The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-11-26

attention, because Of previous negotia-
tions, and go he must.
Mr.. Darcy S business was complicated
and exacting, and it was two years
before he could leave it to return home.
When Darcy left her on the night OF
her adventure. Maude Etheridge climbed
the four long flights of stairs which led
to her room, and after she had told her
mother about it, dwelling gratefully on
Mr.. Darcy's gallantry and kindness,
she sought her bed, to lie awake in that
blissful state of unrest which first love
brings to a young heart
Strange power this. au-prevailing,
neVer-dying, wonderful passion which
we call love. Here were two persons
who, until this night, knew nothing of
each other existence, and yet within q
brief. fragment of an hour feeling
whose subt1ety is past finding out had
entered the heart of each and bound
them together by q chain which was
immaterial and invisible, but as strong
as life itself.
There followed this eventful night a
season of hope, doubt, and fear to
Maud. When she thought of Darcy's
position in life and hers, she felt that
she was foolish to cherish love which
seemed utterly hopeless, and yet there
was nameless something in his man.
neF at parting which spoke tenderly to
her even nova sort of electric mes
sage from his heart to hers, which only
woman could interpret, and she said
to herself, ''He win Gomez
RrTf L< n Il
heightened into weeks, and weeks into
months-no word, no sign that she was
remembered. At last her hope became
that which maketh the heart sick, and
in her despair of ever seeing him
again, her pride rebelled and struggled
with her love. 1t was useless; her
hope died, but her love stin lived. And
even when she believed it smothered
the fire burned up anew; it was
kindled with a spark divine, and would
not die.
But had Darcy forgotten her? On the
contrary, as week followed week, and
month followed month, and his business
still kept him away, his Impotence to
return became a sort of half frenzy.
1t would have been better, after all, if
another member of the firm had as
samed the duty which Darcy went to
Paris to perform, for, as the matter
dragged along, month, after month, his
state of mind was anything but suited
to the proper transaction of important
business. The beautiful unknown was
always in his thoughts, and he lOnged
to be where he could see her again. In
a word, Darcy was desperately in love,
and he heaped anathemas upon his
miserable business which kept him
away from the girl who had stolen his
heart. He felt now how great was his
stupidity in not learning her name, for
it would have given him some comfort
to write to her and let her know that
he thought of and loved her, and would
soon come to ask her love in return.
AS it was, she seemed utterly lost to
him, and he became downcast, restless,
and unhappy.
Two years had passed since Darcy
left, and although he had Well-nigh lost
all hope of finding the object of his
still faithful love when he returned, it
was with a tlS,ill of something akin to
Joy that he finally closed his business
and started for home.
As Darcy was walking on the deck OF
the steamer a lady's light wrap came
sweeping down toward him, and would
have blown overheard if he had not
caught it.
He turned to look for its owner, and
saw two ladies a little distance forward
one, of middle-age, seated; the other,
young, just starting to recover the fu-
gitive shawl. He advanced to restore
it, and as he placed it in the lady's
hand he looked full into the eyes OF his
beautiful unknown. --.
Why should describe Darcy's feel
ings at that supreme moment of his
lifep Put yourself in his place. AS
for Maud her reorganization was equally
sudden, and she turned as pale as
death, uttered his name under her
breath in a tremuious tone of unbound
ed surprise and joy, and then, with the
usual Inconsistency, blushed fiery-red
because she feared she had acted as her
faithful heart prompted.
Darcy stood for a moment like one in
a trance; then, from his half-parted
lips there came the words:
ssOnce more we meet" spoken more
to himself than to her.
Only four little words, but they bore
with them the ineffable tenderness of
boundless love.
The good ship speeds over the deep
blue sea, the white-caps dance merrily
on the crest of the swelling pillows, the
sun looks smilingfy down from cloud
less sky, and life is very beautiful to-
day to Maud and Darcy. The doubts,
the fears, the longing of the two weary
years are forgotten in the unspeakabla
happiness of reunion.
But how did it happen that Maud and
her mother, whom we found in power
ty, and occupants of a tenement-house
two years ago appeared now on
steamer, and surrounded by evidences
of ample wealth.?
Darcy was too full of the joyful meet
ing to think of this at first; later on
Maud explained it. They had received
q letter from the solicitor of u near rel
alive of theirs, informing them of thai
relatives death and clause in his vii:
leaving them handsome fortune.
A few months later there was a wed
ding in the city where our story opened
and the fair unknown became Mrs