xicated through our streets, from
hearing of his most startling escapades; a common lounger, a drunkard, a
man with a divorced wife in our very midst. Doctor Heath, I know you are
incapable of such a jest, but tell me who has caused you to believe a
thing so shameful?"

[Illustration: "John Burrill! Why, he is a Brute!"]

"I thank you for your faith in me," he says, with the shadow of a smile
upon his face. "The story is shameful indeed, but it is _true_. Sybil
Lamotte has eloped, and with John Burrill. Listen, before you
remonstrate. This afternoon at two o'clock, John Burrill, with a swift
horse and shining new carriage, drove boldly up to the side entrance of
Mapleton Park. There, Sybil Lamotte was awaiting him; he handed her to
his carriage and then drove ostentatiously through the town taking the
west road. It appears, that for several days, Burrill had been dropping
hints in his sober moments, and boasting openly in his cups, of his
coming marriage with one of the belles of W----, and, last evening, he
openly avowed that to-day, he should 'carry off Miss Sybil Lamotte, in
spite of her high and mighty family, and in the face of all the town.'
Of course, no one who heard regarded these things, save as the bombast
of a half drunken braggart and liar. To-day, young Evarts and his still
wilder chum, encountered him just setting forth with his fine turnout
and wonderfully gotten up. They jested on his fine appearance, and for
once he evaded their questions, and seemed anxious to be rid of them.
This piqued their curiosity, and, ripe for mischief, as usual, they
resolved to follow him.

"They were mounted when they met him, having just ridden into town. They
saw him stop at Mapleton and take up Miss Sybil, from there they
followed them westward. Burrill drove at the height of his horse's
speed, and the boys, who followed at a distance, arrived at Milton (you
will see their policy in avoiding the railroad towns), ten miles
distance, to find that Burrill had changed horses there, and driven
away, still westward, at the same break-neck pace. Burrill's horse was
badly used up, short as the drive had been, and the man who took it in
charge said that the fresh horse was brought there by him, Burrill,
yesterday, and that he had heard the lady complain that they 'could not
go fast enough.'"

He ceases, and his eyes rest anxiously on her face. She does not seem to
have observed that he is not speaking. She has heard every wor