The record-union., 1893-06-24

tIIi0 lOI OlHEeT. Sn6 ndU IOUgDL leE
night and conquered. She had sacrificed
all for the girl she loved, and would go
out into the world and battle for herself.
But she must not break down now; she
must be brave until after Katherine's
marriage. When she saw her happy
once more nothing would matter. She
would be willing to go away.
She dressed with care, and going to
kathie's room found her ready for dinner.
hathle had spared no pains and looked
very beautiful, but could not hide the
pale, tired, wistful look of her sweet face.
The dinner was an ordeal for all, and
they We're all glad when it was over.
The Earl watched kathie closely, and
was much grieved by the look Of pain in
her eyes. and the drawn look about her
mouth. After dinner Leon and his father
went home, Leon promising to come
again soon, and it was sad party left at
the Hall. But Reiba was the one who
talked about bright things; it was Reiba
who read to the Earl, and who opened
The grand piano and played and sang un-
til kathie was calmer than for months
before, and the Earl felt happier and bet
ter reconciled to the coming marriage.
IF L can keep Reiba with me-" he
thought, II shall not mind so much"
Poor girl he could not know that to
stay at the Hall and know that she was
the rlghtful owner, yet never say a word,
would soon have killed the cottage maid.
She was capable of great sacrifice, but
could not live in its presence and make
no sign. She must leave as soon as Kate
was happily married.
Day by day the Earl saw his daughter
| grow more languid pale and morbid, and
he knew that Reiba had spoken truly,
and that to keep her from the man she
| loved would kill her. At last the day
came when Phillip was expected. The
Earl had taken the carriage under pre-
text of going for drive and gone to the
| train to meet him.
! Kathie lay on the sofa in the drawing
room while Reiba sat near reading to her.
| The autumn sun shone through the
| window, warm and bright, touching the
dark silken head caressingly and linger-
ing with greatest love on kathie's golden
locks. There was a sound of carriage
wheels. "Papa's coming" murmured
! Kathie. Reiba closed her book, walked
to the window, looked out, then left the
room, and kathie turned her face to the
wall with tired sigh. She always looked
| toward the wall in those days. All,
Kathie! happier days are coming.
There were steps in the hall now; papa
was coming to talk to her. She did not
turn her head The door opened and
the steps came into the room. Some one
bent over her; she opened her eyes.
! "Phillip'
! "Katherine!"
"Oh, my darling!" and Kathie was in
her lovers arms; his kisses on her face,
her eyes wet with happy tears.
OF course, it was all smooth after this.
There were explanations all round, and
every one was happy. Every one?
/ What of Reiba? Did she feel happy? She
| felt repaid a thousand times for her sacti-
tice, but happy she could not be. Kathie
! was so happy, and she and her father
| loved her so much she would force her
| self to be contented.
| So on Christmas Day Katherine Dray-
| ton was married to the man she loved.
attended by Leon Humphreys and
Reiba Lotion. What use to go into de-
tail concerning the wedding. Every one
knows what wedding is like. There
| were flowers, of course. There are al
ways flowers where there is love. There
were happy faces and happier hearts, and
! only Reiba knew at what a price it had
all been bought. How lovely was the
| bride; but how grandly beautiful was the
| bridesmaid. Her beauty and grace were
a nine-days' wonder with the fashion and
wealth gathered there. On this night
| Leon felt he almost loved her: but he
shook the feeling off and in three days
was away on his Wanderlngs. But 90
! where he would he never forgot the
| beautiful woman who bade him good
bye with such a despairing face, and such
sorrow in her voice.
And now Reiba was going. In vain
Kathie wept and begged. In vain the
old Earl pleaded. She was firm. She
would ever remember their goodness
with gratitude, but could not be content
to live dependent on their bounty. And
while the Earl grieved to part with her,
he could not but admire her more for her
independence. So, in the first days of
! January, Reiba started for the New
| World. leaving behind her all this life
contained for her. She took with her the
! little tin box.
| Away over the ocean went Reiba, leav-
/ ing all behind her. Name, home, wealth
| and friends, all were sacrificed to her
/ love for Kathie. She must forever remain
unknown, save for her goodness; forever
remain poor, save what she earned by
| hard toll. Well. she must bear 1t, and
not complain, since it had all been done
of her own free win and because she
thought it her duty.
On board the ship which carried Reiba
away were passengers Of all descriptions
and ages. There were young men and
o!d men and boys. There were young
ladies, old ladies, girls and babies. There
were rough seamen and polished gentle
men. Ladies with titles, and serving
women. But one and all bowed down to
| Reiba's beauty and sweetness. and many
were the compassionate glances and sym
| pathetic remarks which her sad face occa-
| stoned. The sympathy was never ex-
pressed to Reiba, for there was something
| about her which said: sympathy 1 do
| not need. l am alone because l desire
| to be-"
! Among the passengers were an old
couple from Yankee land who had been
! to England with their only child, a son,
and left him behind in a consumptive's
grave. They grew to love Reiba as their
| own, and her heart went out to them, for
she knew and could understand their
| loneliness.
Half the journey was over, when a
squall came up. The night grew darker
and darker, the wind roared, the lurid
! lightning painted the sky with fire; the
waters seethed and moaned as if in
agony, and the good ship was tossed
| about like q feather in hurricane.
| ''She leaks!" cried the seamen in ter
ror, and there was the sound OF human
cries, the hoarse shouting of the officers
! in command, the roaring waters and
! pealing thunder, all combining to make
! night hideous.
! Through it all Ruba went about speak
| ing words OF comfort, and many a poor
/ mothers heart was cheered by her
| bright words of the home beyond,
| where sorrow nor storms never come.n
AS for herself she may be pardoned for
| thinking for moment of all her sorrows,
and rejoicing that they would soon be
over. But she put the thought from her
with horror, and waited and prayed in
/ patience. 1t was soon found that the ship
could not be saved, and the boats were
| lowered and all made ready to leave the
| sinking vessel.
| Reiba would gladly have yielded her
| place to some one with home and dear
ones, but she found herself being carried
along with the human tide, and before
I she could demonstrate was lowered into
| the boat.