Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-07-21
BY CHANCE,

NY name is Oliver Desmond, and was,
at the time the story opens, at fashionable
summer resort, where went to escape the
vigilance Of my father, who was on the
lookout for 3 wife for me. As heard some
thing about friend of my sister, who was
coming to pay Us visit, suspected my
father Of the intention Of questioning me on
the subject of q proposal, so quickly got
out Of the way
/ bad no intention of getting married,
and felt certain that this maiden whom /
had never seen was as ugly as drsgon, and
should ever have had the misfortune Of
meeting my fate, as they say in the novels,
il would not have been her. When / was
through olloquizing on this strange maid
en- it was time to 60 In the water, and had
been in it but q short time when imagined
| heard distant cries for s1ccor. As was
so far out as to be beyond talking distance
with any other person bathing, | deter
mined to discover the drowning person and
lend him my assistance. This 1t was quite
difficult to do, for the cries had ceased, aud
the horrible thought struck me that the poor
unfortunate man had been drowned
was Just about to retrace my steps when
the cry again struck my ear, and | recog-
nizsd il as that of female. / answered
with more readiness than | would had 1t
been one of my own tender sex, and once
more | Ssded out into the water looking
for the distressed female. AS was rec
onuoitering was thrown by heavy wave,
and in falling my hand came in contact
with an object that proved to be the head OF
the person was seeking. / was in the nick
of time, for had grssped her long, beau
tiful hair Just IS she was sinking. | held
the girl until, reaching the shore, We received
ADLER assistance. twas not until then that
| noticed that the strange beauty had faint.
I'd in my arms from sheer exhaustion, and
we we're conveyed to the nearest hotel, which
turned out to be the very one at which l
was stopping.
As sat alone by the couch of the young
girl who was sleeping, and while |
awaited the first return OF life, | noted how
beautiful she was. She possessed hair which
could not have been exeelled by Venus;
her complexion was olive; her features
were well made, and altogether she was
handsome creature Just as l was admir-
ing her pretty face I was startled by her
eyes opening. They were very pretty eyes,
and they opened with fascinating look,
and she swoke with the customary cry;
Where am ~
"You are in the hotel, - Ianswered. "You
were rescued while drowning. Had it not
been for the timely interference of friend
you would undoubtedly have found watery
grave"
Eyes l remember all now. But do you
know this friendf'
answered with some preyarication, but
did not let her know how near that friend
was at the time. gave her the full psrtic-
ulars Of the affair, and when her nurse enter
ed | left, intimstiDg to her that / was q
nsighboring physician who had been called
in for assistance.
Returning shortly afterwards, / was sur
prised to find her somewhat jubilsnt, and
when entered the room she poured out
thanks to me for preserving her from a
vatery grave. When / asked her where
she obtained her information, she said that
the nurse had told Der. was not sorry,
though, for it led on to an acquaintance,
and about month sfterward let myself
into q secret. / was in love with her. /
did not know whether the feeling was
reciprocated; / did not even know her
name. One day, when we were sitting on
The piazza talking about things in general,
she inquired where resided.
"Oh! live in New York when / am at
home, which is seldom" answered care
lessly; and, strange to say, never cared
for this place much, and would not have
been here now were it not to escape the
wiles OF 3 woman whom have never met,
but whom / was destined to marry. l
heard that she was coming to visit my sis
ter, and my father Informed me that be
wished me to cultivate her acquaintance,
intimstipg that she was very pleasant
creature i did not wish to marry j1st
then, and had notion that she was coming
TO capture me, so ran away from this girl
this Beatrice Lorton-and By the time l
get home hope she viii have returned to
her native city, Chicago"
Raising my eyes, saw that my compsn-
ion had risen and was leaning on the chair,
looking very pale. Iquiekiy asked II she
were i'll, but, instead OF replying, she went
on with my story where / had left Of.
$50" she said, you wish to escape from
this woman, as you call her. Then" she
added, IN q sneering tone, "let ne tell you
there was no love lost, for this woman did
not 90 to New York city. She also heard
that she was to be sought sftsr in marriage
and came to this place to get out of the
way"
A vague suspicion crossed my mind.
How do you know sll thisf' II s inn
possible that she is here"
Not at''al impossible, Mr. Desmond, for
an the identical Miss Beatrice Lorton
whom you ran away from and whom you
met against your viii. Quite coincidence,
is it not trueH' and she burst out laugh
ing.
wa 20 astounded that I abruptly left
her, and Il was some weeks before / spoke
to her again. When I found the eppor-
tunity ! implored her pardon for the harsh
names had called her, and she only par
doned me because had saved her life.
Some weeks after this while walking
through deep wood / came across her on
q bench residing 9 book.
"Ahr Mr.. Desmond. It seems as though
We meet wherever we 60" sat down
without word and suddenly broke out st
ter . pause: - -
HNf,. Ij,rton "a h ~ strange that ma