The National tribune., 1884-10-30
himself murmuriag aUhe very mellow senti-

| himself murmuriRg aohe very mellow senti-
| ment.
Fifteen minutes. later, as he stood alone in
his chamber, he ofeneh his memorandum book
the floor As he, Dent to find it he saw only a
| dried, crinkled bunch Of apple blossoms. Yet
he sat, forgetful of,evefy ything else gazing upon
| it, until at last t~o tsars fell plump upon the
little dead petals. ID
Whatever he Bad Thought of the Countess,
she was now forg8tteh, and in her place he saw
| q fresh, slim griffin white, with pink cheeks
| and pink fower4 peeping out behind them
He had that morning decided, his business be-
ing now properly adj listed, to take run over
| to Switzerland, ag the Countess had said she
should do. But, Instead, he took up his news
paper and looked at the steamship list. Within
"a hours he had engaged state-room On a
steamer bound for New York.
4
A jar, crash, shudder felt from stem to
stern, and Alene was wide awake in trice.
People were rushing on deck-everybody was
frantic-what had happened.
They had collided with another steamer and
their own ship was slowly filling and sinking.
At length it was discovered that the other
vessel was comparatively uninjured, and boats
were put out and the thrOng of terrified pas
the other vessel.
With no baggage and little clothing, just as
they had fled from their state-rooms, they were
conveyed on board the waiting steamer a crowd
of wo-begone, frenzied, fainting people
Warm hearted passengers were waiting to
receive and aid, and women and children were
carried by strong arms to the welcome hooks of
shelter provided for them.
One gentleman-a finely-formed fellow of
about 30-stOpped short as the tlickering light
of the cabin fell on the face Of the young girl
he held. She had not tainted, but she was
weeping hysterically and needed nothing about
her.
Her gold brown hair fell in masses over her
white wrapper and tangled in his hand.
He staggered against the partition for an in
stant, then, controlling himself, he was about
to pass on, when some one darted past him.
He steadied himself at once. He seemed to
realize the situation.
"Ah! Mr. Willis here is your-wife."
Mr.. Bob Willis turned.
"My what? he asked. looking around, as if
the terror of the night had been such as to leave
him prepared for anything.
"Your WIFE"
"Oh !-ah! !-you are mistaken, sir. All! /
see, old friend Ogere! How dye do? How dye
do?" and the next instant he was gone.
But Alene, from the moment Ogere had
spoken, ceased her weeping, and was now star
ing into the face above her own with wide
open, rational eyes. She knew that voice, and
all fear was gone, yet she was much over
wrought still. She had heard what Ogere had
said, and remembered the note.
His wife2 Never!" she cried fercely. "Do
you think l would ever marry such creature
as that?"
Then, the comical side of the situation
striking her, she burst into hysterical laughter,
in which Ogere Joined, so overjoyed was he at
the discovery he had made
OF course it had all been a mistake; yet had
not Bob Willis intimated he was engaged to
this girl, and even shown him her note of &C.
ceptance
Yes; Mr.. Bob had done all this in order to
rid himself of formidable rival, and he had
succeeded; but his vanity had overleaped it
self, and he had not found the poor but beauti-
full Miss Ellerby SO much in love with himself
or his money-bags as with her memory of the
absent.
After all, in these modern days, it is refresh
ing to meet with little sentiment, though
there are those who are totally unprepared for
"They must have broken it off," thought
Ogere as he finished his promenade with Alene.
Will you be- my wife?" he whispered as
they sat down. And now his tone is sober
enough, goodness knows
And for answer Alene turns her poor, foolish,
tear-stained face and hides it on his sleeve for
between laughing and crying, she despairs of
trusting her voice. "'J
But she does not turn upon him the look of
scorn she had sent after Bob Willis. aud the
movement bespeaks some little interest in his
companionship that is remarkably satisfactory
to Raymond Ogere.
Not until they were all on shore, and Mr..
Willis well away frons them. does Alene enter
into the explanation her lover Graves
1t is right he should know that she had never
sold herself to man she did not love, as Ogere
had been supposing all this while.
It's an ill wind that blows no one any good"
quotes Ogere, land whether it was wind or
chance that thrust onr vessels together, we
light, but for that accident, never have met
to unravel the well-tangled skein."
And alas for the Countess Brttole, with her
faint proposals, what would have been her feel
ings could she have seen Ogere's face at this
moment?
A few years later Mr.. and Mrs Ogere met
her.
Still very attractive woman-for the COun-
tess ever would be charming-she had sue
ceeded in capturing a rich English banker-a
widower of 80, with seven robust sons and
daughters, ranging from five to 10. But, doubt
less, they "agreed and were happy"