The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-02-22

swered. "Ours has been strange OK /.
perience. Without knowing each other
as people ordinarily do, we have We,
been close friends. You are more to
me than any friend, for I love you, Le
nore."
There was quick, suppressed cry, no
other reply.
"Be truthful, Lenore. Tell me your
heart. II you love me, trust to me to
discover your whereabouts and come to
you. II you do not, say il, and I will
spare you the pain Of meeting me, and
let us never speak again"
There was pause, then she tremu-
lously said:
81 have never seen you, but my
heart tells me to trust you. know you
are good and noble, and am willing to
leave my fate in your hands. Yes,
George, love you"
Even as she said the words she ut
tered q cry Of alarm. Then agruffman's
voice spoke
$50 to your room, Lenore. As to
this villain with whom you have been
holding these secret meetings, We shall
soon find him and punish him as he
deserves. Search for the rascal, Anto-
MO, and bring him to me"
There was q quick trampling Of feet
and the sound Of crushing shrubbery, rs
il the men were breaking through it.
Then another mans voice spoke:
"He has disappeared, your Excel
lence."
Every well, We shall find him yet. He
cannot escape me. This is q fine piece
OF business, surely-the daughter Of
Count VILLAIN holding secret meetings
with some common vagabond. Lenore
shall take tho veil"
"Yes," I cried, "the bridal veil,
Count. shall pay my respects in per-
son to-day"
Then, leaving them to get over their
astonishment as best they might, re-
turned to the house in high spirits. The
name, Count VILLAIN, had given me the
clew to the whereabouts Of Lenore. The
dwelling of which have spoken as sit.
uated across the plain and opposite the
rock was the residence OF Count Villain
1 had met the old gentleman in the city
and formed o speaking acquaintance
with him. As neither of us had men-
toned our private affairs, | had no
means of connecting his daughter with
my invisible girl.
That afternoon ! presented myself tc
the Count, and, after amazing him with
my story, which few tests convinced
him was true, formally proposed for his
daughters hand. Az my wealth ant
social position we're we'll known, he
offered no objections and his daug ghtel
was sent for.
As she entered the room, | saw tina;
my idea OF her had been less than true
1 had never seen 80 lovely woman, no
one who SO perfectly embodied my high
est conception of grace and beauty. He
dark eyes. still wet with tears, met min
inquiringly.
"Lenore, said 1, 81 have come as
promised"
"George," she cried, with a radial
smile, sis it you?"
care you disappointed % asked
sam what you expectedp"
"You could not be more" she al
swered naively, "you are no less"
"Now that we meet as solid aud ms
terial beings" l continued, "are yo
willing to ratify the contract we mad
when We were onlyvoices, Lenore? You
father gives us permission"
1t may be supposed that 1 received
satisfactory answer, when the good
natured Count found it discreet to tur
away his eyes during my reception OF i
As to the strange circumstance whic
was the means OF uniting us, u series
tests revealed remarkable acoust
property in the rock, by which persoI
standing in certain positions with refe
ence to it were able to hear each 9th,
with ease, more than quarter Of a mi
apart. 1t is very matter-of-fact sol
ton of the mystery, but Lenore and
are none the less grateful for the got
offices of the rock.