A. D. 2000 by Alvarado M. Fuller
CHAPTER XXIII
It was the 11th of February, warm and bright, in that delightfulclimate of California. In the handsome residence of Mrs. Morse, onCalifornia street, reclining in a large arm-chair, sat Marie Colchis.A book lay upon the floor, where it had fallen from her hand, and shelay among the cushions with a far-away, dreamy expression in her eyes.Nearly five weeks had elapsed since she left the Island of Guadalupeand came with her two friends to San Francisco.
Care and attention and the best of nursing had saved the girl from thefever which first threatened to make her recovery slow and uncertain.She had regained her health, her flesh and beauty; her skin wasexceeding fair, but the whiteness was set off by the rich red of hercheeks and lips.
Recovered from death, among friends who loved her, and expecting everymoment the arrival of the one of all men whom she had ever loved, whomshe adored now, she lay dreaming of the time when she should be claspedin his arms.
Marie had been informed of everything concerning Junius Cobb. Sheknew of his apparent infatuation with Mollie, and of his subsequentdisinclination for the society of either her or Marie Hathaway. Molliehad told her of the time when he had called her by name in such wordsof love and endearment, and Marie believed that his heart was hers yet.She was informed of his journey to the pole, of his safe arrival there,and knew that he was expected in San Francisco at any moment.
"Oh that the time would soon come!" she had cried in her heart manytimes. "Will he know me? Will he still love me?" she had asked herself;"and then, if not, I shall die!" she would murmur sadly, while thebeautiful eyes would fill with tears.
"They are coming, Marie! They are coming!" screamed Mollie, rushinginto the room. "They are at the door!"
Marie started from her chair, gasped, and pressed her hand to herheart. He was at the door! he whom she loved, and from whom she hadbeen separated for over a hundred years!
"Remember, Marie, your promise; you are Leona Bennett;" and with thisparting instruction, Mollie shot to the door just in time to be claspedin the arms of Lester Hathaway, who was leading the way for Cobb.Hugh had stopped in the hall, hugging the plump little form of MarieHathaway.
A moment later Mollie led Cobb toward Marie, who was standing by thewindow at the side of the room.
"Leona, this is our friend, Mr. Cobb, of whom you have heard us speak.Junius, my cousin, Leona Bennett."
Mollie smiled slyly, and gave Marie a knowing look.
Cobb bowed low, and then, looking up, hesitated as if lost inadmiration of the beautiful face before him. Ere a word could be spokenby either, Lester and Hugh were brought forward and presented.
"You must have thought me rude, Miss Bennett," said Cobb, a littlelater, as he and Marie sat near each other, "not to have expressed thepleasure which I could not but feel at meeting one so beautiful asyourself."
"I, equally, was unable to more than acknowledge the introduction; foryou know the others were upon us, and we had no time," and she smiledcharmingly upon him, while her eyes seemed to have a longing, cravingexpression. "You have had a most remarkable experience in life, Mr.Cobb," she added, after a pause.
"Yes," sadly. "And many times I have wished my fate had ordained itotherwise; but now, Miss Bennett, it would be ungallant, and," with asearching look, "untrue, to say that I do, for I have met you."
"Ah, you are like all men, ever ready with a compliment."
"But it seems as if I was drawn to you by some power I cannot express,"he continued, looking deep into her eyes.
"Do I remind you of some old friend, some old love?" she banteringlyasked, though it was easy to perceive that she longed for anaffirmative reply.
"That is just what puzzles me, Miss Bennett. It seems as if your facewas familiar, and yet I could never have met you before."
"Are you sure?" She looked up with one of those expressions ofchildhood days when she had clung to him and begged him to come againto her in Duke's Lane.
His eyes scanned her; his thoughts traveled back many years. "How likeMarie Colchis was that expression," he said to himself; yet he gave noutterance to his thoughts.
"She was dead, dead long years ago!" Then, aloud, he slowly said: "Yes;I am sure."
"Then, how can you account for the power of attraction which draws youto me?" she persisted.
"I know not its cause," he smilingly returned, "unless it be thatperhaps all men are similarly attracted. I am but mortal, Miss Bennett,and consequently cannot resist the loadstone of so much grace andloveliness."
Thus they met, and thus they talked. He knew her not, nor did shereveal her identity. She wished to test the man she loved; and why? Aska woman!
Two weeks passed, and still they all remained in San Francisco; but thenext day was to see them on their way to Washington; the President hadsent an imperative summons for all to join him at once.
Junius Cobb had seen Marie every one of these days; had walked anddriven and been her escort everywhere. In fact, he had been by herside during every moment that propriety would allow. A new life seemedopened to him; he laughed and chatted like the gayest; he was witty andbright, and the old expression of sorrow had vanished from his face.
He seemed to live in her smiles, to be supremely happy in her presence.He was in love; this time he knew it. Did he ever think of little MarieColchis? Yes, often and often, and the divinity he now worshiped seemedto him as if risen from the soul of her, and that in loving the formerhe still maintained his allegiance to the latter. Leona, to him, washis old love Marie. He could not explain the semblance, yet he saw thatit existed. He loved Leona Bennett; he thought of Marie Colchis.
Sitting by her side that evening, in the small, cozy library, whitherhe had gently led her, and whither she had gladly, willingly gone, hequietly said, "Miss Bennett, you return to Washington to-morrow?"
Turning her large blue eyes upon him, she asked, "And do you not go,too, Mr. Cobb?"
"It all depends," he answered, nervously.
"Why, I thought it was all settled. Mollie told me that you were to go.Have you changed your mind, Mr. Cobb?"
"I dislike to return to Washington," he continued, not heeding herquestion, "unless I can do so with a lighter heart than I took awaywith me when I left."
"You ought to go there with the greatest pleasure. Your name is famousthroughout the world," and she looked proudly upon him; proud of theman she loved.
"But fame is not all that man craves," he returned.
"What more can man desire than a name great to the world; a namehonored, respected and loved?" Her eyes had dropped, while his werefastened upon her with love intense.
"Love." He whispered the word lowly and sweetly in her ear as he bentover her drooping form.
Raising her eyes, now full of all that deep love of her aching, patientheart, she met his ardent gaze.
"And can you not have that?" she asked, in tones so low as to be almostinaudible.
"Miss Bennett," he sadly returned, "mine is a peculiar position. Listenbut a moment, and let me tell you my history."
Junius Cobb then narrated his meeting with Marie Colchis; how he hadloved her, but as a child; how he had promised to be her husband, andhow he had forsaken her to gratify his ambition. He told her how thislove of his little Marie had come to him in all its intensity sincehis return to life, yet he knew that she was lost to him forever. Heinformed her of his supposed love for Mollie Craft, and of his suddendiscovery that his heart could never be given to her. He related thevision he had wherein Marie had been led to him by an angel. And duringall this recital his listener had sat, with tears in her eyes, but aholy feeling of adoration for the man who had remembered her with suchlove. It was only by a supreme effort that she refrained from declaringherself and falling into the arms of this noble man.
"Miss Bennett--Leona," gently and slowly; "since my eyes have beheldyou, I have seen but one form, have known but one name--Marie Colchis.Yours is the face, the voice, the grace and loveliness that would havebeen hers at your age. It seems that in y
As he spoke the words, Marie's overflowing heart gave vent to itsfullness in a deep sob.
"I know, Leona," proceeded Cobb, as he noticed her agitation, "thatyou feel sad at the recital of my story; your great heart--herheart--responds in sympathy to the sufferings of others. I feel thatthe vision of her coming has been realized; that though departed fromthis earth and among the angels in heaven, she has sent her soul,her form, her mortal being, back again to earth that I might meet myjust reward--life or death. Marie Colchis--for by that name are youhenceforth in my heart--I love you, I adore you. Is it to be life ordeath?"
Amid the sobs which came from her heart, she asked: "And will I alwaysbe Marie Colchis to you, Junius? Will you always bear me the love youprofess for that other?"
"Yes; a thousand times yes," he cried, as he arose and took her handin his. "As my life, will I love you; as my life do I now adore you. OMarie, my darling, my own. Will you give me life? Can you love me inreturn, for her sake?" pleadingly, as he gently turned the beautifulface toward him and looked into her tear-bedimmed eyes.
Her heart was overflowing; the flood-gates of her love, so long closedand barred, were about to break asunder; her soul had passed out intohis keeping. With a passionate cry, she threw her arms about him, andwept tears of joy. Gently he drew her closer to him, and kissed herlips; kissed away the tear-drops in her eyes.
"You love me, my own, my darling!" he cried. "Tell me that you do."
"O Junius; as I love my God!" Again the tears of joy and happinessflowed fast and furious from her eyes.
"And you reproach me not that I see in you my former love?"
"No. No more is my name Leona Bennett. To you, my own, my noble heart,it shall ever be Marie Colchis. By that name alone shall you henceforthknow me, love me, and be my husband." Thus she spoke the truth, yetkept the promise she had made.