Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-04-18

hind the screen of honeysuckle.
The path led past the arbor, built at the
foot Of the steep bank; and she would not
be discovered in her retreat. So she
thought; but a moment or two after there
was a sound Of footsteps ascending the
bank, arustle of the honey-suckle branches
and Marion saw standing in the entrance
of the arbor the figure OF tall young
man, who looked almost as much startled
a. herself,
For an instant they gazed at each other
Marion pale, and the stranger with q
flush rising to his handsome face. Then
he said, as he held out his hand:
"Marion, don't you know me?"
She gave him her hand in silence. II
was Wat. And suddenly, with the sight
of him came the fall bitterness of her sor-
row, in the consciousness that he was lost
to her forever. She was nothing to him
now and he &c ust be nothing to her.
Ef"I ams glad to have SO Unexpectedly
found you here in this dear old spot" he
said. 81 arrived at homo only an hour
ago, and could not rest until I had seen
you"
She met his eyes, bent upon her with a
strange earnestness, and her pale cheek
family flushed, but she could not have
spoken word.
"Marion," he said suddenly. shave you
no welcome for me! Is it p, ssible that
you cannot forgive me?''
Forgive your"
YES; for all my absurd Jealousy
and pride and folly. I have never
had happy moment since parted from
you, Marion, and I have come back at
last to beg your forgiveness, and to beg ,
too, for the love which I forfeited, but
which cannot live Without
81 do not understand you, Wat. 1 do
not know why you should speak thus to
me, when-when you are going to DO mar
RED"
s'Who told you that Of me. Marion?"
sit came from Agnes, your own sister. ,
He smiled.
s'Aggie knows my wishes. It was she
who encouraged me to come back. She
thought you would forgive me. Will, you
Marion, darling?"
She had averted her face to hide her tear
full eyes, but he now took both her hands,
and a. he drew her towards him. great
tide of unspeakable joy rushed over her,
and she could only murmur family: On
Wat!"
When they were both calmer she told Of
the heavy grief that had just fallen upon
them. They must leave their dear old
home, which had passed into tho hands o.
strangers. ''Of strangers, Marion! Do
you call ma a Stranger"
"You Wat?"
He looked surprised in his turn.
''Did you not know that it is I who have
purchased the dear old farm? Did you NOT
receive Jacks letter." t1 se
"Oh. Walter. it cannot, cannot be true!'
He took from pocketbook paper,
which he opened and placed before her. 1t
was the mortgag which her father had
given to MIR Abner Harris.
"And the place is really yours now2''
she said, looking up radiantly through
sudden tears.
''Not mine, but ours, darling!"
She was too happy to speak word in
answer.
"You see, dear" Wat said, "Jack and
l talked it over the other Gay, and we
agreed, as he was so anxious to purchase
the mill and had not means sufficient for
both, that | should take the farm, and
leave him at liberty to invest in the mill
property. 1t is the very best thing for Jack
and for his mother, az I explained to her. if
only she had received his letter. Jack is not
fitted for farmer, and could never have
made much of the farm, rs he will certain
~ do with the mill. He came up with me,
in order to attend to the matter. Forgive
mo that I neglected to inform you, but
left him behind in the maple field, talking
with Aggie."
Marion started up with glad cry.
Coming down the opposite declivity OF the
meadow was somebody, joyously waving
his hand, and in two minutes she was Sob
bling in her brothers arms-sobbing from
fullness of joy such as she had never in
her life before known.
They fastened to the house, all three
eager to gladen the heart of the mother.
Jack sprang up the steps and took her
in his arms, while Wat lifted Myra, who
had run to meet him in frantic delight.
AS Marion crossed the threshold, the
old clock rang outa welcome chime. 'Sev-
en- o'clock!' said the girl softly.
Her heart was full. and she turned away
and went quietly up to her own room. As
she passed the clock, she looked up at it
with an expression almost of awe.
"What lifetime of misery and happi-
ness in one hour!" she murmured.