The Ottawa free trader., 1885-01-17

roNTlnks StuN me away Whltt HaNe 'ne
strength 10 go!
But no words cane from her lips, which
had growa strangely pA!o.
"YOu viii never forgive me. Lady L'lias,
uanuo; hclpu. | hove you 80 well that.
Standing here under The night skies.
swear to you that for ore loving word from
your lins would die--l would die" be
repeated; and Lis voice dIcG AWAY IN hong
low sob.
Had he zone MAJ. or Was nc dreaming?
A white hand, OF which rare gems shone
in .ht moonlight was laid upon his, and
sweet voice WHISPERED 10 h'm--
"lou need not de
For one moment bis brain recled and be
thought ne should swoou. She was 80
near 10 him tba; the swtCi subtle odOr Of
the lilies she wore reached hlm-so near,
that her face was close 10 his,
81 viii 60 To- p0rrOw," be said; and his
voice was heavy with tears, "iou will
forgive me-you VIII bear With my folly.
Tomorrow | will 20, and J will pray
Heaven never 70 huna me near TO you
again"
"Iou need NOT GO whispered the sweet
voice again.
She never forgot the cry tina; came from
bis lips-a cry Of wonder, pain, fear, and
iONc.
"'Iou DO not mean 10 I've cruel TO me-
you mean 20 be kind aud gracious; but
your words are sweetest poison. You do
net understaud Aew you torture mt."
She laid her other hand upon ms.
al am not the one who does not under
stand" she said shyly and sweetIy. She
bent her shapely bead nearer TO him, her
face crimson, her eyes dropping from his.
You will not undtrstsndE" she interTo-
gated.
I'll dare u6'" he cried. "You told
ne that il could never be you sent ne
.way-you left me with my heart crushed,
even as you had crushed the eme"dow-sweet
in your hands"
Listen to me-" sue said. al am sorry
that crushed the meadcw-sweet. ! wish
that Rad IL in my bands now.-iresh and
living"
There wae note Of passion In otr voice,
snd'he heard IL, Waas could IL meauf--
Ne Irerubled like . lcaf in the wind.
III" she continued, 81 had the mead
ow-sweet now, would not crush IL and,
Il YOU said the same words now, ! should
answer them difcreniiy.'
lie could not believe IT., although both
Of her hands were upUD bis, ana her face
was close 80 hllU; although shc was look
ing at him with infinite tenderness, and
the very hgh; Of love as in her face and
shining in Der eyes, be could not believe
il.
ado YOU understand Dowj" she said
gently; and be answered her almost rough
Iy. -,
"If were 10 ind this jest, dream"
"It is neither she replied earnestly.-
"Wby will you not believer"
.Becausc," Ae cried in voice shaken
with passion, at is iDcredih!el Because
| have never, from the first moment saw
you, had any bOpel BecaUse----- Oh,
Heaven, can it DC trueE'
"It IS true" she whispered; "and rou
must never call me the proudest girl in
England again. I viii tell you the truth.
/ loved you even when l sent you away;
bat would not own 1t even to myself
would not admit il. ] acquired the habit
Of saying over and over TO myself, 1T will
not do,' until | really grew 10 believe that
it would not do found out my mistake
after | had sent yen away. l found that,
though l hold as my own almost every
good gift, they were almost useless TO me
because | had not love. ! found that l
had sent away with you the happiness Of
my whole life. | should never have sent
for you; but Providence has brought You
back 10 me. / have mourned in my heart
tcS you as people mourn for the dead
un Won hplIpIa Y lupp
She never forgot the cry Of rapturou0
delight that came from him, nor the sud
den joyful radiance that OYerspread his
face.
IL believe it--at lastW he cried
"Thauk Heaven, thank IieavenW and his
whole frame trembled. Forgive me-" lie
said; you do not know what il IL TO me.
feel as though | were coming from death
TO life. Oh, my darling, my love, how shall
/ thank your
lie whispered his thanks as he gathered
her to him and kissed the beautiful face
that he never dreamed would rest upon
his breast. A few moments afterwards,
when his passionate loye-wOrds had died
away, she said to him
on are trembling stili, NanC."
81 have not realized il YET" he an
swered. al have never had aGy hope Lady
LiliRs-'.
''Arc you going to call me Lady Lii
ias," She interrupted, "aftcr all the nice
pretty kind things have said to your II
seems very formal When papa is pleased
with me. he calls me lily"
"He must call ,ua Lily always thcn,'
sud Vans, III am trying To realize 1t, but
cannot. l feel da1,b aud blinded, a.
though | had been lposing at tae sun
On, Lily, sweet, can it be true that you
love me-"
81 DO love YOU" she replied.
"Can it be true that ycu will be my
wife"
"Yes, if you nsk me-" she answered.
"But, Vsne, YOU have not asked me yet"
lie drew the beautiful head down upon
his breast"
"WIll you be my wife, my bcioyed" he
asked.
The answer cou'ented him.
Half an hour afterwards they were still
by the lilies in the moonlight, and he Was
slowly beginning to understand hIs posi-
tion.
"What will Lord Audlcy sayi' he ask
ed.
Lady Lilias laughed.
Gle viii say tuat ! have chosen wisely
and wrllp she Teulicd. cit j. an old