The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-09-14

! In 8DaIesyllle? said the young man,
repeating the name Of the village she
mentioned. why, it is on my own
route, only so some distance beyond.
shall be your travelling companion
| if I may
He feared she might be displeased
by the eager delight he could not help
betraying;; but she was not; on the
contrary, her anxiety seemed to be al
layed, and she looked almost as glad
as he. ST.
A little later they were seated side
| by side in n parlor coach Of the train
| which was speeding toward her place
Of refuge.
What should, I have done without
| your kindness? she cried once, with
a shuddering glance at the black,
stormy night outside.
Il fancy you would have been
| obliged to return home; and perhaps
you might have yielded to what your
relatives WISH" said he, speaking rath-
| er tentatively, and conscious of Il pang
| at the thought of her possible marriage
| with the man chosen for her
If only the heiress so ofticiously Sc
lected for himself had been half so
sweet and adorable as this witching
little fugitive, what an obedient son
and brother he should, have been!
At his concluding suggestion the
wondrous Oriental eyes flashed upon
him appealingly.
Il might have gone back home; but
nothing-not even the certainty of
death itself as an alternatiye-cOuld
ever force me to- the ignominy of WIS.,
iting the mans people, and thus to be-
come his wife. Do you think I aim
acting so very Wickedly?" she asked
piteously. -,,.
'It is not for me- to condemn you,
since l have committed about the same
ofense," said he smiling. II should
not have met you tonight, only I was
running away from Newport rather
than make the acquaintance of an
abominable paragon, whom my fam
lily had invited to come and captivate
me-"
The wondrous, almond-shaped eyes
opened wider. A sudden color flushed
the ivory Of her cheeks.
'And you have never seen herr" the
girl queried with some subtitle change
in her thrush-like tones.
'Never! I don't even know her
name; would never listen to anything
about her." was the half-laughing and
wholly disdainful reply.
How very, very odd,'' the girl
breathed almost inaudibly.
And isn't it odd, too, that you and
should be yet ignorant of each others
names, when we are destined to- be
friends ?-at least I hope we are said
the young man, looking at her almost
pleadingly as he corrected the speech
he feared might sound OVERLOAD. q
But she showed no displeasure. She
only turned that matchless face toward
him, and smiled-a smile which dis
closed her pretty pearls of teeth, and
frightened the dark eyes to dazzling
splendOr!
1t was smile which encouraged
Winslow in the performance of intro
ducing himself-a ceremony always
more or less embarrassing.
His companion had not lost all her
property with her purse, it seemed,
for she drew from her pocket tiny
enameled gold case, from which she
took neat little white card and hand
ed it to the young man. w.,
'Siva Hamlyn," was daintily in
scribed upon the rose-scented bit OF
cardboard.
1T is like herself was his unspoken
thought. 1T holds some subtle charm
which hannts ones senses with dreams
of rose gardens and vestal temples,
of fountains shinlmering in nloonlights,
of doves with azure wings, Of every
thing which is sweet and enchanting
oh. silva! silva! l am afraid you have
stolen my heart away
1t was u happy journey for Edmund
Winslow. And before he had left his
evenings protegce safely sheltered be-
meath her friends roof, he had decided
that the angling in the neishborhood
OF. Dalesville would be quite as satis-
factory as it would be ninety miles
farther down the road.
And 50 it happened that he secured
quarters in the little village hotel, and
that he surprised Miss Hamlyn the next
morning by meeting her in 4 ramble
by the riverside.
This meeting was the first of many,
each one happier than the last; and be-
fore month had elapsed, the two were
/ acknowledged lovers. .-,.,
For Edmund Winslow there was but
one shadow to mar the sunshine Of
those rapturous days. His proud and
Wllllul utfuuS WOlilu ll0L pIOulSo "
become his bride until his affection
should have withstood the test of a
meeting with the heiress. -a-..
Don't be whimsical, love-" he re-
monstrated; Il have never cared for
any woman but you, and can never
care for any other >..
"Then surely, dear, you need not
hesitate to crafty my caprice. 1t is
such little thing to ask, Edmund!
I only wish you to see her; and then
if you still prefer me, as you think
you do, shall believe in my happi-
ness" silva persisted with an obstinacy
which vexed him, much as he loved
her. ~
Remonstrance and reasoning were of
no avail, and he finally yielded.
VERY well, my iege and sovereign
lady; your wish commands me, now and
always. will send Il dispatch ordering
the paragon to be put on exhibition
at once. If she does capture me, per.
haps you will be sorry for driving me
away from our paradise, you darling
little WITCH" he said as he kissed Siya's