The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-03-04
' arm in arm with Hayden

said, coming into the drawing-room
after luncheon. "Oh, how happy /
am 1 am so happy that l feel
as if something we're going to hap
pen! But suppose" she added, "that
it is only because l don't deserve
him He is so great and good
and fine and noble and"-And then,
with her hands clasped above her
head, she was off all alone by herself,
swimming down the room in a waltz
to the tune of her own caroling.
And suddenly strong arm had stol-
en- around her, q hand had grasped
one of hers, and Hayden Roth, who
had been shown in by the butler, was
Waiting down the room with her.
Then all at once she sprang after
something that rolled away, and cried
in a piercing voice: "Oh, Margaret
my ringl my ringl 1t is broken-it has
come off-the stone is gone! Oh, what
am 1 to do Oh, it washis mother's!"
she cried, forgettingal about Haydon's
presence. "He said it was sacred. |
mustn't tell him, he will think l took
no care of it. And | was danclngl"
And shewas moving everything search
ing in vain for the stone and the brok-
en- fragment of the fragile setting with
it.
cts of no use," thought Margaret.
'I wont have the child suffer so for
the few hundred dollars another stone
would cost" And she came down and
handed the broken ring to Hayden
Roth, asking him to leave it at the
jewelers. and have it repaired and the
stone replaced at any price before the
next noon.
Rose descended dressed for the OPP
era when her lover came that night.
There was time only for Gordon to
note a singular agitation and aheight-
ened color about her, while she wept
and laughed at the music in half
hysterical way and trembled as he
handed her up the steps at last.
"Oh," she said, nesting moment
in his embrace as they parted in the
dim dining-room, nothing could ever
let you leave off loving me?"
"No power in all the universe" he
answered her.
81 shall have to tell him tomor-
row." said Rose, tearfully after he
had gone.
ooh, tomorrow we may find it,"
said Cousin Margaret, land afford to
laugh about the whole thing"
A half hour afterward as her maid
was taking down the great coils of
hair something bright as any star
was seen to hang fixed IN the meshes.
1t 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 the hair.
Eyes" said Cousin Margaret, eve
can tell the whole story tomorrow,
the boats, the women thronging the
shore; theyounggirls and children, and
Rose with them, were building bon
fire on the cliffs. Dimly could be dis
cerned on distant reef the dark out
line OF huge steamship that had
struck the reef with tremendous force,
had broken in two, and with O. fright
full rapidity was settling to her fate.
With ropes about them the fishers
waded and swan out; thrown back
breathless, once again venturing; at
length one awful screaming billow,
seeming to soar into midair, and then
throw them all together in mass up
on the shore.
1t was more than an hour that the
auld wives OF the place worked on the
unconscious being whom the sea had
cast up, and whom they had taken into
the nearest cottage-the cottage where
Rose dwelt. At length long SILVER
ran through his frame and he opened
his clouded eyes and murmured some
thing huskily and fell into q deep
sleep.
1t was an hour or more afterward
that he awoke. The others had all
gone, dismissed by her. Rose sat at
his feet, distinct against the sapphire
vault of the moon-lighted sky, seen
through the uncurtained window, and
only low gleam of the fire now and
then falling across her.
"Rose is dead, them" he said. "And
you are some knocking spirit in her
form. Oh, You cannot deceive me,
though you comb the curl out of the
yellow hair, though you put nuns
cloth on that supple shape, for you
wear my ring upon your finger, and
she never looked SO until l broke her
heart!"
"You are talking in your Sleep"
she said, bending forward and taking
his burning hands "This is Rose.
Your Rose. All the rest is nothing
now"
He gazed at her steadfastly mo-
ment, the cloud clearing from his eye,
the oppression from his brain. Moth
ingl" he cried, nothing" the words
coming in quick gasps. 81 was COM
ing back to find you. Out in the des-
erts l had seen my foolishness. had
said: She is mine! She was always
mine! She loved mel May the thing be
accursed that parted us-ring or
dance or childish freak or maddened
temper. l will never ask her. She
shall meyer tell me-"
ooh, there is nothing to tell" cried
Rose.
He held out his arms to her, 1--WE
have lost ten years" he murmured.
eve have the rest OF the threescore.
Nothingsh part us now Oh, Rose"
Nothing shall part us!' she repeat
ed '"The years have burned out my
folly and your fury. Harkl A new one