Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-10-24

''Did go,t mail my letter to Hafrg?" Danvers, I did not dare to tell her the truth. I thoughtit did not much matter; that she was to be married at any rate, and that 1t would be best for her to think that you had forgotten her, and answered yesl God for give me for the lie.
 'The next morning she was gone. No trace of her was to be found anywhere. Her bed had not been slept in, her little stock of money, her elegant and valuable trinkets were all in their places; all except the cross and chain which she habitually wore
 "I thought and so did MT. Hurst, 1 know, that she had eloped with you. He forbade any pursuit of her, any inquiry respecting her. She Is dead to me, he said Barnwel Leroy did swear that he would kill you, but that week your name and that of Mrs. Dan- vers appeared in the paper as passengers on the Scotia for Liverpool; and as politics and secession were then all absorbing topics, MT. Leroy soon forgot all about his lost cousin and future bride. It was not till years after that learned that the lady who accompas nied you abroad was your mother, not your wife, and that the voyage was undertaken solely on account of her failing health.
 "And all this time poor Florences letter had remained in my possession. had not dared to destroy it at first, and then had put it away, and so carefully that in my hurry of spirits and agitation totally forgot where 1t was. I searched for it often after she disappeared, hoping that its contents might throw some light on her whereabouts, but never succeeded in finding it. Three years ago, while was packing my trunk, an old volume of sermons which had belonged to my mother fell from the top of a~pile of books to the floor, and from between it's leaves there dropped the missing letter. l had thrust 1t there, doubtless, to conceal it.
 Ut is addressed to you. I send it, herein inclosed do not know what 1t contains, and do not want to know Do not try to find my dwelling place or to see me. Let this wretched chapter of my life be closed here and forever. Whatever that letter must contain, do not blame me. did not dare destroy it, and now 1t is in your hands. Do | with it as you will. SUSAN CLINT" With shaking hands Harry Danvers opened | the other envelope Within it he found second envelope sealed and directed to him in the delicate, flowing handwriting of Flor l ence Hurst. He broke the seal, unfolded the letter which was within, and read as fol- lows:
 "Harry, I am desperate-wild-despa l ing. Will you not help me? will you not come to mel My father is going to take me to Georgia, and when there he will force me to marry Barnwen Leroy. I hate | ulIll, uS IS tt CIuel. NAChSI and I could never have loved him even had I never met you. So, if you still | love me, if you still wish me to be your wife, meet me at Deadman's pool on the evening of Thursday, the 18th of this month. am | to be taken to Leroys for visit, but will be home by that time. I will go to the pool on that evening; I will wait there till mid night, and If you do not come, if this letter fails to reach you, or if you have forgotten | me, have one refuge still-the waters that they say are so deep. I had better die at once than live to be killed by inches as my poor mother was. But know that you love me still. Forgive me. Harry, if I seem for ward or unmaidenly in thus writing to you, ! but have no friend on earth except yourself.
 "YoUR OWN FLORENCE" A few days later Harry Danvers sat alone in the dismantled parlor of what bad once been the stately mansion of Garden- hurst. Without, the hot sunshine glared down on what was then trimly shaven lawn, now planted with corn, and no vestige of the noble trees that formerly surrounded the house was to be seen except here and there an unsightly stump. In the distance flashed and sparkled the we'll known stream in the garish sunlight. Even Deadman's pool robbed of its shrouding trees, looked bright and glowing Men were at work there with cords and grappling irons and strange ap paratus. but Harry Danvers never even ap preached the window or seemed to heed theiI toll. He sat alone waiting-waiting-- silent motionless and pale.
 At last the door was opened and one of the men that had been so busy at the pool came in. Harry rose to meet him, and the face that he turned on the intruder was white ai death.
 : "Well, Jarvis, have you found anything'' "Yes, s1r."
 "What is itf'
 "Portions of human skeleton, and this. And be laid on the table wet, discoloret obtect-the diamond cross with Its wreath O. turquois forget-me-nots.
 Harry restrained himself till the man wa gone, then he caught the cross from the tabl' and pressed 1t wildly to his lips,
 70 love, lovel" he moaned, 'you stoot there in the bleak autumn night, despairing wretched wild, deeming that you were for saken and that was faithless O loveI yo' did not know how we'll loved you O m. 9 Florence, my dead darling, what must hay been your anguish, when death was you only refuge and your only hope Do yo' know now, darling, why failed to heed you sweet faithful summons2 Behold, l hay kept faith at last. am here to bear you t. your resting place, and instead of this cross our last love token, l bring you another gift not the wedding ring that promised you my love, my Florence, but a coffin and
 tomb"
 THE END.