The Osceola times., 1878-07-27

then to the lady" the traveller wa
observed to have jet black hair the night
before, in the morning 1t was snowy
white"
Part of the people at the table looked
serious, part were amused. Among the
latter was Redmond. His eyes twinkled
with suppressed amusement, but he con
cealed it. Blanche and Louise had beer
interested listeners to the narrative
growing somewhat dignified by the dis
cussion at the dinner table.
You see how much foundation lie.
beneath this apparently idle gossip.
believe discretion Is the better psrt OF
valor on our part"
Louise, from under her long lashes
shot a whitening glance at the man who
loved her, but did not deign an answer
She could not make out this man. She
believed that sometimes she half despised
him.
al believe shall take the stage fol
Ashdale," announced Redmond the next
afternoon, looking at his watch. Have
a little busints, there to which wish to
attend"
Louise flashed quick glance from he,
large dark eyes.
"What f! going to leave us to take care
of ourselves p said Blanche. "We want
you to help buoy us up when the water
rises"
40 ! shall return tonight. Ihave nc
idea of being absent from such an inter
esting adventure" he replied. "That il
it can positively see the gentleman
am seeking just five minutes. Good
afternoon, ladies'" and be bowed himself
out OF the room gracefully.
There i am not surprised at this
action on the part of Redmond Clarke, y
said Louise. "He will not come back
here tonight. say, as l have said
before, he is a coward"
Why, Louise, this move of his has
nothing TO do with the superstitious tale
we have just heard"
"l believe it has," The secret desire
to think and believe high and lofty
things OF his name, drove her TO sudden
anger at any suspicion of the opposite
Whoever knew one Of these blue-eyed,
blonde-mustached men who had spark
of true courage" and she looked any.
thing but feeble character herself AZ
she paced the floor rapidly. her eyes
flashing indignantly with the intensity
of passion to which she had wrought
herself.
Take care" said Blanche, warningly,
in low voice. You remember Hamil.
ton Belmont saved my life at the risk OF
bis own. He was none of your heroic
looking men,"
"You will find that Redmond Clarke
is not a second Hamilton Belmont. III
could know for certainty that he ran
away from any danger, threatened or
real, / should never again allow him to
touch even my finger tips. 1 sbeuld
feel 30 humiliated that such man had
ever dared to ask for my love-"
Don't judge too harshly-too hasti.
ly," said her friend, gently. You know
that Redmond Clarke and Louise Rand
were fitted to make each other happy
could the latter have the mists of doubt
cleared from her wilful eyes.
Clarke had really intended to return
to the COcsssett House as he promised,
but the gentleman whom he sought was
absent, and the last stage left before his
return.
Ashdale was primitive, unambitious
town. Its only connection with the
great world was the regular stage. Its
hills and valleys had never yet echoed
with the shIill whistle OF the locomotive.
He paced backward and forward on
the piazza of the quiet little hotel where
he was to pass the night, under the
poetic skies Of q fine evening, thinking
OF Louise Rand. Her naughty imperi.
business had charm for him. He smiled
to himself as he thought, "She will
thoroughly believe now what she sus,
pected when l left her, that sheul Id
not return tonight" He was prouder
than she. There was a depth beneath
that indolent exterior she had not
sounded and because she had dou bted
him-she whom he loved-he would not
deign TO inconvenience himself to gain
her approval. A man with less inherent
hsughtiness would have acted diff.
ferently.
He retired early and was soon in a
deep slumber. 1t did not prove refresh.
ing. A feverish, restless dream wreathed
in and out of his brain. He saw Louise
suspended over waste of water cling
ing to something that threatened every
moment to snap with her weight, and
she engulfed forever. Then the scene
shifted, and he saw as plainly AZ il il
were reality the building where he had
lett her enveloped in flame, and amid the
cries of frantic men and women, Louise
in her white night robe at a window
where the flames were rapidly closing
round her, reaching out to him with wild
sbrieks for help. He woke with the
agony Of the scence. Perpiration was
starting from every pore. He sprang
out of the bed and threw up q window.
The night was sweet and fair as when he
retired, with the added glory of the full
moon, in the iuller light of which the
stars were paling their modest bright
ness. Over the lsnscspe were flung
lengthening, sleeping shadows OF tall trees
shrubbery, and home.like cottages in
their Enclosure.
The scene calmed, sobered him, but
did not dissolve the hurried impression
of danger. Was his dream a warning :
He tried to smile and put it away as the
offspring of diseased imagination. But
the vivid horror OF the scene stood before
his vision with too much OF reality, and
he turned to drts, With quick, nervous
haste. The moon shone Directly into his
room aud its light was all sufficient. He
was only four miles from Woodville. He
could walk that distance. He could not
rest with this horrible impression upon
bim--something might be even now
happening. He let himself out noiselessly
at the front door, and commenced a
rapid walk. The church clock tolled