The Osceola times., 1880-07-31

happiness. With strange shrii king of
heart, and wavering uncertain footsteps,
he pressed on, uncertain as 10 what
course he should pursue, but with hun
gry longing 10 look upon her face again.
At last he entered the precincts of his
own domain-the home which had been
his fathers, and which had been TO him
to scene of one short happy year of
welded life. He walked up the dim
avenue of trees that led to the house,
and soon he saw it looming up fair and
stately against the deep background Of
the sky. How his heart lcapcd and
throbbed with intense longing! IL he
should find her there unchanged! II
she were free to renew the close uuion
of hearts. for which his waiting-starvcd
soul yearned dunutterably, " hat an ecstat-
ic moment this coming home might be!
The fountains were playing with musical
murmurs az of old, and yonder was the
summer house where he had often sat
with FlOrine and pictured the coming
years. The nearer he approached, the
more nervous he became. He wished.
yet dreaded to know the worst, what
ever it might be. "Can it be possble?"
he thought, "that |, the master here, am
fhoNfbE dioiit dS a. tilitl iiltut
do who fears dctection?" The front
through which the white pillars showed
here and there in the dim light. The
scent of sweet briar mingled with the
perfume OF innumerable roses, made the
dewy air heavy with fragrance. II was
moment Of such supreme hope and
fear, and to the end of life, Ryan could
never inhale the odor OF summers
sweetest Il Jwers without a pang. There
was no lights in front below stairs, but
the windows were open, and above, he
could see that the room that used 10 be
their chamber was brightly lighted. He
Stunned the front entrance, he had not
courage to enter boldly, and stole around
to the back of the house. lie preferred
the torture Of suspense for time, To the
certainty that might bc death blow to
his happiness. He heard the sound of
voices somewhere above him, and
crunched low behind clump of bushes
which were mass of bloom and fra
grance. There was the rustic Of woman's
garments, and then the couple stepped
through one of the low windows to the
balcony which ran around the second
story. II was lady and gentleman,
who commenced a slow promenade along
the balcony. From his hiding place he
pecred upward. his heart beating with
great heavy throbs. He could make out
the lady's figure distinctly; it was-yes,
it was his wife. That was her tall, slen-
der, graceful figure dimly outlined in the
semi-gloom. She was leaning on her
companions arm, and his face was bent
very near TO hers. But if he could be
mistaken in the form he could not doubt
that it was her voice, whose clear caden-
ces fell upon his ear as If they came to-
wards him. The prespiration started to
his forehead and stood their in great
drops as he heard the words of tender
ness between them. Another was reign
There could be no hearty welcome to
him come back from the dead. They
stopped Just above him and leaned over
the railing, and these words came float
ing down to his ears from her lips:
Dear Lawrence, did not dream two
years ago that any one could SO utterly
fill my heart as you do
He answered her with low words of
tenderness and kissed her lips.
81 thought when lost that dear one"
she continued, that could never again
find peace, but God has been good to me
in giving you The wound has been
healed by your love, my husband; the
dead past has buried its dead, and | am
at rest"
lie adjusted her shawl carelessly
around her, keeping his arms close about
her.
II must not let my wife get cold,n he
said,' she might take the wings and fly
away. i almost think now she has a
pair of wings folded away somewhere" {"
She laughed the sweet musical laugh
he remembered. They were evidently
in the fulness Of their honeymoon, anu
il was as sweet to her as that other had
been with him, the lonely man thought
with an infinite grief too deep for bit
terness. She had lived down her love
for him: to make himself known now
would shaiter her happiness and fail to
secure his own. He could not share a
divided heart. He must get away as
quietly as he had come. He might claim
his fair ancestral home, but what did
that matter TO him without her love?
perhaps she would prefer me yet, her
early love-" he thought, with dawning
grained, sensitive natures, and he re-
ilected he was not the man who had left
her, youthful, buoyant and vitality, but
a man grown old before his time The
five lonely years had done the work Of
fifteen He was prematurely bowed, and
his black. luxuriant locks had grown
gray with grief. The man beside her
was tall, erect and vigerous-a fitting
mate for her, still in the first freshness
of her womannood. No, he would not
break in upon her happiness now,
although he could claim her and the law
could bear him out in it; he would call
up to his aid the sclf-reprcssion which
had been the habit of his life so l,nc,
and live alone To the end. III she
knew who is crouching SO near her with
an aching heart she would pity" he
thought, 'for she had tender heart;
but do not want PITY want a love 50
full and strong as my own"
His painful reflections were broken in
upon suddenly by short, quick bark
and a great dog come bounding over the
lawn.
"Coby! What is the matter, Coby?"
came from the lips of the lady.
ale has got the scent of some one or
something" said the gentleman; per
haps there is tramp in the grounds"
The dog went along with his nose to
the ground, and in moment more bad
found the place where Ryan was CON
ceaied. The coniectures of the two
above were interrupted by glad yclps
and strange, quick barks of delight
from the dog. VINO had found his old aud
much loved master and now lcapcd up
on him and licked his face in an ccstacy
of delight. Ii must all come out now,