San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-01-12

clothed and yelled. She approached
the counter with jewel case in her
hand. -.
would you buy ,thesep" she asked
simply, in clear sweet voice that sur
red the young mans heart as no other
woman's voice had power to do.
He took the casket, opened it, and
spread out its contents. A watch, an
elegant and costly diamond ring, two
rubies and an emerald necklace. Ross
Dunbar barely suppressed cry OF sur
prise Us his eyes fell upon it. He turn
ed it over with eager, trembling fingers,
and there on the clasp was the name
that had lived in his heart for 30 many
years. Little Pansie."
"You wish to sell them all" he asked,
striving to steady his voice and the
wild throbbing of his heart.
The lady hesitated an instant and
then the out put her slender hand and
drew the emerald's toward her.
II dislike to part with this" she said
at was my fathers gift-and-but no
matter, take them all, must have the
money"
In her eagerness she had thrown
aside her veil revealing a lily face, lit
by lustrous sapphire eyes. Ross Dun
bar stood silent moment, every nerve
of his manly form thrilling with SUI
preme delight. He had found her at
last, the idol of his life.
"These are some very fine gems" he
said, after moment, and am willing
to give you q fair price suppose we
say one thousand dollars will that
do?"
The girl flashed dazzling glance of
surprise from beneath her heavy veil.
$50 much as that?" she said tremu-
lousy. "You are very kind, sir. Oh,
you cannot know how much this money
will help me-" The young man made
polite reply, and proceeded to put
aside the Jewels and draw check for
the money. The March winds were
still clustering without, and the girl
shivered and drew her wrapper closer
as she started out.
wont you let me run down to the
bank for you?" said the ieweler, catch
ing up his hat. "You can play shop
lady the while; it won't be but minute
or two"
"But I am troubling you So"
"Not bit; just take the warm seat,
please, you'll not be likely to have. any
customers" And seating her beside
the desk, he took the check and hur-
ried out.
Pansie Fontenay threw back her veil
and leaned her head upon her hands,
puzzled, reflective look upon her sweet,
sad face.
"When have I seen this facet" she
asked herself over and over again. ut
is so familiar; who in the world can it
be?"
His return broke in upon her medi-.
tation, and after receiving the money
she hurried away to her humble lodg-
ings.
The following afternoon was even
more clustering and stormy; the wind
roared and sleet tinkled against the
windows of the little room in which
Pansie and her father sat. Severe mis-
fortunes and reverses had reduced them
to poverty, and the old man being an
invalid all the care fell upon Pansie's
shoulders. She sat down with her
father, reading aloud from new book
which she had bought for him with
some of the money received for her
Jewels. Her sweet face was wan and
sad, and her future stretched before
her sad, hopeless and gloomy. There
is ring at the door, and servant
brought up package for Miss Fcnte-
nay. An exquisite bunch of pansies,
fragrant and golden hearted, done up
in tissue paper, and attached to them
card, bearing the simple words: Ross
Dunbar has not forgotten little Pansle."
Pansie sat amazed for moment, and
then a rich bloom darted into her
white cheeks.
"Oh, father" she said, II know him
I know him! Oh, we have found Ross
at last"
An instant later Ross was in the
room clasping her futtering hands in
his, and into her blue eyes looked with
glance that brought the rosy bloom
into her face.
And few weeks later, when the
clustering winds were over, and the
golden hearted pansies doomed on the
CARBON borders, little Pansie became
Ross Dunbar's bride, and for her bri-
dial gift he gave her back her string OF
emeralds.
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