Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-02-02

the place OF the peachblossom Of cid, aud
the smoothness Of the hair which once
had curled SO softly about the brow,
Hugh Morgan could not but recognize
her. This was certainly Phyllis. And
vet the children said she was dead
''Phyllis" he cried. aloud, unable to
contain himself, and his voice broke as
he spoke the name which had not passed
his lips for more than ten years.
At the sound OF that name, spoken by
that voice, the lady started as the Pro
lessor had started when the child Phyllis
had pronounced it, and crimson tide of
color rushed over her pale face. She
loosened the clinging arms OF the chill
dren, and taking step toward the Pro-
fessor, stood with strained eyes staring
at him.
''Hughl" she cried.
Buntly aud confusedly he stammered:
''But the child said you were dead"
The immobility of his face was all
broken up with the strength OF the con-
fiicting emotions that possessed him, his
gray eyes glowed under the prominent
brows and his strong hands trembled.
Phyllis was scarcely less moved herself,
but, woman like, seeing his excessive
and almost overmastering agitation, she
came to the rescre by control
ling herself into calmness of voice and
manner.
"The children's mother is dead" she
said, gently.
"They are not your children2" said the
Professor, passing hand over his brow,
as If to sweep away the mist of bewilder-
ment that obscured his understanding.
"They are my brothers children" said
Phyllis Wynne. ale has just been APP
pointed minister at Presbyterian Church
at CO She named large town
some miles distant. II have taken care
of the children since their mother died a
few months ago, and we have come here
for a holiday"
"And you--you are widowed, then"
Numbered on the Professor.
Phyllis Wynnc looked at him strange
ly.
II have never been married, " she said,
simply, and the crimson color again dyed
her delicate face.
The Professor stared at her. q moment
in Mortified amaZement, scarcely able to
seize the import of her words. Then he
broke out in u passionate way, his voice
loud and stern:
"Then what fiend sent me that false
notice of your marriage-your marriage
with Colonel Llewellyn?"
ooh, Hugh! Hugh" cried Phyllis
Wynne, swiftly, her voice sharp with
pain. Through her quick woman's mind
there had flashed the explanation of all
that had been so incomprehensible, the
realization of all that Hugh, as we'll as
she herself had suffered, and with it a
contrasting vision of what might have
been. "Oh, Hugh! what an awful mis-
take! My cousin of the same name,
Phyllis Wynne, married Colonel Lie
wellyn"
MY Gody cried the Professor,
"what a fool was What fool"
A dead silence fell between them. No
detailed explanation was necess, ry just
then. Each understood that either
through the mistake of some officious
meddler, or through the deliberate viii
lainy of some rival of Hugh Morgan's,
they had been kept apart through the
best years of life, each embittered by
the thought of the others faithlessness.
They stood side by side, looking gravely
Mt the cleaning sea. Their hearts were
beating with the same momentous
thought, but neither yet dared to give
expression to it. The children, gathering
their yellow peoples and twining them
about their hamper, looked up curiousiy
now and again at their aunt and their
new friend. and wondered why their
faces were so serious and yet so excited,
and why, after talking so seriously, they
had now fallen into complete silence.
The silence could not long be main
tanned unbroken. 1t grew too pregnant
with strong, struggling emotion. The
Professor suddenly turned to the woman
by his side.
"Have we met again too late, Phyllis?"
he cried. sis it too later"
AS the question passed his lips his face
grew very white, and his gray eyes filed
with an intense and painful eagerness.
Phyllis kept him in no suspense. Her
answer came at once, in broken cry of
love.
"Oh, Hughl it is not too late-it
could never have been too latew And,
her blue eyes shining through tears, she
stretched out her hands TO him.
The wonderful children, pausing in
their work, saw their Aunt PDyllis
gathered to their new friends heart She
was held there closely, while soft whis-
pered words passed from lip to lip, and
radiance of unspeakable happiness
dawned over both faces. The years of
suffering and separation seemed compen-
sated for in that one moment of exquisite
and perfect joy.
The stones of the old ruin blazing in
the August sunshine gazed at the Pro-
fessor in amazed reproach. But he paid
no heed. The archeologist was lost in
the lover Strand Magazine.