The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-01-30

here this time o day, befo' even the cows
is milkedT And to herself she thought,
'Tve writ that aunt o. hisn warnin';
why amt she fifteen to keep him homer
Nicholas laughed; the fun of the stu
alton was irresistible; it made him, for
the moment, oblivious of its tragic as
pect. 'Tve come for my wife" he said,
and turned suddenly sober and scarlet
with the humiliating reflection that he
was seeking shelter, not offering it.
"Land o Goshenv' exclaimed Miss
White, irately. "WlIy amt We mo- re-
spect fur yo' s'periors in age and wisdom,
boy? I'm s'prised at We; an 1 dunno
why should be, neither. l dom want
no nonsense here. Git out!'
Il tell you Dosia is my wife," said
Nicholas gravely. 1--WE were married
by old Mr.. Drummond, in her mothers
presence, two days before Mrs. Furnival
died"
Miss Whites sallow face underwent
variety of contortions; she nearly swal-
lowed the little bit of athea stick with
which she had been taking her morning
"dip," and which she habitually carried
in her mouth; the broom clattered from
her grasp, as her hands hung down,
helplessly. She understood now why
she had been sent to visit relation six
miles distant, just two days before Mrs.
Furnival died. "Wha - what?' she
gasped. Then, under strong conviction,
she lifted her right arm straight-it near
ly touched the lintel-and said, with
strong emphasis, ''Ill bet my ultimate
picayune the colonel amt consentin'."
"Never you mind the colonel" said
Nicholas, shortly. Il must see Dosia.'
Dosia had heard his voice; she came
out into the little entry that divided the
rooms, and stood there, pale and trem-
bling.
"Dosia! Dosia" cried Nicholas, wild
ly, as he pushed past the demoralized
spinster; and the next instant she was
in his arms.
''Dosia," said Miss White, boarsely,
''you're a cawnsistent member of the
Methods chu'ch, an SO fur fo'th ez I
know, you amt had naire fall from
grace; eff you say hits true that we air
married, ez he tells-beside Cousin Man
dy's bed O death-I'll believe it,"
"It is true" said Dosia, with smiles
and tears and bushes.
Miss White picked up her broom and
went to sweeping off the porch. She
made two comments mentally, one in
reference to Dosia's mother, the other to
Dosia's father: "She musta-turned plum
fool befo she died." and, she's got 'em
to tote, / see."
Nicholas and Dosia sat down on the
long wooden bench that constituted the
only furnishing of the little passage.
Miss White, glancing over her shoulder,
saw them there, and she Immediately
slammed the front door.
you've been in the rain said Dosia,
accustomed all her life to consider others.
"How wet your clothes are! You must
have ridden all night"
Il did," Nicholas answered, with a
dark frown; then, with burst of bitter
laughter: "Have you any clothes, Dosia?
don't know that l have any, unless I've
left a few scattering about Sunrise plan
tation that 1 may lay claim to-"
"Your father has?"-Dosia faltered.
'My father has responded Nicholas,
indicating with wave of his hand that
words would not express the sentence
passed upon him.
Dosia sat silent and stunned, clinging
to his arm; for herself it did not matter;
but for Nicholas-it seemed at the mo-
ment more than she could bear.
"My whole fortune" said Nicholas,
with covert bitterness, Consists in my
horse and my watch; we'll sell these,
Dosia, and defy the world"
~ have done you great wrong she
whispered.
you've done yourself great wrong,
it may be, dear heart said Nicholas.
"But Mt least we have each other. Oh,
Dosia! Dosia! my wife! IL they only
knew you, Dosia, my saint! There is
nobody like you. You had faith in me,
and you saved me. Compared with you,
what are they all? Henceforth live only
for you. Missy, Missy alone he fall
tered. "Poor little sister! she has not
cast me Off How she cried to me, through
the rainy darkness, to take her with mel
seemed TO hear her every mile of the
way! I'm 'an exile from home,' and all
that, you know. All, no, no" he amend
ed, quickly, as Dosia sobbedaloud. "How
could / say that, my dearest and best?
You are my home. Dosia, Dosia, look
at me with your heavenly eyes; say you
love me; say you believe in me!'
And Dosia looked at him. She did not
speak, but she smiled through her tears;
and then she drew away from him and
rose.
ITO be Continued
Cautious.