The Osceola times., 1883-06-02

by the fairest and best among women.
The parlor he entered was delightful
place an apartment where were books
and music and flowers, and where Dull
cie's protectress spent her peaceful days.
She was sitting just now in an easy
chair beside the CRATE; unique peacock
screen was between her and the ardent
warmth of the fire; her tiny feet, slip
pered in black velvet, buckled with dia-
monds, rested on huge crimson otto
man. And, altogether, with her silyery
curls, her calm old face, her ancient
dress of black brocade, her yellow lace,
and the curious diamond brooch on her
bosom, she made one of the quaintest
and sweetest of pictures.
She sat with closed eyes, listening
drowsily to the music in the further end
of the room where her companion and
Mr. Clarence were rendering an exquisite
duet from new oratorio.
Presently she slept; the music had
stopped there was no sound but that of
Nictors murmurous, pleading voice. Be-
side him. at the piano, Dulcie sat quite
silent, fitful tinge of scarlet wavering
over her soft cheek, her eyes hidden by
rious and demurc little smile quivering
around her delicious mouth.
Victor noticed the smile, and his coun-
tenance saddened for an instant
"Do | only amuse yon" he asked, al
most sternly. ~ have believed you too
perfect a woman, Dulcie, to ever mock
an honest love-"
Then she lifted her eyes-those fearless
eyes of marvellous gray-proudly to his
face.
at is not that" she protested, quickly
and gravely; "for oh, Vic or i honor you
and love you. But there is something
that must be Notwithstanding that
is so unusual and so romantic and so
amusing that II" And then she
paused, beset Ivy swift and sweet confu-
sior.
And just then flying spark from the
burning anthracite shot against the tall
peacock screen, beside which her pro-
tectress was doing and kindled all the
light and swaying fringes into lines of
flames. With a startled exclamation,
Dulcie sprang across the room and
clutched the blazing thing with nervous
hands.
The lady-half aroused, half dreaming
still--opened her bewildered old eyes
and bebeld the girl wrestling with what
scented to her dazed senses to be deadly
peril. She turned to Victor with wall
of scared entreaty.
"Oh, save her, Victor she cried, "she
is your wife-Dulcie is your long-lost
wife"
"Dulcie is what ?" he gasped, but intu-
itively comprehending the whole mystic
ry--the entire and gratifying truth that
had SO long been hidden from him.
"The girl had already extinguished the
fire and had tossed into the CRATE the
scorched and smoking remnants of the
peacock screen. She went toward her
hushand-him whom she had once so
much detested and whom she now ador-
ed-then hesitated. smiling mischievous-
ly, and yet with shy and deprecatorv
fondness.
"Dulcic Is your wifel' repeated the
aroused lady, who evidently desired to
finish gracefully the elucidation that in
moment OF, fright she had beqlih, With
d somewhat lnelegant abruptness. "She
is the child you married at the bedside
of you dying uncle. You had no love for
her and she knew it. In her distress
she fled, and n fortunate accident brought
Acf to me. Ali these years she has been
TO me the most devoted friend, and /
bave been sufficiently grateful, or, per-
haps, sufficiently seltishto keep her little
secret. That was not difficult, however,
with her fanciful pseudonym."
$50 ! have been wooing my own we'd
ded wife," he commented, but not very
saily for he was sgitated by a tenderness
and a gratitude too profound for mirth.
Must we have another wedding, my
darling" and he bent to kiss the happy
face Of the bride who had been restored
10 him
81 should never have found my love if
had never seen Alfred's picture" he
would sometimes say. "That picture had
a mission"