The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-09-05
.pearl. darling. will YOU be my

Again her face Is turned towaru
him. but the sudden light that has
SO transformed it changes to look
of intense pain, and the tones are
almost harsh.
"Sir. you are forgetting yourself;
release my hands instantly"
"Oh. there comes mammal" chimes
/ in Eva and Effie.
surely YOU are not afraid OF her,
Pearl? Let me claim you before her
and the world. She is prond, L
know, but"
"Yes, she is proud, repeated Mrs.
Everson, too proud to countence
such a terrible mesalliance as this.
Paul, your father shall hear of your
conduct; and as for you"
She gets 10 further, for Pearl, as
cool and as naughty as she, rises and
confronts the angry waman.
"You may spare your words.
madam, as they are entirely unnec-
essary; / have not accepted your
sons love, neither do | intend to-
OF course this is all very unpleasant,
and to prevent its recurrence l shall
leave Aylmer's Rest tomorrow"
And before Paul can frame word OF
remonstrence she has fairly flown
toward the house.
How Paul never knows, but Pearl
Wyley is gone before breakfast next
morning, and no word of farewell
has passed between them.
"Alice, if you could only get Miss
Atherton's work to do it would pay
SO much better, and Paul needs so
many things now the fever has left
him so weak" And Mrs. Everson's
pale, worn face looks up from the
coarse sewing upon which she has
been toiling since early daylight.
Il will try" is the weary answer.
"There is no use in trying to hide
our poverty and longer, suppose"
1t is an elegant brown stone front
before which Alice Elverson stands
shivering on that cold, wintry
morning. She is ushered by POM
pous footman up the velvet-carpeted
stairs into an elegant little boudoir,
and there, in an exquisite morning
robe of white cashmere and satin,
stands-Pearl Wyley.
Alice falls back a step in dismay /;
but Pearl, with a cry of joy, fairly
flies across the room and clasps her
around the neck.
"Oh, thought | never should find
you And to think you have come
to me-" -E#T
"But | didn't know" falters
Alice.
"The name?" interrupts Pearl.
ooh, that was changed by the wealthy
aunt who adopted me, and made me
her heiress. And now | am going
home with you; l do so want to see
my two little girls !"
But it is Paul of whom she is
thinking-Paul, who is still her king
among men.
Going to her home? Alice's cheeks
burn as she thinks of their changed
positions, and the circumstances of
Pearls dismissal. Is Pearl dressing
to make her look all the more shah
by? Alice watched her wonderingly
as she dons a dress of rich, dark blue
velvet, heavily trimmed with white
fur. She does not know that Pearl
is dressing only for Paul's eyes.
Mamma, have brought some
one to see you" And at the sound
of Pearls low, musical voice in reply,
the man in the next room, who
has scarcely yet lifted his own hand,
springs up and sits upright on his
couch.
my darling come back to me at
last !" he murmers, and falls back,
half fainting, upon the pillows.
What vision of loveliness sits by
his bedside when he drifts slowly
back to consciousness He stretches
out one thin, emaciated hand, to
make sure the vision is real. 1t is
gently clasped by Pearl, and once
more he shuts his eyes, this time with
a solemn content.
1t is only after she goes away that
he learns of the great gulf between
them. Then he turns his face to the
wall with a kind of dumb despair
and the knowledge retards his re-
covery for weeks.
The choicest flowers, the most
tempting fruits, in the daintiest o.
baskets, find their way to his room
and more than once the donor re
lieves Alice and her mother from
their long continued watch.
In his feverish murmuring Pear
learns what is passing in his mind
and the knowledge gives her bott
joy and pain.
She is sitting by him late one af,
ternoon, and. as the wintery twilight
fails upon his face, a great yearning
throb stirs her gentle little heart
and, bending over him she softly
touches her lips to the bread, white
brow.
"0h, Paul, my darling, my king 7
The tender words are scarcely
breathed; but his eyes open sudden
, ly, and there is only infinite pain il
their burning depths.
"Yes. it might have been, but nov
There is no gulf that love canno
bridge over, J" says Pearl, softly. "ol
Paul, live for any sake, for love you
oh, l love you !"
And no lovelier mistress ever reign
I'd at Aylmer Rest than Pearl Ever
, son, who had brought back the fam
, ly estate and presented it to he
: husband. There they now live, anC
Pearl watches with infinite care anC
tenderness over the remaining day
of the white-haired woman who ono,
turned her from her doors.
t lContinued.]
CHAPTER II.
+ wonderful and mysterious lcuratiy,
power is developed which is so va