Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1872-09-17
THE LOST RING;
yow GODFREY HAVEN WON HIS BRIDE.


concluded from Saturdays Commercial
,r,yo gentlemen were seated at the table
,,h,rr took my place, COnversing IN low
,,n, bul earnestly. Without listening, or in
l~rI much needing them, | could not avoid
L.rinr what was said Evidently they were
,,,y intimate friends discussing a love affair.
81 should scarcely have known her, said
But, said the other, ''you told me Il was
,r affair Of long ago. Can you have a rival p
81 have though; of that" and the speaker
crushed double little salt-spoon he had held
in his hand "lt's new thing to see her sad
and quict-morc, she is positively gloomy.
Tier father says she has never recovered from
,Ir shock of her mothers death but why
should that make her shrink from me p
Are YOU sure she doesf
"Slre she never loved me, but we were
always good friends Now my presence
SEEMS to give her positive pain. If carcss
her she turns so white think she will faint.
If / speak of our wedding she shudders,
nlus AWAY, and escapes from the room as
-uun Us possible
.'She never did 80 before?"
NO. We were friends and not lovers"
and YOU are not Unlocking"
Mentally endorsed the last statement |
never saw handsomer'face than the one op-
nn,itc me yet, with all the beauty of regu-
lar features, large black eyes, and even white
teeth there was look of suffering there, as
if from ill-health, and the eye burned with a
fire that BODIED no good to any who earned
his cnmity.
suddenly, without word of warning, he
gave Il quick gasping cry, and bending for
ward, glared into my face. He was white
a, death, and literal fury seemed to possess
him. Twice he tried to speak, but failed,
and rolling over, lay in frightful commissions
at my feet.
Ills companion spoke at once TO me.
Loosen his neCktie let him lie flat II
4, nothing. lie will soon recover. Any sud-
den or violent agitation brings ON these at
lacks. You know him p
lies an entire stranger TO me-"
"Ah Have you not seen him abroad, or
before he left New Orleans ?" he asked.
~ tell you he is a perfect stranger.
"Sce, he is recovering. DO not let him see
you You must resemble some one heknows,
and your face may renew the attack. Pray
leave us
Not wishing TO agitate the unfortunate man
again, and seeing that he was slowly recover
Ing, left my untasted dinner and was soon
in the street once more. forgot business
ihcapproaching festival at Monsieur Lecourt's
and strobe rapidly along, thinking of the
strange incident The face that had looked
into mine was strangely familiar, though !
was sure | had never seen it before; the
voice, too, seemed to recall some memory,
and my mind was deeply troubled by all.
1t was very late when crossed the garden,
and ascended the wide steps at Monsieur
Lccourts. The windows were open, and
strains of music ioated out upon the air.
Looking in, saw Adela cOnversing with a
guest, stranger to me; and watching her
was the gentleman | had met Il few hours
previous at the St. Charles. know not what
made his face so familiar. Brother and Sis
ter could not have borne closer resemblance
To each other than Adela and this man. lie
must be her cousin Theodore, her ai1anced
husband, and my rival.
For the first time saw Adela in n dress
that was not black She had discarded hei
mourning, and wore a heavy v hite silk, that
left uncovered shoulders and arms round and
fair as marble statuary. Diamonds glistened
in the dropping braids Of her hair, at hel
throat and wrists, but no color broke the
snowy whiteness, except the rays of fire from
the Jewels. A faint smile of courteous in
torest lowered over her lips, as she cOnversed
but she was as pale as when | first met her
and deeper sadness, if possible, rested il
the large soft eyes
My heart was so heavy, was unfit to NEE
gay faces. MY own darling. How could
bear to see her the unwilling bride of another
40 doubt now rested on my mind that thu
match was one of interest or convenience
The conversation | had overheard convinced
me of that. looked long in the lovely, sat
face, and then left the window, not to entc
the house, but to wander through the gardel
till reached the summer-house. i had spen
many pleasant hours in this retreat, and
threw myself down in a wide rustic seat, Il
tly to gain sufficient calmness to face the ga,
scene to which have been invited.
1t was no light task Every nerve in m,
body seemed TO me quivering with pain am
misery was sitting quiet, when rustlin
of silk near by aroused me from my painfu
reyerie, and, looking up, saw Adela stand
ing in the doorway of the summer-house. L
the dim light | was unnoticed, for, leanin
her head against the leafy lattice, she sighe
deeply, and spoke ia low whisper:
"Ile has left me No word-no farewell
Oh, Godfrey, could not so desert you!"
My own name / could not restrain my
self.
''Adela! !" l cried and was beside her in
moment
cannot tell what said. In rapid, burr
Ing words told her my love, my jealousy
my despair, and she listened.
After the first start of surprise, she new
stirred from her position. | might hay
thought her cold, had not an occasional sc
convinced me she heard me, and felt for M
took her hand in mine and raised it to N
lips, when she was snatched back by stror
hand, and Theodore Lecourts voice erie
loudly;
"l'raiuess So THIS is whyyou are so co
to me, false One!"
81 am not false, Theodore! promis,
you no love. My hand was and is yours.
''And your love is Godfrey Ravens.
know all. Others have told me-my ,ov
eyes have seen proof of your falsehoo
Dare you deny you love him 7"
u do not deny il. l love him, but on
within this hour have known he loved me
'Adela," the man fairly screamed in
agony, ''do you think to deceive me2 If
was not your lover, why did you give hi
the diamond crescent, the pledge of love y
accepted from me Adela Adela!" al
waiting the name, Theodore Lecourt, for I
second time that day, fell in writing &C
WILSON'S.
Adelas screams brought assistance at on
from the house, and her cousin was careful
conveyed to alower room. Medical skill "
of no avail, and when the last of the hor
fled guests left the house, stiff corpse "
all remaining of the unfortunate IheodC
LecOurt.
Monsieur LecOurt implored me to rema
Adela went to her room, and the old gent
man, after he had given all necessary dir
tons, drew me into the library.
tTTall n,e all Won ran Mr. Haven" he 50