207 TOLLERS
by Gieorge, advanced to the door where the impatient verger was shaking his bunch of keys. Outside, the sun was glittering through the green foliage.
“Come,” said sit down.”
They proceeded towards a forest of young pime trees which fringed the meadov s\ httle hill, carpeted with soft moss, provided
Tertsehka, = let us go and
them with o scat, from which thev Tooked down upon the \‘illugv mn- at o themr fect Thev gazed with interest. The Titde mn
was en féle. N merry wedding party were
celebratimg their happiness before the cntrance, under a great beeeh tree, whieh spread 1ts branches almw their heads. Strams
of music, softened by the distanee, presently stole upon themr cars. Theyv saw the bridal parr advance and begin dancing upon the creensward to the music,
- How gaily they danee,” ered
Do Jook at them.”
“Yes, they are happy,” he re- plicd, dreamily. 10 only o owe could cclebrate
Tertschka,
our marriage too !”
“Oh! what are o oyou o say-
mg 2" she mur- mured, almost - maudibly : and,
stooping down, - she plucked o
red flower 1n the grass at her feet.
“Rest!” he whispered -- he called her by this name for the first time— and at the same moment he passed his arm timidly about the young girl's walst. * Resi, if yvou knew how much 1 you !’
She made no answer, but she raised her cyes and fixed them upon his. In the love light of their depths he read his happiness. [1e drew her gently o his heart, and their Jips met for the first time inone long kiss of love.
A/
WIS LD,
love e Vo
717 ROCALN. 01y [\, SINcr ] have undertaken the task of nar
rating this simple story as faithfully 511)1.,, must I desertbe to you the “dream of happmess i which our lovers hived from that day 2 I think 1t will be wise for me to pass it by i silence. What words can render the Caquisite Jovs ol a passion so pure as theirs ?
S
It 1s true that they were compelled to conceal therr happiness from all cves, trembling with fear lest it should he dis covercd, as b they had been guilty of o
crime. But in their seeret hearts their passion throve and flourished.
The Tear that the overseer should learn of them visit to Schottwernn dimimished little by lictlle 1 so much so that one day George, having gonce to that part of the quarry wher: Tertsehka was working, took the opportunity to snateh a few nunutes by her side. For a liedde while the lovers forgot their woes In a passionate cm- brace ; bhut al most at the same moment they heard the sound of rapid steps behind them. They started mstantly apart and per- ceived the over- seer, who, with an - cvil snule upon his Iips and his face purple with rage, jr . stood gazing at them.
“Ha! so | have caught vou this time, you wretched crea- tures ' he hissed forth. “'I'his 1s the Way - ovou oheyv my orders! And you think I do not see T vour httle came ! S I know swell that | FOU WG toguc- ther lnstsnnduy, but I wanted to surprise vou i the act. Veu shall pay for this.” s he spoke, he scized George by the throat, and, with o savage shake, Uirew himi with such foree upon the eround that the dust and stones flew up around him.