The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-09-21

himself like great Newfoundland dog.
I" Miss Delane," he said, presently. 81
have come to take you to Melrose Hall.
Your sister sent me-"
Thank you," she answere, shortly,
"but am not going"
"Why not ?"
Oh, for various reasons
Because you won't go with me p''
Perhaps"
He looked at her moment, standing
before him, so shy and proud, and so
provokingly sweet and Turing, and then
he broke out passionately.
Lillian" he cried, " love you, and
you know 1t. Don't torment me-"
Mr.. Buckingham" she replied,
quietly, II am your mothers hired
seamstress."
don't care If you were her cook
you are as far above both her and me as
the stars and love you, and no other
woman shall ever be my wife,"
Few could have withstood the passion
in that grand masculine face; least of
all, soft-hearted Lillian. She struggled
an instant, and then burst into tears.
"Oh, Mr.. Buckingham she sobbed
"please go away and leave me. You
only make my lot harder Please go
away"
"Neverl Never, till you promise to
be my wife,"
She looked up steadily.
"Mr. Buckingham" she said, "un-
derstand me now, once for all. 1 know
how your mother feels. have heard
her express her horror of what she
would think low marriage for her son.
Under such circumstances, would go
to my grave, sooner than become your
wife,
He stood for moment stunned silent,
his face white with agony; then he
caught both her hands.
"Yet you love me-" he cried. "You
do love me, Miss Delane, and you dare
not deny it."
His voice, his intense passion, master
ed her again, for the moment. She
dropped and trembled before him, and
her cheeks were on fire with bushes.
"And, but for little paltry wealth,
you would be my wife. Answer me is
it not true, Lillian ?"
"If 1 were back at Delane home
stead,'' she said, it might be different.
But am only your mothers needle
woman, and that ends the matter"
He threw her hands from him, his
face dark with pain and passion. Just
then the winds without rose to gale,
the cottage reeled and shook beneath
the shock, and the old portrait of Grand
father Delane came crashing to their
feet. The frame shivered, and the back
fell out, and when Dick Buckingham
raised it, package of papers dropped TO
the floor. One was heavy, and bound
with official tape.
"What's this ?'' he said, turning it
over and reading the superscription-
"Roderick Deydne's WSU."
Lillian caught the package from his
hands with a suppressed cry. For an
instant her eyes ran down the yellow
page, with its black seals, and then she
exclaimed, "Oh, Mr.. Buckingham, this
is my grandfather's missing will. Moth
er, motherl" she cried, as she read, tive
are rich again-we shall have the old
homestead back !"
She was hurrying to find her mother,
but Dick caught her and held her fast.
Will you forget your promise ?" he
said, under his breath. "When you get
back to the old home, will you be my
wife ?"
She struggled moment to escape
him, and then she raised her brown eyes
to his face, and in their happy depths
he read his answer; and kissing her
trembling lips, he let her go.
By the fire that night, when Rose had
come home, they talked it all over, the
three happy women, wondering and re-
joicing over what the storm had brought
them.
And before a twelvemonth went by,
the Widow Delane was reinstated in the
old homestead; and next Christmas
there is to be a double wedding; for
Tom Dalton is to marry pretty Rose,
and Dick Buckingham, making his
word good, will take for his wife our
brown-eyed Lillian.