Year: 1871




be too much of sacrifice. l am going TO
marry Colonel St. Orme, and will permit
you to usurp my place in the affections of
my quendam lover, if you car. A heart
is most easily caught in the rebound you
know" She laughed as Rain flashed at
her an indignant glance.


II own your great wild eyes an swar-
thy skin are not in accordance with Aub>
rty's taste; but, do you know, l believe
you will make wondrously beautiful wo-
man some day."


Before the mirror in her own room Rain
thought Of Claudis's words and gazed up
on the reflection of the dark face, with
eyes and mouth too large in proportion
for the thin features, and her hair which
had been cut close, but now grown to that
ineonvenient length which would not be
confined BY braid or band, obstinately res
fused to curl, and bristled about her neck
in a shock that was only relieved from abb
solute ugliuess by its glossy CLEAN of pur
pie blueness. She was but little more
than sixteen aud her form not yet ma
tured into the .gracefulness of womanly
development, was rendered still less at
tractive by the loose fitting dress she wore.
Altogether, her survey was not productive
of satisfactory result; and with sigh
she turned away from the glass.


Itwas dusk in the early autumn, and
the wind, soughing among the crisped
leaves that clung with the tenaciiy of part
ing life TO their parent branches, sounded
indescribably melancholy in the ears ol
Rain Lamorez. She had been walking,
and now, as the twilight shadows began
TO gather, she turned her steps homeward,
quickening her pace as she thought of the
diStance she had to traverse. She had
wandered far up the mountain side; and
her path being rough and full of short
turns, her progress was not rapid, and
coon surrounding objects were growing in
visible in the deepening gloom. Gliding
herself for having tarried so long, she
hurried forward, but was suddenly cons
fronted by two men, one of whom quickly
bandaged her eyes, and each taking her
by an arm, hurried her away in a direc-
tion contrary to the one she had been
pursuing.


The attack was so sudden that she Of
fered no resistance; but now, as she be-
gan to comprehend her situation, she ut
tered cry for assistance.


Stop! None O. that" growled one Of
the men. "Td be sorry TO be obliged to
shut that purity mouth O. your'n, but We
can't allow any screechin' here"


And Rain, rejecting upen the impossi-
bility oeany person hearing her cries in
that. sequestered section, thought it best
not to irritate her captors. She specnla-
ted in vain upon the motive that had LED
to her abduction, but could come to no
satisfactory conclusion. Then she won>
dered what Claudia would think when
she failed to make her appearance; if she
would be much alarmed and send in
search of her.


The path they were traversinR grew
more smooth, aud she conjeciured they
were upon the pen highway. Soon her
captors came to halt, and after short
colloquy with third party Rain felt her.
self lifted into vehicle of some kind,
with the lew addition to their party by
her side, the other two upon the drivers
box.


Then her hands were clasped in soft,
firm ones, whose very touch thrilled her
through and through, and Aubrey Hen
bricks voice, pleading and sweet, sounded
in her cars.


Forgive me, my darling, for having
you treated thus roughly. 1. cannot live
without you, and have been forced to this
step, which cannot regret having taken.
since it is the means Of giving you to me.
Do not be angry with me. 1t is all for
love of you. -,.


A delicious sense of peaceful security
stole over Rain. Aubrey Hendricks loved
her. She did not question how this had
all come abont, She remembered nothing
of his devotion to Claudia, She only reN
allied that her love, which she had never
dared 10 call by its right name, was APP
precia,ed and returned by the man at her
side. She sank back, qniet and happy,
fearing to awake and find it all delusion
OF sleepless brain, hiS low voice sound
ing all the while like a melodiouS har-
mony.


"You are not offended, dearest Then
you do care for me. after all : l did not
dare hope for this. / feared that you
would not readily forgive me. Let me
tell you all, and throw myself upon your
mercy. Do you know where 1 am taking
you now: 10 the house Of clergyman,