Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-07-06

enough to secure in her wild fight from
the house
THE jewels are worth several hun
1red dollars" she pondered, land can
turn part or all into money, If need be,
to keep me until l can get work."
Her frenzy had subsidized. She was
heart-sick and desolate; but she was
composed enough now to plan her
movements for the immediate future.
1t was three years before Ada Cover
again beheld the scenes to which she
had hidden such tragic farewell that
gloomy spring night.
1t was in n golden spring cleaning,
when the orchards were pink with
bloom, that she came leisurely down
the narrow path Which crossed the tum-
bling stream.
Behind her was the village; before
her was the highroad, and less than a
stones throw back from the road was
the beautiful mansion which had shell
tered her happy childhood.
She had come back for revenge-the
revenge for which she had planned and
toiled all these three long years!
She had been spared many of the
hardships which often bcfall Il penni-
less and friendlcss young girl who is
self. Before her small means were
exhausted she had obtained pleasant
place. although very subordinate one,
in an establishment which manufac-
tured decorative articles, with depart
ment for designing.
Ada had always been clever with the
brush and pencil; she proved to have
considerable genius as a designer; and
it was not long before the charming
little conceptions in that line were
earning her an independence.
She boarded her dollars as miscr
boards his gold. She was working and
boarding for one object, and that was
to regain her rights, and thus avenge
her wrongs.
She often thought very bitterly of
Searle Estley in those days.
The blood still scorched her checks
whenever she recalled Nellie Danver's
parting taunt
"Of course he said foolish things to
you-any man will when a girl is for
ever following him around like a SPAN
lei. But Searle has been engaged to
me all the while--;sk him if you doubt
it." her stepsister sneered that last dis
tracing night.
Ada Cover could have died at his
feet more easily than she could have
asked her lover such a question, which
would have been an insult to his truth
If he were loyal, and which would have
detracted from her own maidenly dig
nifty if he We're faithless.
And besides, there was no oppor-
tunity to question him, for he was
miles away on that fatal night when
her stepmother drove her forth with
| Threats and unhroi1inp
1t was all before her like an uncanny
picture as she paused in the shadowy
path and surveyed the familiar scenes
around her.
Everything was the same. only a
new bridge had been erected over the
tumbling stream, only the pile of ruins
up the bank seemed perhaps a little
more moss-grown, and only that the
grasses were growing long and rank
over yonder green nook which once
tad been her favorite retreat.
She went over to the place. pushed
aside the ribbon-like lengths Of rustling
grass. and seated herself upon what
was a large hickory stump, followed
and hewn into the semblance Of a
chair.
Above wild grapevine arched it's
branches into a fantastic canopy, just
as she had trained the tender young
vines with her own hands in the hap
pier days.
Before this pretty seat the ground
sloped to the waters edge in stretch
of green turf. dotted with wild shrubs
and ending in a fringe Of reeds and
wild iris.
AS she sat there she heard sluggish
footsteps coming down the path from
= - fy,1 md tHa
next instant she saw once more the
to be her lover.
How changed he was! How much
older he looked, and how bitterly I'M
happy! There was no light in his
brown eyes. no color in his once ruddy
cheeks: and his handsome lips were
set in a stern. bloodless line.
Ada's heart stirred with pity as her
searching eyes fingered on that altered
countenance.
Suddenly as If her earnest eyes pos
sessed some electric power to draw
him to her side. he turned with an
uneasy and inquiring expression, and
moved involuntarily toward her seat.
A single pace, a single, feeting
glance, and then he stopped with look
Of rapture and wonder and WOrshiping
love which turned the girls heart faint
within her for very joy.
ada, my angel, is it yo,1, love, really
you?" he cried in q whisper, barely au-
dible. "Is it your dear spirit, love, or
is it your living self restored by some
heavenly miracle?"
All. faithful lover. and fond! How
she had wronged his noble heart!
She breathed his name family
through her strangling tears; and the
next instant he was kneeling before
her, kissing her hands rapturously, and
hardly certain whether he We're dream
ing or awake. mad or sane.
After that first moment Of wild &C.
stacy, their incoherent explanations
merged into calmer discourse, and all
which was mysterious between them
was soon explained.
He had no need to assure his beloved
one that he had loved her always and
her only, and that he had never breath
ed syllable Of affection to Nellie Dam
yer.