Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-11-20
q deb1WBus; QUO, FRIDAY MORNING,

should hardly recognize her. ehha sHi
fio"Then, Mr.. Henley you will NEE,
two old friendsiof yours here Tonight .
b9Oliver said nothing beyond that he
shouldabe very glad. Nor did he think
much about the 1'.Mr. Hughes whose
mining propertyiwa iso immense" but
he wondered how he should meet Mrs
Hughes, who had done him what he
should ever think so grievous wrong
The evening came,s and when Henley
entered the ball room, the greater mum.
Der of the guests had already arrived
The first person whom he caught sight
ofias he entered was Mrs. Hughes. He
recognized the Miss Devonport of other
days at a glance. The face had changed
little, perhaps, but a very little and
somehow or other, as he looked, the hair
did not seem to him the same jet black
color that it had been. While he was
standing looking at her. Mrs. Hughes
came up to him. IL saa 81 1tsau76I
"Mr. Henley she said, " cannot
say how glad, how relieved I am to see
you. For more than two years have
longed to do SO. Can you forgive me for
what passed between us when last we
met : No; am sure you cannot. But
when you know everything I think you
will. There was a misrepresentation be-
tween us, but you shall hear everything
by-and-by. ,fr,5 sai tlia Fa.r1s nI
But Mr.Henley could only make some
lame remark to the effect that bygones
were bygones. Would Mrs. Hughes
give him the pleasure of dance by
and byl to.1a.lfrg IaI .sy14
Gladly; and Oliver duly indorsed his
name on the programme of the wife of
the wealthy Mr.. Hughes. ai xa.a.gt
The dance came; itwas a waltz, the
same tune as that to which he had
danced with her when then she was
Miss Devonport, more than two years
ago, in the bay room of the sEggerton
Arms at marlborough. When it was
over they strolled into the conservatory
adjoining. Henley longed to say some
thing about the old days, but she had
promised the explanation and it was for,
her to begin. - -=o-... ,,l
"Mr. Henley" she at last commenced,
edo you remember the marlborough
Hunt Bail ? Do you remember what
happened after it--that interview be-
tween US :" .g .+-..yi .s. i...- .... "a
Henley made no answer.
"Would you like to hear how the
whole matter originated2 Would you
be glad if all could be righted now p
d"What do you meant" asked Hen
ley. .3sda -.a.G ,..I .s-.a ...-a.
Simply what / say" ...~ -.
At that moment there was the rustic
of a dress heard amongst the leaves of
the conservatory, but Henley was too
much, engrossed with the remarks of
Mrs. Hughes toNnotice it. Ma .-s
"Here, Mr.. Henley, here is my ex-
PLANTATION. Let me introduce you to my
sister. Miss Davenport" -.
Mrs, Hughes, Miss Deyonport ? What
does all this mean ;" -s~-- ..-.s,,l..,{ .,
But, Mrs. Hughes had risen and left
the seat. Only Miss Devonport was
standing before him-the same Miss
Deyonport of the -Rattleborough Hunt
Ball, with the same jet black hair, the
same lustrous beauty, the same sweet,
sweet smile as of old. .... -,
Henley was too overpowered to speak.
He tried to do so, but there was some
thing in his. throat which seemed to
choke his utterance. But each under
stood the other, and Oliver at last said
one or two words and Edith Devonport
knew their meaning well. ..--.
"Mr. Henley" she said, 81 have
longed for this hour to come; 1 have
prayed for it. l knew it would come
some time or other, but did not know
when. 1t has come now and you shall
know all. 1t was whom you met at
the Marlborough ball, not my sister.
We are twins. You are not the first
person that has mistaken US. But when
you knew US, my sister, as being slight
ly the elder, was Miss Devonport. 1
was Miss Edith Devonport. 1t was she
as you will know now, whom you met
in the street that morning on which you
were walking with Mr.. Beauchamp.
She told me afterwards how puzzled
she was by your salutation. Itwas she,
too, as you will know, whom you met in
the lane just before you left. All
through, you see, it was mistake" MA
"a mistake 2" mechanically repeated
Henley; /" but" and the surprise cleared
off his countenace, "is it a mistake
which it is too late to mend? Miss
Devenport-Edith-tell me it is not.
Tell me what 1 now tell you-tell me
that you love me-" r4. ..
"Mr. Henley, have loved you ever
since We first met. Is love ever too
late ?' .... -..s. ..
But the hearts of each were too full
to allow them to say many words.
They had waited for their happiness
and the hour had reached them. The
scales had dropped from off their eyes.
All was clear now. s;F ...-..-
How long they sat in the conservatory
they did not know. but presently Mrs.
Hughes voice was heard. She saw how
matters stood at glance. Everything
was arighted at last.
RAnK pINnE D TEG 80