, 1889-10-10

she looked, she was uncertain which of
the two she must enter. and was about
! TO ask OF guutlcmun who came hur-
! ricdlN rom one of the houses. She did
| not observe him closely until the tall,
dark-eyed man with closely cut dark
ourls was very near, then shtinkmg back
rs II blow bad boon struck nj her L6nrt.
she glspcl, Victor RunsH mo zen.
| tlenan courtcuusly moved usi,lc to per-
nit her to pass, but she stood nsirro0lod
/ to the spot. "Oh Victor. shc said In "A
scarcely audible tone, ''why are YOU
horeY ] thought YOU were dcad."
'Madnm, do not comprehend YOU"
said the stranger graYcly but gently.
Are you not Victor Rank, my hus-
| bund?' she asked with face dcathlv
white, as trembling and unable 70 stand
she leaned against the wall.
smilo Tilted over the face Of the
man, nS turning to two lalip. who up-
proochcd from tho terrace with bands
/ filled with flowers, he said: "AloJatr
/ perhaps you can inform this lpdv .vup
| am, there seems to be a case of mistaken
| identify"
| Mrs. Ealston came forward sayiu-.
| "Ihls is my son, Narnov Rul.tOu. born
| near Nhgcgloche~, some thirty-liyp ur Sis
years ago. and this lady is bis wife jnca
| some time In '62," adding kindly, spray
ior whom did you mistake himg'
| "tor my former husband, Victor Rank,
who pcrshed in the war said Mrs.
Dcutou family.
The ladies invited her to enter the cot
| lNAe ana rest, but she declined In much
cmparras'inout, and with an cilurJ re-
covered herself and moved away.
Victor Rank" repeated Ralston
musmgly, seems rs iff had heard that
name, or had known the person who
bore 1t, nt some time I'm my HE"
Srhal you heard It IN dreamland,"
SAD his wife Wchly.
We never mention aught of dream
Ilhu NaEArcs IN these days. he replied
with unwUntod gravity OF tone.
"Forgiyc me, NnrnGy; | did not in
tehu 10 recall the past TO youp
My love, thank God every day of
my unworthy life that you made such
an ellort and were finally successful In
restoring my rcason,' said the mar
-, But we owe much TO Flam; poor old
ram under God was the direct means
ol restoring you to Us, my son, said the
mother.
Happy old Flam, you might better
say. Did you ever SEQ one so deter
mined to work himself to death, lest we
should employ u heather Chlneep
And ne seems to have renewed his ugc
since we reached California" said the
gentleman.
The ladies entered the cottage. while
Ralston passed down the street. Within
an hour he met the lady who had so
strangely accostcd him. She was walk
ing with an elderly gentleman. and
gnzcd earnestly at Ralstou us If she
would cngraye his lineamcnts on her
heart.
The same evening Mrs. Denton urged
her husband to leave the CITY. ForsoIno
reason, she could not endure TO remain a
day, ana proposed taking the first boat
for Santa Barbara, and MIR Denton, nj.
ways anxious to please her, readily
acIuicsccd, although he had planned u
trip To the mountain, and her own plans
had been formed with the occupancy of
u cottage for some time as pleasant
part Atler time came a long dc.
lUyed letter that had gone astray iol
months, bringing news from tho old
homestead. II was written by Elsie in
her own rambling style. 10 told of the
stranger who knew papa aud who cried,
Fanny said, when he talked of him, and
he said poor Victor over and over
again. And mamma she continued,
81 felt SO sorry Tor him, nc had no home
no wlie, no child; l suppose he is all
alone III this big world somewhere, and
Just felt as If must start right oil and
liud him. / did not think 80 much of ii
at first because ! was interested i'm my
book, but ! thought of him afterwards
and feel OH so sorry for him because
/ ne was poor ana alone.
Mrs. Dentuns pillow was wet with
tears that night and her heart was tor.
turod with agony.
Did Victor Rank still live? She
thought size had seen him face to face.
yet Il woman claimed him Us her son,
and another was his wife.
Again, were her old friends mistaken
in their COnlocturcs or We're they correct
: in their surmse that the stranger was
the lOng-lUst and mOurued husbuudH
The elder Mrs, Ralstou thought long
upon subject that often puzzled her;
the word victory had strange uttruc-
ton for her son, who often lstlussly
sCribhled 'Nictur' and occasionally
since his apparent recovery OF health
and reason had written his name Victor,
but always correcting it Instantly. His
own explanation To himself for the fact
being that during his long illness the
word victory must have been impressed
upon his mind; but not ray of memory
every visited his mind concerning those
months, OF past years. His mother,
asked the question of her heart, could
there be a mistakc-could this man be
other than her son? Her heart answered
no.
While to the heart of Narney Ral5ton's
wife, happy in her love, no question ever
came; yet lac mused for hours over the
strange line of thought the strange lady
had one day suggested;
Was lac Victor Rank or Varncy Rails
ton. l.. q. l.. HAsktNs.
Spokane Falls.