Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-07-04
studio-no otfense to you Ray" he
said, with q smile.

And Sylvia; all, to Sylvia i
seemed indeed II long, long outlook
In spite of all that hung OH til,
journey she could almost hav'
wished that Ray had remained il
the studio, where he would, at least
not have been lost to sight an.
hearing ; the present might he vast
ed time, perhaps, but it was yer,
sweet to her, and she had more faitl
than Ray in the futures chances
But of all this she breathed not +;
word to him; aud when, holding
her hands, and searching her face
for some comfort, he said, "Sylvia,
] shall come back to claim you in a
year or two-you will wait for me
till then - it was with a smile she
answered
"Come back in one year or TWEEN
ty, Ray, you will find me as you
lett me. | will never be the wife
of any other"
And with that the last good. by
was said, and Ray Croydon sailed
in search OF the fortune he fanciel
was waiting for him on the other
side Of the world. And. on this
side, everything went on the same.
Ray was gone to he sure; but did
the sun rise and set any the less
for that Did the butcher and the
baker forget to come, or the people
to eat or drink because an unsuc.
cessful artist had turned his can
vases to the wall, and for loves
sake abandoned all he loved No,
nobody tasted for Ray; nobody,
perhaps, after a little remembered
even that there was a Ray to fast
for-nobody but Sylvia.
AS for Colonel Dorchester, he as.
suredly did not fast. He was sorry
for the young man but, to tell the
truth, he was not sorry to have him
gone. He had listened with quiet
smile, half plying, half amused, to
Rays talk of ''a year or two;" for
being considerably older, and
great deal wiser, he realized better
all that China made fortune meant.
ut will give Sylvia chance" he
said to himself. "Long before Ray
finds his apples ripe for picking
they will both have forgotten this
nonsense" To be sure, the
Colonel did not know of Sylvia's
parting pledge; but had he known
it, it is to be feared he would not
,ave made much account of it. He
,ad faith enough in Sylvia, but not
N her age.
One makes allowances for friends
II another hemisphere, but still one
loes expect to hear from them f.
,ally. But from the time when
Ray Croydon said his goodbye to
Ter Sylvia never had II word from
had one word, although
she heard casually from other sour
;es that he had arrived safely and
on the post assigned him.
That was all little enough-yet but |
or that he might have been lost.
lead, for anything Sylvia knew.
t was all but coupled with his
lence it was more than enough
Yet whatever of wonder, of doubt,
n pain might have been in Sylvia's
leart, she breathed it no mortal
ar. Only aftera while she ceased
0 write those poor little letters,
where so much love and trust had
'een wasted, and silently banished
II token of him from her daily life.
t was no part Of her fathers pur-
'ose to recall him, so Rays name
vas never spoken now between those
WO, to whom it had been as fami|-
" as each other.
But one day Colonel Dorchester
anne home with a preoccupied,
air. His eye followed Syl.
ia with wistful glance, that
hunned while seeking hers. She
,oked up, and meeting her fathers
axe, came and stood beside him,
lying her hand on his shoulder.
You have something to tell me of
'ay Croydon, father" she said, in a
NV voice.
How had she read his secret, he
'ondered. He looked up fondly
n the face bending over him-such
transparent face as it looked i'm
ne Pickering freight! Why had
e never seen the change before ?
sudden pang of dread changed
le current of his thoughts. Was
lis his blush.rOse-as that unprac.
cal young artist had called her in
le foolish by-gone time! All, but
as it wholly bv. ne 4? COuld il ha