The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-05-25

woods together, she sharp n port OF ahunt-
er's gun close beside them startled them
both. The next instant her companion
sank white and senseless on the sward
beside her, while the affrighted hunter,
whose misaimed charge had entered his
arm, hastened forward. !
"Bring assistance, quicklyp exclaimed
Edith, while she raised the heavy head
to her lap. "Oscar, speak to mel" she
moaned. Oscar, Oscarw '
Over and over again she repeated his
name in the same accents of despairlng
love, until they seemed TO force their
way into the life pulses Of his being, and
rouse them to activity.
He opened his eyes with half wan
dering look. as though delirium must
have overtaken him.
At this instant the hunter returned
with assistance, and half hour later the
wounded man had been born to the rec
tory, the wound dressed, aud the know
ledge given that it was merely a flesh
hurt, painful but not dangerous; yet his
recovery was a tedious affair.
He grew moody and distracted. 1t
gave him more time to think OF Lillian
and his loss, Edith thought, even While
she wondered WHY his eyes followed her
with such strange, questioning look.
Once she entered his room with some
freshly-cut flowers in her hand.
"Where shall l put them, Mr.. Der
ingf she questioned.
! "Mr. Derlng% he answered. "Did
not once hear YOU cali me Oscar? Oh
was 1t a sweet fancy waited from dream
land"'
Again the crimson tide dyed her face.
| "Don'tv' she said as though he had
hurt her, and fastened from the room
bearing with her the flowers, and il
seemed to him the light and sunshine.
Had he been blind to all this, and was
he Just beginning to see?
A great 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 fill the empty place in hel
. heart.
On the evening of her ball, she pickec
!, up the paper sent down by the after
noon's mail from London. CHANGING
; idly over its pages, she suddenly started
at seeing the name of the man to whom
she so lately had been betrothed.
1t was a published decision of the cour
that, owing to some disability, the title
could not descend to Oscar Dering''
cousin, but together with the estate, mus
remain in his possession.
He was, then, Lord Dering still! Foo
that she had been! But the decision hao
been made public but few hours. He
would never dream of theaccident which
,, had brought it to her knowledge. To-
l night, while he still thought her in ig
y norance, she must WIN him back.
Never had she been more capriciou
with her toilet; never had she looke'
;, more ravishingly lovely than when sh
descended to receive her guests.
II was late when he entered the spa
> cious dining-rooms.
= II have been waiting for you," sh
e said, in her sweetest, lowest tones.
"You honor me too greatly, Mis-
Ames," he replied.
: Let us go into the conservatory" sh
added. at is cooler there"
He offered her his arm.
From a distant corner of the room
, ! Edith saw them.
) "She need not have feared" sh
thought, bitterly-only, the next mo
y ment, to reproach herself with her SCI
!, fishness. 81 will not begrudge him an
happiness" she said to herself.
"Have you forgotten the last time W
I were here together, Mr.. DeringF Lilial
9 was asking at this moment.
"No," lie answered gravely, lookin
u quietly but surprisedly into tn
beautiful face beside him.
"Can any one ever retrieve a mistake,
p she asked, "when one finds it out?"
a "I do not know" he replied, toyin
l. with an exquisite rose beside him, and i
!. continued: "Can one cause the ros
u blighted in midsummer to bloom agai
o in the frosts of winterw
n She knew then what he meant, an
IL knew that it was too late to retrieve tt
10 past.
!, 1--WE are dealing" in smiles! she e,
IA claimed, hiding her wound with prou
70 smile. perhaps it is the place. Let
II return to our guests.
~ An hour later Oscar Dering led Mi
ie Loring to the same spot.
II love you, Edith" he said, simpl
OF "I thought my heart was dead when
rs met you. l know now that it had new
III lived. My darling, will you be n
re wife?'
ne "Oh, Oscar, you are sure, sure of vol
d selfY'
er 'G have been made sure tonight"
answered. drawing her close to his hes
d. and breaking off the splendid rose, wi
- which he had toyed an hour before,
"a. place it in her hair.
az She was too happy to question |
ea words or their meaning-too happy ev
to let Miss Ames' congratulations stir
at when she said, scornfully:
"a heart caught in the rebound. I