Fantasy fiction; Utopian fiction; Utopias -- Fiction
"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 henceforth
know me, love me, and be my husband." Thus she spoke the truth, yet
kept the promise she had made.
CHAPTER XXIV
"Home again, at last," gleefully exclaimed Mollie, as the double drag
brought the whole party from the depot to the executive mansion.
The President and Mrs. Craft met them at the private entrance, and gave
to each a cordial welcome. Marie Colchis was received by the old people
as a beloved niece, for Mollie had, in a letter written some weeks
before to her father, partially explained the situation of Marie, whom
she wished to be called Leona Bennett.
Once in the house, the several members, excepting Mollie, went directly
to their rooms to change their traveling clothes; but she, taking
her father by the hand, asked him and her mother to give her a few
moments of their time, as she had something of importance to relate.
Once in the library, she knelt at her father's feet, and related the
whole story concerning Marie Colchis. She told of finding the letter
in Cobb's room, and of her journey to Guadalupe Island, and the rescue
of the girl; she dwelt upon all the wonderful incidents of the finding
of the cavern and its contents; and then she told him of the letter
which was found with Marie, and the relations which had existed between
Marie and Junius Cobb, years ago; that Junius was ignorant of Marie's
identity, but was in love with her, and had asked her to marry him.
The iron box which was found in the cavern, and which was now in the
trunk, was next spoken of. Finally, she admitted to her parents her
love for Lester, and his adoration of her, and asked for their consent
to their union. "And this is not all, dear papa and mamma," she said:
"Marie Colchester is Marie Hathaway, Lester's sister; I brought her
here to win the love of Junius, but it was not to be, for"--and she
hesitated--"for she is engaged to Hugh."
It was several minutes ere Mr. and Mrs. Craft could grasp the whole
situation, the revelations had come so fast and free; but, finally, the
old man took his wife's hand in his, and slowly, but with a smile of
pleasure, said: "Mamma, we were young once."
Mollie accepted the words and expression of his face as evidence that a
happy termination would end the hide-and-seek courtship of herself and
Lester; she kissed them both, and ran to communicate the good news to
her lover.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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