The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-05-21

am no longer a subject for coneratula-


ton" UH III
"Ycs, know" she said. CIV
Don't pity me-" ne interrupted. al
can't bear that quite yet"
&c did not mean to pity You. she re-
And then the conversation drifted
into other channels. =
"Oh, II Lillian had not spoken of the
heart caught in the reboundr' she
thoughts when week after week Oscar
Dering would find his way TO the rec
tory garden, or the rectory parlor, to
spend long hours with its fair young
| mistress.
She understood so well why he came,
because now and then Lillian's name
drifted into the idle talk, and because,
as he grew stronger, he dared speak OF
her and the love he had borne her. 1t
was mingled pain and pleasure to lis
ten, If only she had not learned her
own heart, the pain would have been
less But she was destined TO learn it
more fatally, yet, as, one morning, stroll
ling through the woods together, the
sharp report of a hunters gun close be-
side them startled them both. The next
instant her companion sank white and
scnseless on the sward beside her, while
the affrighted hunter, whose misaimvo
charge had entered his arm, hastened
forward. III
"Bring assistance. quicklyr' OK
claimed Edith, while she raised the
heavy head to her lap. Oscar, speak
| to mer she moaned. Oscar Oscar!'
Over and over again she repeated his
name in the same accents of despairing
love, until they seemed to force their
way into the life-pulses Of his being, and
rouse them to activity. l7
He opened his eyes with a 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 borne to the
rectory, the wound dressed, and the
knowledge given that it was merely a
| hesll hurt, painful but not dangerous;
yet his recovery was tedious affair.
He grew moody and aDstracted. II
| gave him more time to think of Lillian
and his loss, Edith thought, even while
she wondered why his eyes followed her
with such a strange, questioning look.
Once she entered his room with some
freshly cut flowers in her hand.
Where shall put them, Mr.. Der
ingp" she questioned.
"Mr. DeringP" he answered. "Did
not once hear you call me OscarP Or
was It sweet fancywafted from dream
| landp" Ur
Again the crimson tide dyed her face.
"Dont" she said, as though he had
hurt her, and hastened from the room.
hearing with her the flowers, and Ii
seemed to him the light and sunshine.
Had he been blind all this time, and
was he just beginning to seeP
A grand ball was to be given at AmN
Court. at which Lillian insisted thai
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
mcnt to Oscar Dering, but it all had
failed to fill the empty place. in her
heart.
On the evening of her ball, she picked
up the paper sent down by tho after
Moons mail from London, Glancing
idly over its pages, she suddenly started
Mt seeing the name of the man to whom
she so lately had been betrothed.
1t was published decision of the
court. that, owing to some disability,
the title could not descend to Oscar Der
ings 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 IL 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 had she looked
more ravishingly lovely than when she
descended to receive her guests
1t was late when he entered the spa
cious drawing-rooms.
II have been waiting for you," she
said, in her sweetest, lowest tones.
You honored me too greatly, Miss
Ames," he replied.
"Let us 60 iuto the conservatory"
she added. 1T is cooler there.n
He offered her his arm.
From a 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
iishness. ~ will not begrudge him any
happiness, she said to herself
Have you forgotten the last time we
were here together, Mr.. DeringP" Lii
lian was asking at this moment.
No" he answered, gravcly,. ooking
quietly but surprisedly into the beauti--
full face beside him.
Can one ever retrieve a mistake"
she asked, "when one finds It outp" 'N
II do not know" he replied, towing
with an exquisite rose beside him, as he
continued; "Can one cause the rose
blighted in midsummer to bloom again
in the frosts of winterp"
She knew then what he meant, and
also knew that it was too late to retrieve
the past.
claimed, hiding her wound with n
proud smile. perhaps it is the place.
Let us return tC our guests"
An hour later Oscar Dering led Miss
Loring to the same spot.
Il love you, Edith" he said, simply.
I thought my heart was dead when
met you. / know now that it had never
lived: My darling. will you be my
wifep"
selfP" -
81 have been made sure tonight
he answered. drawing her close to his
heart, and b nking of the splendid
rose with " hicli he had toyed an hour
before, to , ACE it in her hair.
"She was no 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 SOP"
Too happy even to be made happier
when she learned she was to share no
humble lot with the man she loved, but
that her wedding-day made her Lady
Edith Dering.
Salt Lake City.
A correspondent OF the Chicago Tii-
btsae writes: / think that the city OF
SaH alra has the innst haauiiful loca.