The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-12-22

she looked at the diamond ring which
cleaned in the tender light of the
glorious June moon, just grandly rising
behind the far-off purple hills.
The faint and plaintive cry of the
whipporwiil was borne to her ears on
the breezes scented with June roses. A
dreamy look came into Lilian's eyes as
she slowly repeated q few lines Frank
Carleton had read to her few days be-
fore:-
"And what is so rare as a day in June?
Then, ifever. come perfect days:
Then heaven tries the earth IL 1t be in tune
And over 1t softly her warm ear lays
Now the hear: is SO full that drop overdlls it.
We are happy now because G III wills It,
Eyes, "murmured Lillian" L am happy
now because God has willed that Frank
Carleton should meet me and ask me to
become his wife. What have 1 ever
done, 1 wonder, that such grand, noble
man should love me?" And rich happy
blush, rivaling in color the blush of the
June roses, came over her delicate
cheeks.
The love-light in her eyes became
brighter, the blush on her cheek deep
ened, for she heard a footstep which she
could never mistake. With fiuttering
heart Lillian shrank back among the
rose bushes, thinking fondly that Frank
would soon find her.
But Frank Carleton was not alone; for
woman, tall and graceful in form,
dressed in sombre black, was walking
beside him. Lillian peered out at them
with q wild, jealous pang at her heart.
The strange woman's beautiful face
cleaned white as marble in the moon
light.
Hark! Frank was speaking, and Lillian
of love and devotion there was on his
face as no bent over her! Lillian clenched
her hands and her lips grew white and
rigid.
"Dear Maud" he said, softly and ten.
derby, "you can never guess how very
thankful am that that man is dead. Now
you are free, and nothing shall part MS
"Nothing, Frank2" she said, looking
up at him; and Lillian could see the pas
sionate love shining in her eyes. "Not
even your marriage with this beautiful
Miss Whitney,"
"Surely not, he answered, almost re-
proAchfully. "Why should it," And then
they passed on.
With a low moan Lillian fell prone
among the rose bushes. A rose which
she had plucked stung her hand cruelty
with its sharp thorn, but she scarcely
needed it; the thorn in her heart was too
terribly real for that. The June roses
bent low over her, and the dew drops
fell softly from them, like tears upon her
white upturned face; but still she lay
there.
And this was the man she loved? This
was the man whom she had thought so
grandly noble-this man who, she doubt
ed not, had deliberately Intended to
wrong her.
Lillian did not stop to reason--did not
stop to argue that there might be mis-
take, that deceit and falsehood had ever
been foreign to Frank Csrleton's nature.
She was too madly jealous and wounded
for that.
And so the next day Frank received q
small package few books, some old
love letters, and q diamond ring. There
was no note of explanation, but he knew
who had sent them.
Enraged and astonished, he immedi-
ately sought Lillian for an explanation;
but the servant who answered his impa-
tient ring said that she was mot at
home"
A week later, Frank Carlton started
for the West; and 80 these two lives, that
have been all in all 10 each other, drifted
farther and farther apart.
Five years later. It was the evening
Of Mrs. Boderick Forests ball, and the
best society Of Melville was there.
Lillian Whitney leaned back in the EN-.
brasure of one Of the windows, and hid
den by the flowing draperies of the cur
tains, watched with dreamy, half closed
eyes the bright, merry throng in the ball
room. Her beauty was more spirit
uelle" than it had been Ave years ago,
and the proud look on her face had
softened into more tender, more wo.
manly curves. She was decidedly the
belle of the evening, and it was only by
much skillful msn@uvering that she had
been able to gain this quiet retreat for
few moments.
All ct once she caught her breath with
sudden gasp of pain, aud placing her
band ON her heart to stop its wild beat
ing, leaned forward and peered out.
Yes it was surely Frank Carleton she
saw, though he was very much changed.
Tall and straight and bronzed, with
heavy mustaohe and beard, he looked
a