Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-03-16
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A THRILLING STORY OF WESTERN LIFE
ny MRS. HENRY IDEAS.
CHAPTER XXI.

When flcclOla returned 10 neT mlsCTeSs, sno
had feared to impart to her the probability of
Raymond still being alive, and of his speedy
return to her, lest her information might
prove incorrect, and the consequent grief and
disappointment be greater than Esther could
bear. The latter asked no questions in regard
to the subject, not supposing that Picciols
would be able to answer them and so absorb
ed was she in the delight of her child's resto-
ration to her, that for the time all other con-
alterations seemed banished from her mind.
The kind-hearted Mariana and her old faith
or shared the joy of the beautiful Sonora, in
whose welfare they had come to take so deep
an interest. And in her new-found happi-
ness, Esther opened her heart more freely to
the former than she had ever done before,
quite delighting the good woman, who had
been troubled all along by the exceeding re-
serve her guest had always displayed toward
her.
It seemed as though Esther could not bear
to trust her newly restored treasure for mo-
ment out of her sight. Morning and night
she watched over him, scarcely able to close
her eyes in sleep for the excitement Of her still
scarcely.realized bliss. In the evening, when
he fell asleep, she and Picciola sat together BY
his basket-bed, feasting their eyes upon him as
he lay in his dimpled beauty among his pill
lows, all unconscious of the strange perils
through which he had so lately passed, talk
ing, meanwhile, low and softly, over the many
events which had so stirred up their lives, and
of the probable future which lay before them.
On the second evening after Picciola's re-
turn, while sitting thus, the noise of horses
feet approaching the house was heard. Esther
turned pale, for she was quick now to appre-
hend danger, and instinctively drew nearer to
little Paul, as if to afford him protection
but Picciola's heart beat high With the sud-
den hope of good tidings at hand. Directly
after, voices were heard below, and then there
came knock at the door, and Mariana, put
ting her head cautiously in, mysteriously
beckoned to Picciola and whispered some
thing to her.
"Who is it-what is it?" asked Esther,
nervously; but Picciola only gave her
quick, bright glance, and vanished without
replying. A few moments passed, that seem.
ed like ages to the anxious mother, as she
sat, still cherishing an underlined fear, while
a silent prayer trembled on her lips. Then
the door re-opened, and Picciola, quickly en-
tering, knelt at her feet and threw her arms
.ss5 -
on her face.
"Senora-dear Sehora !" she said, in an ag-
itated voice, II have good news for you-can
you bear to hear it p
Esther trembled violently, but had found
no words to reply, when second step was
heard outside the chamber.door-and Pic
ciola crying out, "He has come !" sprang and
ran to open it. As tall form appeared on
the threshold, 8 faint shrek broke from Es-
theirs lips and in another instant she was
clasped in her husbands arms.
Who can portray the ecstasy of that re.
union3 To the long. bereaved wife it seemed
like dream the bliss was too great to be
real But as she clung to Raymond and look
ed in his face, and listened to the familiar
tones of his voice, the comprehension of bis &C.
tual return forced itself upon her, and bro
ken sobs and tears burst from her heart, over.
charged as it was with the burden of JOY too
exquisite to find relief in any other way.
"Oh! Paul, my own Paul but how ill, how
worn you look. You are changed-you have
suffered" she cried, as she marked how thin
aud pale he had grown.
Suffered! Could it be otherwise? But,
dear love, we will talk now only of happiness.
will tell you all my story afterward. You
too, my Esther, are changed. These months of
separation have told as heavily on you as on
me. Now Heaven has restored US to each
other, we never will part any more, on this
side the grave! And now show me our child.
You know I have never yet seen him. Where
is he"
"Here," said Esther, and hand in hand they
approached the cradle and bent over the
sleeping child. Tears OF unspeakable emo
tion filed Raymond's eyes and fell upon the
brow of his baby.boy, as he pressed his lips
upon the little fair face in one long, silent
kiss. Happiness too mighty for utterauce
choked his voice, and seemed to bring glimpse
of Heaven itself to his heart.
When the first agitation Of the meeting was
sufficiently abated to allow them to think and
speak with some degree of calmness, Raymond
remembered General X, who had accom-.
panied him, and was now waiting below. The
kind old soldier, full of satisfaction at this
joyful consummation of events, was in no wise
impatient of the long delay to which he was
subjected, but whiled away the time in chat
with Mariana, who was filled with admiration
of his appearance, his courteous manner, and
the Auency with which he conversed with her
in her own language He was not the less
pleased, however, when Raymond and Esther
came down together, and the latter, holding
his hand in both of hers, thanked him in a
tremulous voice, and with grace and SIM
plicity of manner that sprang from the deep
earnestness of her heart, for the part he had
taken in saving her husband from his enemies,
and restoring the vanished happiness to her
life. A warm and close friendship sprang up
theneeforth between them, which was destined
to last through all the coming years Of their
intercourse. The Generals interest in both
RAYMOND and herself was already vividly
aroused, through the circumstances which had
JIto b;s Lpowladoe of them and II newer