Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-12-26

He had dreaded that little cruise
more than lie could say. He had
all but asked her not to go; but
from this he had refrained, deeming
it mere selfshness.
"You don't mind me going, Laurie,
do you?" she had asked, when the
trip had been suggested, and with q
little pleading look in her eyes which
was irresistible, especially as he had
not yet the absolute right to give or
withhold permission. "I'll only be
gone three weeks, dear, and then-ii
you i'll have mind to-you may
take me and keep me forever, and for.
everl A large order. Laurie! Shall
you want me for SO long, do you
think?"
Ord, never backward lover, had
answered that question by quietus
to the sweet lips which spoke it.
He had gone to see her off on board
the Orchid; and she had stopped in
the middle OF one Of her airy whirls
with the kitten and piece of scarlet
ribbon, to whisper, mind you have
the patterns ready by the time I come
back"
The patterns were ready. but never
more, thought poor heart-broken
Laurence, would May come back to
to him again.
"The yacht Orchid, which was
wrecksd last night on the dangerous
reef outside Alwyn Bay, is the prop
erty of a Mr.. Grifiths, of London.
All on board were saved except the
unfortunate, whose body was washed
ashore early .h;c morning. It has
been identified as shat of Miss May
Garden.
This was the paragl aph which had
caught the eye of Laurence Ord as he
had run over his morning paper at
breakfast. Afterward he had come
upon the first and longer account, but
this was evidently little paragraph
inserted when further information
had been received.
1t was evening now, and as the slow
hours passed young Ord began TO
writhe beneath the weight of anguish
which crushed his heart. His senses
had at first been blunted by the
shock. Now they were awakening to
full consciousness of the immeasurable
pain. He laid the miniature down
and began to walk about the room.
He moved things here and there. He
wound the clock-then his nerveless
fingers dropped it with a crash. BE
let it lie where it had fallen. He
pulled up the blind and looked up at
the starry heavens. But it was of no
comfort to him to think of May as
dwelling among their mysteries. The
sight of them did not bring tears TO
his scorching eyes, or soften one
atom the hard agony which held him
in its merciless grip. He had sort
of feeling that little May would rather
be with him. He began mechanically
to settle the things on the table, to
fold up the newspapers and open his
neglected letters. He was fighting
his pain. The letters were read with
out his being whit the wiser as to
their contents. The pocket of pat
terms was the only thing that re-
mained. With another of those pitt
full laughs he ripped open the en-
velope. The laugh changed into an
indescribable cry. u There was no pat
terms in the envelope. Instead there
were three thick sheets of note paper,
each Of which had "Walter Robinson
& Son, Solicitors, Alwyn Bay" printed
upon it. The writing was penciled
scrawl--a dear, familiar scrawl.
Laurence read it on his knees, sob.
bing out his thanks to God. Three
sentences and thessignature will suf-
ficiently explain.
"Iwas brought ashore half drowned
=, Mr.. Robinson, lawyer, ha:
kindly given us shelter. Mr.
Grifiths is addressing this
Your loving May