"It matters not where I have been, since it is evident you were glad to believe me dead. But I will tell you why I am here, Jewel!" and she drew from beneath her long, black water-proof a worn newspaper, and held it out to Jewel. "You have read this paragraph, of course?" she said. "Tell me what it means, or I shall go mad!"
The dark eyes glanced at the short paragraph, the red lips parted in a malicious smile, and Jewel said, airily:
"It means what it says, of course."
She saw the slight, graceful form shiver with emotion, the blue eyes dilate widely.
"Oh, Jewel!" gasped the girl, pleadingly. "This Laurie Meredith—who is he?"
Jewel gave utterance to a low, mocking laugh, and answered:
"Not the dead alive, certainly; for although you have come back from your supposed grave, your old lover has not. I could keep you in suspense awhile, but I see you are not able to bear it, so I will tell you at once that this man whom I am so soon to marry is a cousin of your Laurie Meredith."
"A cousin!" Flower faltered, disappointedly, plainly betraying the wild hope that had lurked in her heart, and causing Jewel to exclaim sharply:
"Why, of course! You could not suppose it was the same man after you read his death in the paper."
"I—I—thought—hoped, it might be a mistake—that it was some one else who was dead—not my husband! Oh, I can not tell what I hoped when I saw that dear name in the paper again!" wailed Flower; and unable to stand longer, she sunk upon the velvet couch, and sobbed heart-brokenly.