Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1882-12-02
married.-and he engaged to mew

married. = and he engaged to mew
And then she rushed away into the
barn chamber and hid herself for full
two hours, to sob ont the current OF
her childish grief
Mrs. Mayton smiled and sighed
"Who would think the child would
have attached so much Importance to
Il piece Of nonsense like that?' said
she. Really. I'm afraid I've made a
mistake in allowing her to read SO
many novels. But she was always an
impetuous little creature"'
1t could not have been more than
eight years subsequently that the
collision occurred OF the grand canal
at V, i'll which one of the gon-
dolas capsized, ard a beautiful young
American lady. niece of the then
United States consul, received an III
voluntary ducking.
Perhaps the romantically dressed
gondoliers were intoxicated; perhaps
Miss Delmar had, as they asserted,
risen hastily to point out something
and destroyed the balance of the
mouldy, black velvet lined convey
ance At all events. Miss Delmar
was upset directly in front of the
palazzo--where Mr.. Lilford occupied
the first floor.
OF course, Mr.. Lilford sent out his
valet to offer his services. OF course.
they carried Miss Delmar in and laid
her on n sofa, and made much of her.
But how ridiculous all this Isl"
said Miss Delmar, with merriment
cleaning in her beautiful dark blue
eyes. II am little wet, to be sure,
but otherwise am entirely unharmed.
Why didn't they put me in the gon-
dola again and send me back to my
uncle's palazzo?"
Mr.. Lilford, however, was far too
hospitable for that.
Miss Delmar gazed curiously
around How angelically beautiful
she looked, wrapped in the violet vel
vet cloak edged with ermine, her
cheeks flushed with softest rose, her
eyes sparkling, her hair hanging in a
fringe of gold over her forehead.
"Where is Mrs. Lilford'" she asked
abruptly.
Mr.. Lilford WINGED.
She has been dead year." he
said. You were acquainted with my
late wife,"
"Oh, no. not at all! said Miss Del
mar. "Only, of course, all the world
has heard of her. She was q famous
beauty, wasn't she?'
"She was very lovely" said the
widower
When Miss Delmar was carried
away in newly summoned gondola,
whose picturesque oarsmen were more
to be relied upon than their predeces-
sors, Mr.. Lilford asked permission to
call at the consulate, to inquire how
she was. in the course of a day or two;
and Miss Delmar accorded the per-
mission as a young queen might have
done.
Miss Delmar was young, beautiful
and piquant: Mr. Lilford, whose life
had been nearly badgered out of him
by the caprices, exactions and varying
temper of his late wife, was charmed
by her sunny brilliance; and at a
months end he came to Mr.. Delmar,
the United States consul. to ask per-
mission to press his suit with his
niece.
Mr.. Delmar looked conscious.
Didn't you know" he said. She
is engaged"
Engaged repeated Mr.. Lilford,
his heart seeming to turn to ice with
in him
quite an old affair, l bclieve,"
said Mr.. Delmar. But perhaps you
had better see my niece herself about
it. I'll give her your message. She
can decide to suit herself"
Miss Delmar was prettier than ever
in her cool muslin dress an pale blue
ribbons as she sat among the jessa
mines and pomegranates of the con-
sulate reception-room the next day,
to receive Mr.. Lilford. He had a
speech carefully prepared, wherein
all the nominatives and subjects were
carefully balanced. and the exact
words stationed in their exact places
but he forgot it all at the fair vision
of her perfect loveliness, and could
only stand helplessly before her and
say:
Miss Delmar, love your
$50 you have been driven to con-
fess it at last" said Miss Delmari
"after all these years.!
II don't understand you," said Mr.
Lilford.
"You have forgotten me-" said May
sci.
THAT would be impossible" as
servated Mr.. Lilford, earnestly.
But it's the fact" said she. Il am
Maysel Mayton, who was engaged to
you under the chestnut trees at -,
nearly nine years ago, and here is
the engagement ring" holding up a
slender gold hoop, with an opal
glimmering in its center. "No, am
not at all surprised that you didn't rec
egnize me- I was child then 4 am
a woman now. And after my parents
died, when Uncle Delmar adopted
me, / took his name instead of my
own. But 1 have never quite gotten
over the pang Of bitter jealousy that
pierced my baby heart when you
were married to Mary Huntington. u
But dare 1 hope" began Lilford
''that you still care little for me! ]
know it seems like presumption
but"
YES, you may hope whispered
Maysel, half laughing. half crying