Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-11-25

more than once he sighed. A bright,
glad face had been with him in all his
wandering; worn white one had met
him on his return. He had forgotten
that years and pain could fade and
change his girlish love; and now
He sighed rain, and at that moment
a dark object fitted over the roadway,
and his horse sprang to one side. The
a deep trench had been lately dug by the
roadway, and the startled horses hoofs
struck the edge of it, slid, recovered, slid
again, aud horse and man were flung
prostrate into the trench.
A struggle, fierce and short, and the
horse scrambled to his feet and up the
bank; but Roy lay there, crushed and
torn by the cruel hoofs, with sprained
ankle and broken arm, and several
gashes from which the blood gushed,
until at last he tainted and then cold
gray Frightening in the east, and the
freshness of dawn was abou. him, and
aid was near; but he knew nothing of il
at all.
When he awoke to life again he found
himself on couch, with cool, soft hand
on his forehead, and the faint perfume o.
roses about him. And Vala sat near
with the olden look in her hazel eyes
and tremulous smile on her lips.
Somehow, as he watched her, che
seemed again his love, his darling, the
bride for whom he had come over land
and sea, and he put up weak hand and
pressed the cool fingers more closely tC
bis brow.
"You are better?" she said softly
"Your horse threw you. and they brought
you here. At first We thought-we
feared"
The soft voice broke; she could moi
help it. She lowered her pale face tc
the arm OF her chair and burst into sobs
And sudden memory came to him o.
the last time she had so sobbed in his
presence, and his heart grew warm ant
tender for the woman who had loveC
him all the years.
Somehow, as he put out his weak
hand and caressed the soft curls of hel
hair, the old love grew strong in his
bosom, and cried aloud for Vala.
Dear" he said family, 'stay here be
side me! Let no one minister to me
save you, my dearest one"
She lifted her face, and it was agair
the face of the girl from whom he haC
parted-glad, tremulous, flushed with q
color that made it fair as the dawn,
alight with love.
"You want me, Roy?" she whispered
eagerly-'you care for me still?
thought that you would be glad to have
me set you free. And 1 would have
done so, deer-I would have done sc
had you wished it,
And he knew, even as Ina entered
with her light, free step that he did not
wish her to set him free. He was hu
man. and had been too sanguine in com
ing for his bride, but ne knew that it wat
Vala for whom he had struggled. Vals
who had been true to him SO long. Vals
for whom he had come so far; and lei
her be changed as she might outwardly
he realized that the heart of the girl still
beat in the breast of the woman.
| And so he drew her down until hel
tender face rested near his own.
"You would set me free % he whisp
cred. ''Vala, my beloved, if you love
me, keep me bound to you; for l have
never wished my freedom, and 1 have
come here for my wife" Ina glanced
curiously at the two faces, the claspeC
hands, the warm color in her sisters
thin cheeks, and smiling quietly, She
glided out
"They look 60 happy, mamma" she
said to her mother, whom she met a
the door. "Come away; it would be
pity to disturb them. ."-[Saturday Night