Hutchinson gazette., 1900-04-05
CHAPTER V.

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Solent towards Ryde Pier,
The green verdure Of budding sum
mer lay thlckly on the far-stretching
landscape and the toll trees dotted
through the island town, rising 80 pic
turesquely upward from the sea, ana
capped by the lofty spire OF the parish
church.
The long promenade pier was gay
with holiday makers, and eastward
the esplanade was bright with patches
OF spring flowers; while the soft mel
ody of a brass band iloated ftfully out
over the azure sea,
There were two travellers on board
the steamer who regarded the fair
scene before them with enraptured
eyes, for they were bride and BRIDE
groom on their wedding tour-Roddy
and Diana Gordon-and the verlest
desert must have seemed n paradise to
them in the all-satlsfylng happiness
which union had brought to both. But
the fashionable Ryde was not to be
their destination.
Their young love as yet demanded
the charm of solace of solitude, and 1t
was southwark, towards the great blum
white cliffs and the silver strands OF
Shanklin the island train was soon
swiftly bearing them, to the rose-cov-
cred cottage which was to hold for
them the first mystic name Of home.
Home! What tallsman lay in that
simple world And as the young SOL
dier led his happy bride across the
threshold his heart swelled with graft
tude to the God who had shielded him
through perlls Of pain and bitter
bloodshed in far India to bring him
to this haven Of peace and perfect love
at last.
And presently, as they fingered over
iinner reluctant to bring to an end
that first delicious repast shared In
their Eden together, they spoke Of Don
over whose welfare they yearned with
all the tender sympathy born Of their
own happiness and large-hearted love,
Roddy had brought round his des-
Bert plate and sat down by Dlana's
side ostenslbly to invite her to peel
his walnuts, a task Of which Roddy
himself had no aptitude; but another
diversion occurred by the arrival Of the
post, the last mail for the night.
One letter was from Don, which had
been posted to Gadie Ha and now
forwarded by Roddy's father. And as
Roddy tore 1t open and scanned its
contents an exclamation Of pleasure
passed his lips.
There, little wife, didn't | predict
this?" he said triumphantly. And
forthwith he read aloud q few hasty
lines Don had ponned to Roddy on the
night of his betrothOl to Lille Der
went, previous to his departure for the
camp of the Tirah force.
1t was wonderfully bright letter for
Don, full Of congratulatlon on Roddy's
forthcoming marriage and calm salts
faction in his own engagement; and 1t
ended with a postscript that stirred
both Di and Roddy to the heart.
II begin to think, old fellow per-
haps you are right, and life Is worth
living after ALL"
Happy tears had sprung to Diana's
dark eyes, and, seeing them, Roddy's
arm stole round her waist, and he drew
her head to his shoulder and lightly
touched its auburn locks with his lips.
"You are satisfied now, little woman,
that Lille has met her real hero at
last?"
She looked up in his laughing eyes
with a tender smile, for she knew he
was thinking OF time when she be-
lieved Lille to be his own only love,
and she answered with contrite sweet
ness:
"Ah, Roddy, how good God is, II we
would only trust Him to shape our
lives as He knows best!"
The silence of deep content fell
upon them, and by and by they strolled
out to where the great chalk cliffs
rose in dazzling whiteness up from the
sea into the blue sky, over which the
sllvery stars Of night were coming out
one by one, twinkling like tiny globes
OF fire.
Behind them reared the rugged
stretch OF undercllff, down the wooded
preclpice of which the murmurlng
stream meandered from village to
shore, and by whose side ran a series
Of gigantic steps-a mighty precipice
that savored almost Of Alpine sub
Unity.
The lovers-for they were lovers
still--stood hand-ln-hand and drank
in the beauty Of 1t all with that rapture
which only comes when viewing some
scene in the presence Of one we love.
Even Gadie, lovely Gadie, with its
silvery, shining waters was forgotten.
They were here together, and 1t was
the paradise Of the world
Yet ever and anon, as they gazed out
on the deep ocean, the thoughts of
each would turn to Don; and once
Diana spoke, with wlstful little break
in her voice.