Zathoe

[Norristown Herald.] [t'i i vay spirited sort of a name, and ¦DggetM dancing blai-k eyes, sun-l unit cheeks, j.-tiy curtí, elierry lis and brown unjeweled fingers. Well, in y old housekeeper's granddaughter, ,'ivtty Zithoe L,ynn, possessed Ihera all. And kIir wus iw-VKiiteen, tliat sumiuer; I, tweuly-one. For two montbj and single lay I had heen theenvied posses8or of "Hiizelcroft." She had grown up with the other wild lluwers on the place, herself tlie wilde-tt llower of them all. One reiiieniberei] August nioriiing slie tole nto the library with a "lorlous ninoh ot water-lilies. ¦' Tlicy're tor you, Mr. Kupert," she aid, offf rin? them shyly. I patled tbe shapi-ly brown band cxended. "Thanks. little Zithoe. They are a rettv parting giÏL1 Her black eyes were (ixed apon the arprt. " You are K"i"g Rwax, then?" " Yes, tu Kurope." " Uut you will come back?" " Not tor three lonsi yenrs, it least. I 11 lift see tlie world, Zithoe. And now, oodbye! I shall not see you agaiu before taitinsr." Slic lookcd up then, her eyes 8eeniin; wocoals of lire. I wondered liow I had lever imticed how be:iiititu! tbey werc. " You'll be man ed and itettled long beore I leturu," 1 ailded, icu-inyly. SIkj ently luid tha lilie Jowo. "Gooubye, Mr. Kupart, I sliall not (ort;et you !" And in nnotber iDttautlbe hailescaped roin the room like a trihtened bird. My resolve to travel had been a audile ne, but by eleven o'clock I was reiuly to to. The day was perfect, so I decided to walk icross the tlelds to JliicleroH staion. The distance was scaroely a mile. Wlien just half wny and passing tbrough narrow lane, I suddeuly hean) a inoaii. 'hen carne soine uuexpecttd Impawloned words: - "O, Mr. Uupcrt! My dcar Mr. Hupvrt! '11 never see hhn again!" I lookcd :i round, but there was doodc u sight. Then I glanced over the low ledge. There, on the ground, with her iead pillowed on a mossy stunip, luy littlu ttboe hynn. I was at her side in a nioment, but so ntense was her grief, she bad not lieard IV approach. Then I knelt down and spoke her ame. 8he sprnng pp in bewildennent, but I rew her to me. "You are sorry tliat I ani going, Zahoe?" " Yes." There was i world of uorrow in tbat utspoken word. I took her tear-stained face between my lands. " Zuthoe Lynn, look at me ; it is true- u n you care for mei" She itriigKÏeti front my grasp. " I hate iyself ! Oh, Mr. Uupert! I never ïneant lat roa .-hould know !" "But lam glad- very glad," I answered, kludly. " Ie is sweet lo know mt you wlll miss me wlien far away. I m, as you have beard, an orphan. All ïy lite, iinlil now, I have been unloved. have never even bada sweetheart. You tal] bfl my lirst and only one." She crept back to my anus with the onlide;ice of a child, and I ginoothed her Hthp cnils and klssed her red lipn. How irettv and innocent she wan! ' Zathoe," I wblwpered, " are you suro iat you love me?" She passlonately llung her plomp aruis around tuy Deck, tor anacer. It was lier first pure caress. Then we sat down on a fullea log together, aad I clasped her hot brown liuKers. ' How woulii yon llke to attend school durlng my absence?" I asked presently. lier tear-stai ned face brightened. "I would love books, Mr. KupeTt ! And I would study hard!" That is well. Now listen, 7. ithoe. Tliree years from thls day, If you gtill love me, you shall bc my wile. Hm the mistress of Hazelcroft must be rultured and retined. l'roiuise tliat you will try to bccome all Í cbuld desire." "I promlse," she saiil, sitnply. "Remeinber," 1 added, ar parti, "you arestill as tree ns the air you breathe. Kut ynu will think of me Boltietimes V' " Always, Mr. Kupert," she corrected. " Then kias me good-bye. " Her trembling lips just touchod my cheek. I returned it three-fold, and put lier from me. Then I hurried tway, without once looking back. Hut my love for Zathoe Lynn began, that day. We dld not meet agaiii lor four long yearg. But I often heard from my little prbttfeeè. Her letters lili my desk to-day, u swect recordoftheKrariu.il unfoldhsg of her lieart and mimi. Old Mr. Lynn died, soon alter my dcpaTture, and then, at my carnest requcst, Zathoe entcrcd a niugliboriiif,' neniiiiarv. .Nobly did she keep her promisc, gratiuutinj; witli hotior ut the eouipletlon of lin tliree years' ourse. I wonl.l HaW ie turned to her Ihen, bul she woul, not per ruit it. 'flive me another year," slic wrote. "1 want to bc pcilection in yoiir sij;lit." And .so I yielded. lint Blie ent me her portrait. uti wli;it. face it was! Her (lurk, licli bHiily had grown glorioua. 'i'he picture reaclie.d me w.bile in l,ondön. I w;i1keil thé atreéta all tbat night, for I was too fetWfegg to sleep. I wanred' to go to her at once. Hut she had tak! n o Dutinu the last year of waiting I began to think that It was I who would prove the unworthy mie. Zathoe would linil nc wiinting. It was indeed a foreshad)ving of the bitter trutb. But at lengtb lier last, loving letter alled me home. I had begged that she would meet me at the Haelcrolt. So wlth Marjrarct Liynn, a widowed cousin, she went down and reonened the old hon.-e which had once sheltered us both. It was liark when I reaehed ir.. I hlf '.iucied she would be waiting for me at he gate. I forjjot thit she was no lonyi-ilic passioimte ehil.l 1 h:ul left weoping b.v th( liwifje. l'he low wlndows weie all open, and I leercd tuto the room. It Mail bul Ol'iu K.-cupant, a ta!l, statelv woman. She tnod by the table, her ga.e tixil upon n ar of water lilies. (t whs Zathoe Lynn. I en te red soltly nul stiKxi before her. I conhl tiaine but wo wordg: - " My d.irling!" She drew back, in-tiuctively. Biii leiustrmig eyes Rhone like stars. " You are Hupert Hazelcroft? 1 cauftht her white, unjeweled hand. t lay cold and ptill in my trrasp. 1 would have kissed her brow, her cheek, her Hos - but 1 dared not. ' Zathoe t" I eried pasaiouately. "Have you no welcome for me ?'' Her eye9 were reading my face. " You have changed," she said, sadlv. ¦I - was not - preDared for It. But I can say - welcome back to Hazelcroft." Her courteous tone lacked the truc ove ring, but I went closer. "Zithoe, do you rememberour partiug our years ago? you loved me then - today, I love you. We have both cbanged." She trembled at my touch. "Ton teem like u steun gert" she exclaimed bitterly. Then, wlth something of her old impetuosity, she drew from her bosom a tiny locket. It was one I had sent her soon after leaving Hazelcroft, and it held my picture. Liook, she continued, a great sol) m lier voice. Tliis is the face I have loveil 80 long - tliat I .-liall Love uiltil I die! Rlipert Hnzelcroft, you huve not brouulit t back to me!" " Tlmt was au iniios.-ibility, Zitlioe," I auswered gravely. " I was a boy tlien - to ilay, I .- 1 1 1 1 ii nntii. And your face is cliaiiKud, ulso, yet 1 love you the more for it. Ziitlioc, accept uie ii s I mu. Hut teil me - is my furiner felf niy only rival?" "Yes,"' she breiithéd, lather than spoke. "Then I III win you over apiln," I ïuid, refoliitely. Zal hoe Jjymi, yon Mmll yat bc my wifu! Until tlwii, you are M tree as yuu have ever been." luid lier hand in mine, Impulslvelv. It was himiinghnt. "Hupert Hnzi'lcroft," slic crid, " 1 will not aerept the frècdom you offer. Your gcnerosity hal made me all that I am today. I belontc to you alone. I cannot love you now, but that, too, may eotne in linie." I took from it velvet case a costly diamond ring. " This was to have been the tokcn of uur betlirothal, ' I sakl. Znthnc. win yim wear it f.r my sike?- lor Uie SHke of the world-hanlened min vh woiild (flndlv be :i boy again If hccould f" She looked up tearl'ully, na 1 placed it on her liuger. " I shall wear it slways In remembrance ol'this hour," she niuruiured. For nioinents I CMtletdy paced the old familiar room. The otean no Longer rolled between, but time had p.irted us quite a effecttiallv. I rl :in-f( I at Zilhoe. How lovelv nd Iovable she Beemed. And she was mine - she had siid it. The thiiiiL'ht was renssurlng. "Hing to me," I bejrged, at last. Without a word she glided to the open piano, and joon a tender love-soiif; lilled the room Her whole coul as In it. She went on from one to another, uncouscioasly. She seemed to havo forgolteu tny presence. The glory of her voice kept me spellbound. When she had flnished, at last, her head dropped upon her hands. I bent over nnd rcvcrently ki-sccl her forehead. She gpnuig to her feet. 't'orgive me! Music is niy me.it and drink! I love it next to Heaven !'' " Then I can only hope for ¦ thinl place in your afl'ections," I said pointiilly. 8he did not reply, and we pawed over to the veranda, her hand just touching my arm. The t-ilvery nioonlight was over everythinjr, and Zathoe glanced about her ppreciatlvely. " Hnzelcroft is a beautiful place,1' she said, at last. " I have loveil it from childhood." " Then wh v not become its mistress, tomorrow," I asked eaf(erly. Kut lie shook her head. " To-morrow I am goingaway wlth Cousin Margaret. lier home is in lioston." " 1 wlll follow you there," I continued, luildly. "You shall not. escape, Zathoe Lynn. I love you more than Hfe itself! Promise that you will try to love me a little In return." "Ihave begun to try already," she angwered nalvely. "Tlien, at onr nest meeting-, I can hope for a different welcome?" " Yes." I drew her beautiful face to mino, and covered it with ])assionate kis9es. ¦. We were married.the following winter. For ten happy ycars, Zuth')jlia9 been iny cherislipd wife, and 1 liave every reastm to beUéVe that Iba has lon lovei' me, lar better tlmu.'she ever did the boyisb face in the hicket.