The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-12-30
SOMERSET. Pa WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 30 1891

bled as ne handed her up the steps at last
'-Oh," she said. nesting a moment in his
embrace as they parted in the dim dining
room, nothing could ever let you leave of
loving mef"
No power in all the universe" he an
swered her
Il shall have 70 tell him tomorrow. u
said Rose tearfully after he had gone.
-Oh, tomorrow We may find it." said
Cousin Margare:. ~and afford to laugh
about the whole thing
A half hour afterward, IS her maid was
taxing down the great coils Of hair, some
thing bright as any star was seen 10 hang
fixed in the meshes. Il was the diamond
that her rapid turn of hand and wrist had
torn away from its slight stem OF gold
after it had caught in her hair.
Yes" said Cousin Margaret, I'VE can
tell the whole story tomorrow, and shall
have diamond 70 spare. Yon didn't
know had sent the ring to the jewelers..
did yous"
And tomorrow Gordon Penmore met
Hayden Roth drawing on his glove over
an Ohstrueting ring upon his little finger
Where did ron come across that ring.
may asksH heexclaimed, pstusing directly
in front of the other.
And moved BY that spirit Of mischief.
Hayden answered: 1T belongs TO a LADY
with whom was dancing yesterday after
ncOn- DO not like 70 take liberties with
names, it Is enough THAI it was given to
me by lady"
In another moment he would have ex-
planned his poor jest. but Gordon, his face
as white as ashes. had merely bowed and
passed on.
She had danced with another man and
against his wishes, and she had given away
his mothers ring. He left that town that
night without a word Rose waited for
him-waited one year, waited half a score.
II he were dead, her heart was in the grave
with him, aud whether he were dead or
not she could not know
IL was a wintry night in one OF those
islands that are the outposts OF cur north
ern coast, where a person still young. still
beautiful, but with a strange still sadness
in her beauty, who had chanced upon thr
place in its summer radiance Of smiling
seas, had come again 20 make home the
year round, 70 teach the children OF the
fishermen and to live the life OF a Sister of
Charity among the dwellers in the fishing
huts, half drigtwood and half primal rock.
She had her dead Cousin Marsaret's for
tune, and she spent il, with her own. on
these people. but she gave them more than
money, for she gave them all herself. read
ing 70 those that could follow, talking 10
those that would listen, working with
them and for them, and finding her oRly
cheer and consolation 80.
Il was the last night of the year. 8
group Of the young girls had come down
20 Roses cottage 10 bring her their gifts Of
shells and seaweeds and were lingering
there, when suddenly in one Of the awe
struck silenees came the sharp report and
rolling echo OF a gun
In a moment men were running to the
boats, the women thronging 70 the shore;
the young girls and ehildreL, and Rose
with them, were building bonfire on the
cliffs Dimly could he discerned on a dis
tant reef the dark outline Of huge steam
ship that had struck the reef with ire
mendous force, had broken in two, and
with q frightful rapidity was settling to
her fate. With ropes about them the fish
ers waded and swan cut; thrown back !
breathiess, once again veuturing. az length |
one awful screaming billow, seeming 70
soar into Inidair, and then throw them all
together IN a mass upon tine shore
IL WAS more than an hour that the auid |
wives Of the place worked on the uncon
sci0us being whom the sea had cast up.
and whom they had taken into the nearest |
cottage-the cottage where Rose dweIt /
At length a long shiver ran through /
his frame, aud be opened his clouded eyes |
and murmuned something huskily and fell 1
into a deep sleep
Il was an hour or more afterward that /
be awoks. The others had all gone, dis /
missed by her. Rose sat II his feet. dis /
rinct against the sapphire vault Of the /
moon lighted sky seen through the uucur- /
tained window. aud only low CLEAN q 4
the fire now and then falling across her
Rose j decd, then.n he said. And yCu /
are some m0ckiug spirit in her form. On, /
you cannot deceive me, though you conO
the curl out @ the yellow hair, though you /
put nuns cl1th on that supple shape. for /
You wear nay ring upon your finger, and /
she never looked so till broke her heart"
You are talking in your Sleep she
said, bending forward aud taking his burn
ing hands. This Is Rose. Your RJSe
All the rest is nothing now"
He gazed az her steadfastly a moment
the cloud clearing from his eyes. the op
preston from his brain. Nothing he
cried. nothing the words coming IL
quick gasps. Il was coming back 20 find
you Out in the deserts hid seen nv fool
| had said: She is minsl she
always WAS minei She loved me, May
the thing be aecursed that parted us-ring
or dance or childish freak or maddened
temper. viii never ask her. Sne shall
never tell me- -
- ~ ii !