The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-05-05
eyes, l Know" she said. q"

eyes, l Know" she said. q"
Don't pity me-" he interrupted. {"
can't bear that quite yet"
II did not mean TO PITY you, she -t
piled.
And then the conversation drifte
into other channels.
"Oh, if Lillian had not spoken of tn
heart caught in the rebound!" sh
thought, when week after week Osca
Dering would find his way to the rec
tory garden, or the rectory parlor, t
spend long hours with its fair youn
mistress.
She understood so well why he came
because now and then Lillian's nam
drifted into the idle talk, and because
as he grew stronger. he dared speak
her and the love he had borne her.
was q mingled pain and pleasure to lis
ten. If only she had not learned he
own heart, the pain would have bee
less. But she was destined to learn i
more fatally, yet, as, one morning, strol
ling through the woods together, tn
sharp report of a hunters gun close be
side them startled them both. The mex
instant her companion sank white ant
senseless on the sward beside her, Will
the affrighted hunter, whose mlsalmet
charge had entered his arm, hastene'
forward.
Bring assistance, quickly!" ex
claimed Edith, while she raised tn
heavy head to her lap. Oscar, speal
to mel" she moaned. Oscar! Oscar !
Over and over again she repeated hi
name in the same accents of despairins
love, until they seemed to force thei
way into the life-pulses of his being, ant
rouse them to activity.
He opened his eyes with half wan
dering look, as though delirium mus
have overtaken him.
At this instant the hunter returned
with assistance, and q half hour late
the wounded man had been borne to th'
rectory, the wound dressed, and tht
knowledge given that it was merely {
| flesh hurt. painful but not dangerous
yet his recovery was a tedious affair.
He grew moody and abstracted. i
gave him more time to think of Lilliar
and his loss, Edith thought, even while
she wondered why his eyes followed hel
with such strange, questioning look
Once she entered his room with some
freshly cut flowers in her hand.
"Where shall put them, Mr.. Der
ing?" she questioned.
"Mr. Dering?" he answered. Ibid
I not once hear you call me Oscar? Oh
was it q sweet fancywatted from dream.
landp"
Again the crimson tide dyed her face
"Don'tm she said, US though he had
hurt her, and hastened from the room
bearing with her the flowers, and il
seemed to him the light and sunshine.
Had he been blind all this time, and
was he just beginning to see?
A grand ball was to be given at Ames
Court, at which Lillian insisted that
Edith should be present. The invalid
was fully recovered now, and he, too,
was summoned to the feast.
Miss Ames had plunged into constant
gaiety since the breaking of her engage.
ment to Oscar Dering, but it all had
failed to ill the empty place in her
heart.
On the evening of her ball, she picked
up the paper sent down by the after
Moons mail from London. Glancing
idly over it's pages, size suddenly started
at seeing the name of the man to whom
she so lately had been betrothed.
1t was q published decision of the
court, that, owing to some disability,
the title could not descend to Oscar Der
ing's cousin, but, together with the
estates, must remain in his possession.
He was, then, Lord Dering still. Fool
that.she had been But the decision had
been made public but few hours. He
would never dream of the accident which
had brought it to her knowledge. To-
night, while he still thought her in
ignorance, she must win him back.
Never had she been more capricious
with her toilet; never lad she looked
more ravishingly lovely than when she
descended to receive her guests.
1t was late when he entered the spa
cious drawing-rooms.
81 have been waiting for YOU" she
said. in her sweetest, lowest tones
"You honored me too greatly, Miss
Ames." he replied.
LET us 20 into the conservatory
she added. 1t is cooler there"
lie OuereQ QeT HIS iTlu.
From q distant corner of the room,
Edith saw them.
"She need not have feared" she
thought, bitterly-only, the next mo-
ment, to reproach herself with her sell
fishness. Il wilinoI begrudge him any
happiness" she said to herself
"Haveyou forgotten the last time we
were here together, Mr.. Dering?" Lii
lian was asking at this moment.
NO" he answered, gravely,, ooking
quietly but surprisedly into the beauti.
full face beside him.
"Can one ever retrieve a mistake, y
she asked, when one finds it out?'"
II Go not know" he replied, toying
with an exquisite rose beside him, as he
continued: Can one cause the rose
blighted in midsummer to bloom again
in the frosts of winter?"
She knew then what he meant, and
also knew that it was too late to retrieve
the past.
"We are dealing in SMILES" she ex-
claimed, hiding her wound with 4
proud smile. Perhaps it is the place.
Let US return to our guests"
An hour later Oscar Dcring led Miss
Loring to the same spot.
Il love you, Edith" he said, simply.
"l thought my heart was dead when
met you. know now that it had never
lived: Ny darling, will you be my
wife?"
"Oh, Oscar, you are sure, sure of your.
selfp"
81 have been made sure tonight y
he answered, drawing her close to his
heart. and breaking off the splendid
rose with which he had toyed an hour
before, to place it in her hair.
"She was too happy to question his
words or their meaning-too happy even
to let Miss Ames' congratulations sting
when she said scornfully:
"A heart caught in the rebound
Did not tell you so?"
Too happy even to be made happier
when she learned she was to share nc
humble lot with the man she loved, bu,
that her wedding-day made her Lady
Edith Dering.