The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-09-06

they elected all needful information. -
When the prescription had been writer
the last directions given. and the doctor,
taking up his hat and gloves to 90, asked
Miss Grant if he should attend her to hei
carriage; she assented, fl lshing back &
swift, smiling glance al tie brother and
sister as she passed out, saying that she
should "come again morrow" But
the bright look died as soon rs the door
was safely closed between herself and the
two anxious faces within; and when fair.
ly out cf the house she turned anx:ously
to her comp nion.
doctor, is there any hope for that
poor hoy up stairs ?"
The physician looked very grave.
"None at all. situated as he is"
"But under different circumstances :"
"With proper food and medicine and
comfortable surroundings, he might pos
sibly get well. As it is, there is not a
shadow of hope"
"Wcll, DOCTOR my mind is made I'd.
shall have him brought to my house to-
morrow"
The old physicians lifted eyebrows ex-
pressed his astonishmcnt.
"My dear Miss Lconie, do yon realize
what it IL you are going TO do DO you
know how people will talk =
"My dear DOCTOR" retorted Miss Grant
"have you yet to learn that | don't care
what people say as long as I'm in the
right--and I'm very sure th0t I'm right
in this case. Don't you think so %
'Yes, my dear, | believe that you are. :"
"One question more. viii it iniure
your patient to be moved p
''Not if the moving is done carefully,
az your servants can do it,"
And Doctor Blair bowed himself off,
and Miss Grant went home. mentally ar
ranging the details of her plan. and pom
| drring on the strange fact that seemed
clear as dwight now that she had the
clue, the fact that Stephen Gilbert AMI
the man who saved her life were brothers.
The subtle likeness that had puzzled
her once was puzzling no longcr--and she
could see now why this young soldiers
voice and smile had such charm for her
| With it all was mingled a feeling of pain
and loss. think that, deep down in her
| heart. she had always cherished the hope
Of some day mce;irg thc man whose i'm
age was photographed on her memory by
tine events of that nevcr-to-hc- forgotten
nirht; whose tones lingcrei still in her
rs the plcasaniest she had ever heard
But death had made this hope impossible
of fulflment The girli'h dream was
over now; nn1 knecling in her own room
that right, Lronic Grant vowed, for las
sake. to do what she could for the brother
and sister he had loved while living.
1t was very early next day when Miss
| Grant made her promised call. Stephens
face lighted up like sunshine when he saw
who it wa' who entered. and extended
his hand in greeting "Gertrude had
gone ont to the bakcrshop for some bread"
he said, "hut She would be back present
entIv Would Miss Grant please help
herself TO n chair ?"
Even the slight cxrrtion of lifting him
self up in the he'd to speak to her brought
on iolent fit of coughing; and LAYING
aside all ceremony Miss Grant went to
him. raising his head as she had seen
Gertrude do, wiping his damp forehead
and his mouth with her own cobweb of "A
handkerchief. When the paroxysm was
over, he lav quiet on her arm, his eyes
closed, his lips so deathly white, that Le-
onir said to herself with throb OF fear
"He will never get well"
He opened his eyes presently, and smil-
ed mp in her face, saving softly,
''ItS like llraven-to have YOU here. +"
The words did not surprise her. With
a woman's quickness of perception she
had guessed the truth--and she only drew
hun little closer. while the tears gather
ed in her eyes like rain. lie put his
hand up to her shoulder.
II shall never get well, know that.
I'm doomed man. But there's some
thing I would like to tell you before / 90.
May n"
His eyes, so like, so like his brothers
searched her face wistfully.
MAY tel | you!"
eyes"
"MiSs Grant, love YOU"
ooh! Stephen Stephen !" And
then she bent her head and left the
sweetness of her breath on his mouth.
Looking back upon it afterward, she
was not ashamed to remember that she
had kissed him. She wronged no one
living by the act, and it comforted him.
'lf you love me you will give me one
promise" she said.
Anything"
"Then YOU must come to nv house
You and Gertrude-and stay till you get
better"
He hesitated at that, but she said:
'Dont refuse now-I have set nv
heart on it."
And what man could refuse such a
plea from the woman he loved Not
Stephen Gilbert. And 40, before night
fall that comfortleSs room in the tenant
house was 'to let," and Stephen was w.
ing on the sOftest bed in the best cham.
ber of Miss Grants house, with every
thing comfortable and nice at command.
For few days he seemed to improve
rapidly, but Doctor Blair shook his head
when Leonie spoke Of it.
eff You had watched rs many such
4 ha.