Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-06-03

horizon; but the girl was not discontinued.
Therefore, for some time she had seen no
towers, save those that grew IN pots on
her window sill: no trees save the acacias
in the Speeds garden.
What Joy swelled her heart as she
looked on the beautiful turf beiewelled
with tiny flowers She clasped her hands
in childiEe ecstasy. Frank kept near
her, ready to aid her at every turn; and
this wonderful day passed like a heavenly
vision. The great blue sky seemed to
float above the green branches: the mar
row glades with perhaps CLEAN Of the
horizon in the distance, looked as if they
led to faiIyland.
Towards evening. when the sun was
setting. and she saw the iong Hnes On
tremulous lights on the river, and far
away a thick fog-like mass Of roofs and
steeples. and was told that there lay Lon
Con, she cast one look at the lovely scene
about her. and laid away IN her memory
the hawthorn-scented landscape. as If new
er. never should she see it again.
The flowers that the young girl brought
back with her pcIfumed her room Tor
DAYS. The cowslips and viOlets. the PINK
and white MAY, were mingled with
crowd Of smaller flowers. Of which the
very names were unknown to her.
did little Dora live over again each oc-
currence Of that memorable day. The
violets reminded her Of the bed Of moss
where she had found them, and where,
kneeling by Franks side, she had gather
ed them. as she thought she worked,
and CLEAN Of sunshine coming through
the window touched the breasts of the
humming- birds on the table and trans
+x, fr114+
Jewels. Spring and youth. hope and love.
gloIifed this poor little attic high up in
the air.
Frank was now equally happy. Dora.
by degrees had won his heart completely.
Even the remembrance Of Sylvia, he
fancicd, had disappeared. He had never
gone to Richmond again. Cone home
with me-" his brother would say; "Syl-
via insists upon your dining with us to-
day"
But Frank pretended to be full Of bust
ness, and Florence easily accepted this
excuse.
Every time Frank left his brothers Of
fee, he was intercepted by old Job with
his pen behind his ear. He kept the young
man informed of all that went on.
George" he said, .came regular to his
office, and went back to Oaklands every
night No more bills had been presented
to him for payment"
you see," said the cashier triumphant
Iy, Il was quite right in sending for you
to come home; but, all the same, feel as
if we were all upon the brink of IL preci
pice"
Have no fear" answered the engineer.
81 am on the lookout"
You will be here for some time longer,
4 l. Il Cly
''NOt for long. But l have a matter Of
the highest Importance to arrange before
l go"
This matter was Franks marriage to
Dora He had spoken Of it to no one, not
even to her, but the little girl had no
doubts, evidently, for she was happy and
gay as a lark.
They were alone one Sunday afternoon.
Mrs. Chipp De Lacy had just gone out,
carefully dressed, proud and happy to
show herself ON her husbands arm. Frank
had look Of suppressed excitement, and
from the very way in which he drew his
chair near her sofa, Dora understood that
he was about to say something Of import
ance. Their conversation by indifferent
phrases; then came a long silence. At
this moment gentle tap at the door was
heard.
Come ill.," said Dora impatiently; and
Sylvia appeared, beautifully dressed,
smiling and gracious. She had Just run
in for a moment to see her little Dora.
The presence of her brother-in-law
seemed to astonish her greatly; but, amid
her cOaXing words to her friend, he had
neither eyes nor ears for him. After a
time, however, she asked to see the
window on the staircase, and the room
no. no 7, u 4 81
her." she said, half sadly, ito recall those
days of her youth"
'Do you remember, Frank, when the
princess came to call on you. wearing on
her little head a diadem Of feathers?"
Frank did not reply; he was too dis
turbed. Something told him that this
woman had come there for him alone !;
that she wished to fascinate and intoxi-
cate him; and he felt. with an emotion of
mingled rage and despair, that he should
fall into the net thus spread. Dora sus-
Dected nothing; Sylvia's air was so gentle
and friendly; besides, they were brother
and sister.
Nevertheless. the lame girl had a vague
presentiment Of coming sorrow when Svl-
via turned upon the threshold, and said
carelessly to her brother-in-law:
by the way, Frank, William desired
me to bring you back to dinner; the car
riage Is at the door, and we can pick him
up on our wav."
Then, with a smile, she added:
''You will spare him to us, Dora. won't
youl We will send him back safe and
sound"
And he went with her, without once
looking back, swept away by his passion
as by furious sea, and neither that day
nor the next did poor little Dora hear the
words which had been upon her lovers
lips.