Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-03-23

picture before him, bubbling over as
1t was with life and mirth, gave the lie
to such a thought. The idea Of May
May, the merriest little person in the
world, lying cold and silent, was too
much for the young man who had last
seen her having wild game with a
kitten on the deck of a friends yacht,
He had dreaded that little cruise
more than he could say He had all
but asked her not to go; but from this
ne mad refrained, deeming it mere sell
fshness.
You don't mind me going, Laurie,
DO your she had asked, when the trip
mad been suggested, and with a little
pleading look in her eyes which was
irresistible, especially as he had not
yet the absolute right to give or with
hold permission. "I'll only be gone
three weeks. dear, and then-if you
still have a mind to-you may take me
and keep me forever, and forever, and
forever! A large order, Laurie! Shall
you want me for SO long, do you
think?'
ora, never a 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 rib
bon, to whisper, Mind you have the
patterns ready by the time | come
back,"
The patterns were ready, but never
more thought poor heart-broken Lau-
rie would May come back to him again.
The yacht Orchid, which was wreck
ed last night on the dangerous reef out
side Alwyn Bay, is the property Of a
Mr. Griffiths, of London. All on board
were saved except the unfortunate
whose body was washed ashore early
this morning. 1t has been identified
as that of Miss May Garden"
This was the paragraph 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 a 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 con-
seriousness 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 drop
ped it with crash. He 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 me-
chanically 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
without his being whit the wiser as
to their contents. The packet of pat
terms was the only thing that re-
mained. With another of those pitiful
laughs he ripped open the envelope.
The laugh changed into an indescriba-
Bile cry. There were no patterns in
the envelope. Instead there were three
thick sheets Of paper, each of which
had Walter Robinson G. Son, Solicit
ors, Alwyn Bay" printed upon it. The
writing was penciled scrawl-a dear,
familiar scrawl. Laurence read it on
his knees, sobbing out his thanks to
God. Three sentences and the sigma
ture will sufficiently explain:
II was brought ashore half-drowned
Mr.. Robinson, lawyer, has
kindly given us shelter Mr..
Griffiths is addressing this. I"
Your loving May"