Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-11-30

please2" said little Dossy.
The stranger, who had not noticed her
before, stopped and looked for the little pip
ing voice.
"Please, SIR said Dossy, holding up a
flower, 4" only twenty-five cents"
The young man flashed keen glance at
Dossy, and drew near smiling.
"To be sure l WILL" he said, pleasantly,
If only for the sake of your bright eyes,
Twenty-Five cents you said, / think" and
he drew out his purse.
eyes," said Dossy, apologetically, imagin.
ing he thought the price too high. You
see l have to ask good DEAL" and she
shook her curly head with grave, impor-
tant air. for Lizzie must have the money
by Saturday, or we shall be turned out of
our pretty home" As she finished she ten
dered to her auditor the prettiest of her
posies, which she had Just selected for him
out of her store.
The stranger, all this time, had been look
ing curiously at her. The color went and
came on his face, his lips trembled, and he
showed other signs of emotion.
"Tell me-" he cried earnestly, "my dear,
what is your name Z"
He drew close to Dossy as he spoke and
seemed to be looking into her face as il for
some half-remembered, half-fancied likeness.
Glossy" she answered, Dossy Dupont"
His answer was to catch her in his arms
and kiss her again and again, his voice
trembling with excitement, as he cried,
Dossy my pet Dossy, don't you know who
l am 2"
But Dossy struggled from his embrace,
smoothed her curls, and answered haughtily /:
al asked you to buy my pansies, sir, and
not to kiss me-"
The stranger broke into joyous laugh.
Aud will buy them," he replied, every
one of them. But don't you really know
me, Dossy / am Ross Devereaux. Why,
you have sat on my knee many and many a
time"
Dossy, at this, stared at him curiously.
Then she uttered gleeful little shout and
sprang into his arms.
"Oh know" she cried. al remember
you. Won't Lizzie be glad =? Won't she
stop crying now ?"
Ross Devereaux's swart cheek crimsoned.
Take me to your home" he said, " to your
sister. Is she here ?"
"No," answered Dossy, Eve live at grand
pas, at the old mill out Of town, you know
"Let us go at once, then. No need to sell
pansies any longer" cried Ross Devereaux,
eagerly setting the child on her feet.
Lizzie Dupont stood as we have said, gaz-
ing across the meadows, heart-broken about
Dossy's prolonged absence. Suddenly two
figures appeared, emerging from the woods
beyond in the direction of the town. She
gave great cry of joy, for one was GER
tainly Dossy: But who was the other Who
was the tall, handsome man who held Dossy
by the hand Could it be-no, it was i'm
possible-not yet
At this moment, while she was still uncer.
tain while her heart leaped into her throat,
and then stopped beating, while she felt
dizzy, and about to fall, and had to clutch at
the railing, Dossy's companion, dropping the
child's hand, darted forward, for he had re-
cognized Lizzie, and came hurrying over the
meadow, waving his hat. He reached the
stile, was over it in a bound, and the next
moment was at Lizzie's side.
"Thank God l have found you at last -
he cried, clasping her sinking form. Poor
timid darling Did you think had des
erted you ?"
What Lizzie would have replied, if any.
thing, we do not know; but he gave her nc
chance; hurriedly, as if life and death de
pended on it, he went on to tell his story.
mot one of your letters ever came to
hand," he said. "They were intercepted, as I
discovered at last. wouldn't mention how,
under other circumstances, but you, at least,
ought to know the whole truth. The fact
is, darling, that while my parents were
eager to welcome you as daughter, had a
cousin, an ambitious girl, who had always
lived with us, and who, it seems, wished to
marry me,-not, of course" he said quickly,
"that she loved me, but merely to secure
the title and position. Well, to make a
long story short, she bribed the postmistress
at the village to give her your letters, SO
that l never heard word from you, OF
about you, till, at last, in despair, / came
over, before l intended, to solve the mys.
terry -"
"Came over ?" said Lizzie, family, and
guiltily, conscious how she had misjudged
him.
"To be sure" repeated Ross Devereaux,
frankly. "Ah little skeptic, you doubted
me, did you :"
Indeed, indeed" began Lizzie.
But he stopped her with kiss.
"Then it was, he went on, " that heard
for the first time, of your fathers death.
But no one could give me any information
Of your whereabouts, did not know your
relations in New York, but l found out
their names, though it was some time, and
one was at Newport and another at Sara.
toga, and third at Virginia Springs. Be
fore could do anything came the news Of
my fathers sudden death, and a summons
home, for / am, you know, his heir as to
both the title and estates. When ! haG
been at Devereaux hall for week or so the
postmistress came up, trembling and peni
tent, for was now Sir Ross, and she had
| discovered by this time that my cousin wa
| not to be Lady Devereaux. Then the vile
| plot was revealed. Darling, ever since
have been wild to discover you. hurried
| up my business and left England at once
But for long time was foiled. Your cit,
cousins, on whom l had relied, could MOI
tell me where you had gone. All the,
knew, and they told it with evident confu
sion, was that your mothers father had sen
for you, and that he lived in this state, ant
in this part of it. So have visited ever,
square mile of this and four other counties
and only lighted on Dossy by accident
to-day. l didn't even know your grand
fathers name"
There was much more to tell, details witt
which we will not tire the reader, cage
questions and as eager replies. Lizzie coul
hardly credit her happiness. Dossy dance
around, shouting In glee.
If you ever visit England, and should q
in the neighborhood of Devereaux hall, yo
will hear everybody talking of the beautiful
Lady Devereaux whom Sir Ross brough
home from America. Should you see hei
you will recognize, as we did, in the grs
cious matron, the Miller's Granddaughter
I-Selected.
HumOrsOme Waits.