The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1870-06-11

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groups of ladies in the room, making .
faint buzz of conversation, but it was not
loud enough to interrupt her. For long
while she read undisturbed, until the
feeble buzz at last leapt into quicker ami.
nation, for the drawing-room door was
opened, and new voices sounded, and new
faces entered and filed the room.
, A few feet from where she sat there
stood q small empty sofa. Toward this
} there presently came two persons, and
took possession of it-Mrs Trayers, and
a gentleman whose face was strange to
Margaret. As they sat down it was he
who spoke FIRST.
Begin with your own marriage, and
tell me everything" he said "What
has become Of all my old friends?"
can scarcely see or hear of one of them"
can give you score Of histories"
she answered. "WIIo shall begin withf"
And they fell at once In an animated
talk together.
1t might have lasted perhaps for half
an hour, when, after momentary pause,
Margaret heard these words:
"In the midst of all this" Mrs. Ira
ver's companion said, how in the world
have you contrived to be SO little chang
ed? To look at you can scarcely be-
lieve that have ever been away; yet
the whole morning have been complain
ing to Langton that cannot recognize
single face see."
She looked up with an involuntary
start, but it was only for q moment. Sha
had heard strangers called by that name
before. There were more Langtons in the
world than hers.
by the way" Mrs. Travers said,
+" who IS this Mr. Langton5 Where did
you pick him up?"
"Langton? o, he is man with some
name in political circles in England. He
is just now secretary to Lord -"
He is not in the room at present, is
he? / am SO blind but don't see
him."
cussion together, and we left them to
fight it out.
They turned the talk back to their own
affairs With low sigh Margaret stoop-
ed her face again upon her book. g 1t il
not Philip, it is not Philip" che whisper
ed to herself. Bending her head she
shaded her eyes, and for minute closed
their lids and before her attitude was
altered, before her eyes were reopened
there fell upon her ear the long unheard
voice.
g How beautiful your open sea here is,"
, it said. :" 1t brings to my mind the on
ly place where ever lived before by the
open sea,-a little village in the south
of England"
! She looked up and saw him. That
, vision that nine years had robbed her Of;
that lover whose memory her life, with
all its struggles, successes, endurances,
7 had been an Offering. There, before her
: his foot within pace of where she sat,
his dark, familiar face clear within her
sight familiar, and yet how strange af-
!, ter this absence, this silence, this abne.
cation of nine years.
A hand was laid kindly on her arm
! and on her ear came the tones Of another
! voice:
90 You feel this room very hot" it said
: g Do you not, Miss Morton? I am
J sure you are hot, you look SO pale and
i tired. Come away with me, and let us
;. take little walk upon the terrace"
The outstretched hand drew her from
). her seat o, this was cruel There leapt
: up to her lips ono piteous cry, one help
: less cry Of passionate resistance, and then
she rose and went. Away she went, from
where her hungry eyes had rested, to the
! dimly lighted terrace.
: CHOW take my arm, we will walk fofa
little while here"
! She answered Yes,' but she could
not do it. She tried, and walked dozen
steps; then suddenly stood still, and
cried:
:" Let me cit down"
{ She leant against pillar near her.
u Mrs. Carlton, let me sit down Here,
where it is not light 2" she cried.
kIxxl l~ A. I.k:n
one moment
ton hurried to the house. She was absent
for few seconds then ehc returned,
and not alone. Another arm was laden
with the chair she. had gone to find, and
another hand set it by Margaret,s side.
Thank you, Mr.. Langton. Now, my
dear, sit down. You will be better soon
in this fresh air.
She sat down as she was hidden; helr-
lessly, without word. She gave no
thanks.
Having come, he stayed. Deliberately
and at once he took the place where she
had stood, and leant where she had leant
against the pillar. He stood with his face
partly towards her, with the light upon
it.
"We shall never teach this northern
snowdrop to bear our southern warmth"
Mrs. Carlton said. " Mr.. Langton, are
all your countrywomen SO hard to accus-
tom to new climates Arc they all such
fragile creatures as this one
i He turned his head whore Margaret
sat, and looked at her. Following that
look there came no change upon his face,
no token in him of recognition, nothing
but this quiet answer.
/ e You are used to warmer coioriug
hero. Our northern snows rob our En-
glish women Of that"
.And yet England is good way from
tho pole. And y0u are not Ike snow
drop, Mr.. Langton, At all.
g I aha scarcely English; my mother
was an Italian"