The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-03-06

I answered her that she was too weak
to think of departing, that she was .
welcome guest, that she must sleep now.
and tomorrow We would converse fur.
ther.
CAS- you will, Sonora" }" she replied;
II owe ell to you. I kiss your hand. I"
And 80 her head fell back on the pill
low and she could speak no more
for very weariness. A few mo.
ments later and she was fast asleep,
with her dark hair spread around her,
her dark eyelashes resting on her
cheek. Her hands were clasped to.
gether as if she were praying. Inoticed
that they were white and beautifully
formed. On one Of them she wore q
broad gold ring. How did she come to
be wandering alone by the Black Pond !?
Who was she? Whence did she come? !?
l was thankful-ah! very thankful
that I had been there 70 help her at
that awful moment. The tears sprang
to my eyes as stopped and kissed her.
Miriam is my own dear nurse, who was
with my mother as girl, and lived
with me during my husbands absence.
He had sailed many, many months
ago Il write of the year 1922 for long
cruise. She persuaded me to change
my wet pelisse, she combed and brush
ed my hair, and treasured mo about the
strange lady. Not till then did know
how very tired I was.
Ny visitor passed restless night; for
days she lay in fever, shivering and
talking fast. Now and then she burst out
into broken English, asking for . certain
Captain Charles Walters over and over
again. He had lodgings at Plymouth,
it would seem, and she could not find
the house. Miriam is as clever Q nurse
as she is good housekeeper, and she
nursed the lady with the greatest care.
By degrees our patient recovered with
out the help of the doctor, who lived q
good ten miles ride across the country.
and of whose skill Miriam had no high
opinion. But she had many simple
remedies of her own, and these she used,
and she made dainty dishes and cooling
draughts, and at last there came day
when the lady sat by the fireside, with
faint touch of color on her cheek, and
then she told us her story. I will make
it short, but cannot make it less sad.
Her name was Dolores de Riano; she
was Spaniard born, Gas I had guessed. }
an orphan, and she had been wooed and
won by an English officer, whose ship lay
at anchor in the port of Barcelona, hard
by the house where she lived with an
uncle. q, too, took an interest in BARGE
Iona, as my husband had described the
place to me in his letters.) This officer
had married Dolores secretly; his ship
had sailed, and he left her with her
wedding ring she dared not show, and
his address written on slip of paper
Lieutenant Walters, 1S Melrose-t ter
race, Plymouth. And there she was
to join him as soon as he should send
for her. For whole year she had NO
tidings from him; then she took her
passage to Plymouth in merchant ship.
They had miserable passage, being de-
layed on tho voyage by adverse winds.
She had finally landed at Plymouth
with few golden pieces in her purse,
friendfess and alone. Shc had asked in
vain for Melrose- terrace; no one
knew of such a street. or. indeed,
of the existence or her husband,
Lieutenant Charles Walters. AT.
ter few weeks her purse was
nearly empty. She knew not where
to turn for help. At last she
thought to find her husband in London,
and as she could not pay her coach fare
she resolved to walk all those many
miles. Then as she passed the Black
Pond that evening, faint and suffering,
she could no longer endure the misery
and suspense, and she had rushed into
the water filled with frantic longing
to. be at rest.
Having told her story with many
tears, she called the holy stars to bless
me for my goodness, u repeat what she
saii.) But my heart was full of anger
her-this Charles Walters, a. he
styled himself-for neither Miriam nor
believed that he had given her his
right name. I did not tell her this, of
course, but could not keep back what
felt in talking to Miriam. Ny face
grew hot, and clenched my hand as
cried, "He is a heartless traitor!"
"There may be misunderstanding,
Madam; the lady trusts him still"
Il do not believe it," I cried "he
has deceived her cruelty" You see I
was young, and spoke out what I felt.
Miriam put her fingers to her lips,
but it was too late. Dolores, from her
couch in the next room, had heard me
and called me to her side.
Nevertheless. Sonora, he is still my
love and my husband. Think, Madam,
if your husband should"
"My husband!" I exclaimed. "It
could not be. But if it were possible
that he could deceive me, would new
er speak to him again, or desire to be-
come reconciled."
She sighed, and took my hand in
hers, and pressed it, How pretty she
was in gray gown of mine, adorned
with bunch of rose-colored ribbons.
Day by day she grew more lovely, and
day by day I discovered fresh virtues
in her.
had not any one to consult at home,
SO went to our old clergyman and ask
ed him to write letters on Dolores's be-
half, making inquiries concerning her
husband. This he did, and after some
weeks the answers came, all with the
same result. No one had heard of Lien.
tenant Walters, and there was no such
name on the list of officers in his Males.
ty's navy. By degrees we left off ex-
pecting to get any good news, only I
cherisheda q secret hope that when Am
brose, my husband, came home-in 3
couple of fmonths-he would throw some
light on the subject. Dolores staid on
with me, and learned to love her dear
ly. The neighbors were all pleased
with her SOCIETY, and no one knew be-
sides Miriam that had found her on
that Autumn evening by the Black
Pond. After that there came bitter
days for me, Phoebe Lyncombe.
1t was Easter, and the good
ship Thunderbolt was long due at
Plymouth, and there was no news of
her. I had thought to have my hus-
band with me before the primroses
were out, and now the hedges were yel.
low with blossoms and he never came.
My uncle. an old Admiral who resided
at Plymouth, had long promised to