1t was growing dark, so dark
that the couple at the edge Of the fir
plantation failed to hear him, and
Carnaby stopped involuntarily and lis
tened.
Eyes, it must be good-by, Harry"
he heard Mollie say tearfully. Mr..
Carnaby Is the best man in the world,
and would never hurt him."
You're selling yourself for your
father!" cried Harry impetuously. ut
isn't right, Mollie, and you know It,"
And there followed an impassioned
plea which Carnaby heard with amaze
ment. He had never guessed, never
suspected. And at the end he
heard Mollie's impaSsiOned gOOd-by.
He thought more deeply than ever
as he made his way home. Youth and
youth, youth and age, the eternal tri-
angle! Ebe Fisher had been nearly
twice his age when he took Agnes from
him. It was the old story.
But the roles were reversed. Now
it was his turn to win the girl he
loved from youth. to make her his.
No one would have guessed the
struggle in his mind that evening as
he sat placidly in the Fishers parlor--
the old man nOdding beside the rre,
Mollie looking up at Carnaby and lis
tening. Before he left he made an
appointment to meet her at the en-
trance to the new house the following
afternoon at five, to show 1t to her
But on the next afternoon Carnaby
was not there. Only the door stood
invitingly open, and, tempted by the
sight of the interior, MOllie went in.
Steps came toward her; she shrank
back in fear as she saw Harry Lucas.
"Mollie. what does it meanT he
cried hoarsely.
What, Harry? Oh, you mustn't come
here Mr.. Carnaby will be here any
moment"
Don't you known" He stared al
her incredulously. Hes left for CALI
fornia ON the night train. And he
sent me this! !"
MOllie looked mechanically at the
short typewriter letter. The words
passed vaguely before her eyes. The