The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1883-01-13

flossy, kissing the upturned facc, ! viii
see and il he is as nice As you repre-
sent. perhaps We viii strike up a airta-
ton. VIII that do?"
No. answered Belle, decidedly; you
mus, not tiiu with Hal; you might break
his heart"
a look Of pain passed quickly across
Flossy's face, and. turning from the young
girl. she began hurriedly arranging some
flowers IN her hair.
A, dinner the subject OF general con-
versaiion was cousin Hal, who was a
grca, favorite apparently with all the Ship
tons. and his visit had been Unexpectedly
announced that morning, and was looked
forward to with eagerness by every men,
Der of the family, and even Florence Bar
nard, their guest bee .me imbued with
some Of the enthusiasm, and concluded
from the many ways in which he was re-
membered he must indeed be worthy OF
the good peoples esteem; and as the
morrow approached she began to find
herself looking forward quite as eagerly
as the rest for his appearance, and feel
ing. from the constant conversation, Of
which Hal" was always the thread, quite
acquainted.
The next day was bright and clear.
seemingly having put on its best garb to
accompany the bright dresses of the Ia
dies and receive cousin Hal" He Was
expected on the four O'Clock train. and
all was in readiness to give him a hearty
English welcome. Miss Belle WAS full
of girlish excitement, and was indoors
one moment and recklessiy tearing across
the lawn the next.
Miss Barnard and the elder sister. lau-
r., were quoting their nerves with French
novels in the drawing room. and Papa
Shipton had driven off to the station with
the family carriage.
DO you feel nervous. Laura. inquired
Miss Barnard. over the page of her book.
No. not nervous, Flossy. but liule
anxious to know il he is as handsome as
of old. oh. he is so delightful
Il begin to believe he must be quite an
Apollo
"Oh. very handsome This with a
sort of long-drawn breath.
And you will marry him, suppose
"Why. Flossy," and the book was
raised enough TO conceal the blushing
face. Who knows how many lady loves
he has left signing for him on the shores
OF the Mediterranean
Again that look of pain crossed the
beautiful face of Florence Barnard. and
dropping her book in her lap. she looked
though,fully out of the window, with a
sad. PARKWAY expression in her eyes.
Laura seemed wrap, also IN revcrie. bu,
hers was happy one. for the bright eyes
sparkled and snapped as she pictured the
handsome cousin, so soon TO be among
them. SO they sat for long while, until
the rumble OF approaching Carriage
aroused Laura from her dreams, and
with little cry OF pleasure and excite
ment She ran out to NEE, the traveller.
Twilight was dropping and long shad-
ows were falling across the drawing-room
when the carriage drove under the porch
bu, Florence Barnard never stirred. her
mind and soul had fled TO a tar-oti shore,
where the moonlight was softly silvering
dancing wavelets; only her body re-
manned in the SYMPTOMS drawing-room.
All Was hustle and excitement IN The
hall, and a mixture of mems and wo-
mems voices. talking and laughing. as
much together as such occasions
require. The occupant OF the drawing
room heard nothing she had forgotten
Cousin Hal' and his ARRIVAL. and all
about WAS dead she was living elsewhere
in the past.
Suddenly the bright little vcrcc OF MISS
Belle was heard above the ,umult =
Where IS tlossy. You must see llos-
sy. Cousin Hal come. I'll introduce you
myself
And the mpe,uous young girl WAS
dragging a big. handsome. ~eather-beat-
eli voting man toward the draw ns-room.
The shadows had deepencd. and IN her
corner by the window, surrounded by
dark hangings, Miss Barnard Was scarce
IL dlscernable. a. Belle entered with her
charge.
tiossy: she cried.
Back from tie shores OF the Mediter-
ranean. back TO herself and the stately
drawing-room of the Shipton 5. The clear
young voice was like bell, and IN a mo-
NETT she realized tina, the stranger was
in the room she could see his shado~y
form In the darkness, looming up by the
child and approaching her: and. rsins
gracefully, she awaited his coming.
Her form was backed by the heavy cur
,ains, the only light being narrow streak
entering from the window and falling
across the carpet.
"Flossy, want to introduo you to
They had entered the patch CT light as
the child spoke, and Florence had courte-
ously stepped forward to meet the cous-
in al the same moment the setting sun
rested upon the heads Of the man and
woman like halo.
Their eyes met. and gasp, half pain
and half fright, burs, from the woman
lips, while the mans darkly handsome
face blanched as though from agony, and
he caught the back of chair to steady
himself
He was the frs, to recover. and STEP
ping forward with easy grace extended
his hand to her, while his eyes burned
with the old passion.
Florence Barnard. you here
Her brain was in a whirl. She could
scarcely tell where she was. Her thought:
had been harshly recalled from old scene.
only to be confronted by present form,
which had filed conspicuous place IN