The Land Claim — page 117: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

READY FOR THE SACRIFICE. 113 CHAPTER XV. THE LOST FOUND. Tue appearance of Mrs. Wyman’s parlor betoKened prepa- rations fur a journey. Since Mr. Mauvais’ return from St. Louis, these preparations had been very active, and now they had come to a conclusion. Trunks were strapped and labeled, shawls laid ready, and all the little paraphernalia of travel put in order for immediate departure when the steam-whistle should announce that the packet was at the landing on the next morning. Alicia's few friends had bidden her farewell, and the orphan girl, clad in mourning- weeds, sat gazing at the mild October moon through the open window. She was taking her last leave, in her thoughts, of scenes and a country where she had suffered and grieved so much—more than she could ever suffer or grieve again, for grief seemed to her to have lost its sting, and pain of heart was now only a dull echo to which she was accustomed. Since her father’s funeral, the bitterness of grief had passed away, and was succeeded by a sorrow so serene that it had no occasion even for tears. “I feel that I am reconciled with my father,” she often said to Mrs. Wyman, who wanted to see her less composed at times; “ because,” she said, “it was not - natural for a young person to hide her feelings.” On this last evening she had shrunk from conversing even with her kind friend, who, finding how silent and sad she was, had finally left her to herself, us Alicia .evidently desired. Per- haps she was thinking of one who had not yet taken leave of her—thinking of him, and wondering if he would forget to say farewell. He had not forgotten—he was only waiting to be the last. t “ Alicia [” -~ “Oh, is that you, Frederick? I am so glad you have come [” “Did you fear I had forgotten you, my love? I was wait- ing for you to be alone. Do you realize how hard it would be for me not to see you this one time more alone ?” comicbooks.conmn