Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-09-02

one of them. But don't you really know
me, Dossy? am Ross Deveraux. Why.
you have sat on my knee many a time.''
Dossy, at this. stared at him curiousIy
Then she uttered gleeful little shout and
sprang into his arms.
"Oh! know she cried. II remember
you. Won't Lizzie be glad! Won't she
stop crying now2'' Il.
| Ross Devereaux's swart cheek crimsoned.
'sTake me to your home,'' he said, .''to
| your sister. is she here?''
| sNo,' answered Dossy, 1--WE live at
grandpa's. at che old mill, out of town,
you know"
"Let us go at once, then. No need to
sell pansies any longer" cried Ross Dove
reaux, eagerly, setting the child on her
| feet.
Lizzie Dupot stood, as we have said, gaz-
| ing across the meadows, heart-broken
| about Dossy's prolonged absence. Sud-
denly two figures appeared, emerging from
the woods beyond, in the direction of the
town. She gave great cry Of joy, for
one was certainly Bossy. But who was
the other? Who was the tall, handsome
man who held Dossy by the hand? Could
it be-no, it was impossible-and yet
| At this moment, while she was still I'M
certain; while her heart leaped in her
throat, and then stopped beating; while
she felt dizzy, and about to fall, and had
to clutch at the railing, Dossy's compan-
ion dropped the child's hand, darted for
ward, for he had recognized Lizzie. and
came hurrying over the meadow, waving
his hat. He reached the stile, was over it
in bound, and the next instant was at
Lizzie's side.
"Tbank God have found you at last?''
he cried, clasping her sinking form. 'sPoor,
timid, darlingl Did you think I had de-
serted you?''
What Lizzie would have replied, if any
thing, we do not know; but he gave her no
chance; hurriedly, as if life and death de-
pended upon it, he went on to tell his
story.
"Not one of your letters ever came to
hand" he said. ''They were intercepted,
as discovered at last. 1 wouldn't men
tion 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 a
daughter, [ had a cousin, an ambitious
girl, who had always lived with us, and
who, it seems, wishes to marry me; not of
course, he said, quickly, that she loved me
but merely to secure the title and position
Well, to make long story short, she
bribed the postmistress at the vii
lage to give her your letters, so that
never heard word from you or about
you, till at last, in despair. I came over,
before l intended, to solve the mystery
''Came over?" said Lizzie family and
guiltily, conscious how she had misjudged
him.
ITO be sure, repeated Ross Devereaux,
frankly ''Ah little skeptic, you doubted
me, did you2''
s'Indeed, indeed" began Lizzie.
But he stopped her with kiss.
"Then it was,' he went on, THAT |
heard for the first time of your father s
death. But no one could give me any in
formation of your whereabouts. did not
know your relations IN New York, but [
found out their names, but it was SOME
time, and one was at Newport and another
at Saratoga, and a third at Virginia
Springs. Before could do anything, came
the news of my fathers sudden death and
a summons home, for am, you know, his
heir as to both title and states. When I
had been at Devereaux Hall for week or
So the post-mistress came up, trembling
and penitent, for L was Sir Ross, and she
had discovered by this time that my cousin
was not to be Lady Devereaux. Then the
vile plot was revealed. Darling, ever since.
| have been wild to discover you. 1 hur-
ried up my business and left England at
once. But for long time 1 was foiled.
Your city cousins, on whom l had relied,
could not tell me where you had gone.
All they knew-and they told it with evil
dent confusion-was that your mother 3
father had sent for you and that he lived
in this state, and, they thought, In this
part of it. So have visited every SQUARE
mile of this and four other counties. and
only lighted on Dossy by accident to-day.
I didn't even know your grandfather g
name"
There was much more to tell, details
with which we will not tire the reader.
eager questions and as eager replies. Liz
zie could hardly credit her happiness. Dos
sy danced around, shouting in glee.
# you ever visit England, and should
ever 60 to the neighborhood of Devereaux
Hall, you will hear everybody talking of
the beautiful Lady Devereaux, whom Sir
Ross brought home from America. Should
you see her, you will recognize, as we did,
in the gracious matron the Miller's Grand
daughter.
The Bombardment of the Earth.