Year: 1873

1t was O pretty piece, too, OF rare
combination of two utterly dissim-
|ilar colors. It was narrow, not
three-fourths of an inch wide, Of a
bright, light blue, with pink rose
buds dotted at regular intervals
along it. 1t was slightly mussed
on both ends, and in the centre was
two pin holes.


And that was what Archer Dele
van was caressing so fondly; the
ribbon that still bore the traces of
having been tied around Maude
lLeicester's white throat by her
dainty fingers.


He was the last person you would
have selected from a crowd to be
the man who had a romance not
that he was not handsome, for
Archer Delevan was as splendid a
specimen of mankind as a woman
could have desired; not that he
was not full Of courtly grace and
dignified bearing, fog he wore both
those charms as prince of the
blood royal might have done; but
lit was because there was a settled
gloom and shade in his brown eyes,
and a stern willfulness strongly
marked around his lips-bare lips
they were, and as perfect as Apol-
los.


There were very few people in
this world but that would have de-
c'ared Mr.. Delevan to be utterly
demented, had they seen him that
stormy wintry night, with all the
.world locked out from the warmth
and magnifcence Of his bachelor
chambers. ....


It was certainly very untoward
thing for a man like Archer Dele
van to do-a man who was as rich
almost as tabled Cresus, who had
but to ask them, to have any-per-
haps all-of his fair friends fall in
his arms, and bless him for the op-
portunity he had given them Of
being Archer Delevan's wife.


But all his wealth, style, position
and influence would have weighed
light in the scales against that tiny
throatlet Of pinl<-budded azure silk,
ard that was what he realized as he
sat beside his handicapped centre
table, with a dark, gloomy frown
intensifying in his eyes, and his
whole frame trembling from the
passion Of the kisses he poured on
hat perfumed toy.


It was not so much Of a romance
after all, the story Of that ribbon,
only inasmuch as Mr.. Delevan
nursed and cherished it.


Ten years back, when he had
been moneyless and nameless, and
altogether nobody, girl of fifteen
had ghingly given him, at his
impassioned request, this strip OF
silk, warm from her shapely throat


He had only seen twenty-five
years then, and had pleaded with
all his native eloquence for Maude
lLeicester's love; and she had been
so witchingly coy, yet not discour-
aging, as she laughingly gave him
the love-token, and assured him it
was Of far more worth than her
heart. ...


Suddenly the Leicesters vanished
from under his very eyes, and he
was left with only his never-dying
memory Of the violet-eyed beauty,
and this sole link. And tonight
Archer Delevan was yearning for
her whom he worshipped with all
his soul.


well, Maude, after a two years
siege, | have won the guerdon OF
victory. Seen


Alma Verener held up her hand,
where a cluster diamond ring
sparkled in the morning sunlight
that came streaming in the east
bay-window at Verener Villa.


A pale shadow gathered around
Maude Leicester's mouth, as she
saw the engagement ring.


And [ have been weak enough
to dream of him all these long ten
years.


There was malicious litt lie
) sparkle in Alma's blue eyes, as she
listened to the weary-worded con