Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1872-10-04

One night he spoke 10 her Of Harry Des-
mond.
His wife, Il seems, ia actually cured
and they are living together in the very same
house where they commenced their married
life, 80 many years ago. lie cannot have
told her that his feelings for her had chang
ed, for | know Margaret Desmond's pride of
old"
No, he has not told her--he never will" |
Mrs. Maynadier answered, with a sweet far
away smile, which gave her friend no encour-
agement to speak the words he had half
meant TO utter.
She puzzled him not little. He rever-
enced womanhood-no man more. No man
was at once more chivalrous and more ten
der. But he had a mans theories, as said,
and he did not expect from these creatures
Of lssOme loneliness the strength, the pa.
thence, the hoping against hope, which be-
longcd to his idea Of manhood. Whether,
indeed, Mrs. Maynadier hoped at all, he
could not know. He saw no chance for even
a castle in the air, wherein her hopes could
dwell. But he beheld her sweet, serious,
solf-coutaued, helpful, apparently missing
nothing, aud he was unable to guess at the
secret Of her content.
One evening, not long after this mention
Of Desmond's life, he went to see her. 1t
was a stormy night and he anticipated sol
itary evening with her--a rare treat in these
days, when, for one cause or another, so
many sought her. A carriage stood before
the door, and he met her, IN hood and wa
ter.prooi, in the hall. His face expressed his
surprise.
II am going to Ncll," she said" roOr
little Nelly Gregg, you know. She is very
ill with typhoid fever, and there is not a soul
in this great city who really cares for her
except her lover and myself. am going to
take care of her. Her mother cannot come,
for she is herself disabled by illness"
did she send for you"
"No | only heard tonight, from her
physician, that she was sick. She has not
been in her right mind since she was taken"
h" But surely, Helen, yOu should rot go to
her. She will have a good nurse, of course ;
and these fevers are peculiarly malignant
this year. Think how many need you, aud
keep away from danger for heavens sake. y
" IL is for heavens sake am going" she
said gently, and he caught by the hall gas
light the CLEAN on her face of that strange,
sweet, far-away smile which had puzzled him
before. Ralph Henshaw loves her and
must save her for him. o God, it would be
too bitter for a woman to die who might be
happy"
He understood her better than he had done
hitherto, when he heard the keen pain in her
voice. He did not speak another word Of
remoustrance but quietly stepped into the
carriage beside her.
81 will go with you" he said, " and then
shall know where to come to ask after your
patient"
For two weeks after that he called daily
at the door where he had left Helen.
miss Gregg was worse Miss Gregg
was very low"-"there was scarcely hope
, at last, q" Miss Gregg was better, the crisis
was past, If only there should be no relapse
Mrs Maynadier had fought death for her
and saved her life"
The day these last words were said, Colo
mel Dalton met, as he was going up the steps
a man coming down whose face was kindleC
= by the light Of a great, solemn JOY to visi
BILE thanksgiving. Little Nell's lover, surely
: A strange bitterness choked Colonel Dalton
heart. Why should this man, and so man
other men, 60 forth gladly into the sunlight
. while from him must be withheld forever tn
i. desire of his soul2
The next day he was told that Mrs. May
T, nader's strength had given way at last, Dov
B. that her friend was safe, and she had bee
taken home very ill-they feared it was wit
N the same fever.
For more than three weeks he besiege
10 Helen's house in vain. No friends could i
1t admitted, he was told. Friends 1t wa
AZ nothing to the world that he had loved he
I, with all the strength of his manhood
of There came day at last when he WI
~ told that she wanted him to come up stair
4. He found her white wrath of the woms
ty he loved, lying on a low couch beside whiC
a chair waited for him. He took it. and 81
er down by her silently. She spoke first, pu
It, ting out a baud like a snow-wreath, 80 til
and pale and cold
N would not have let you come up, b.
M | knew any danger of infection there migl
at have been was over. And tOanted som
to thing Of you. | am not going to live"
mr. I" Do they-do the doctors say sol"
te NO." with that sweet, strange smil
coming like the ghost Of some lost gladne
il to the poor wasted face" no, they ha'
not said so, but read it in their looks, al
Nh better yet, feel it in my own soul. An
"a dear friend, want to sec him. Do y,
or know his address ?"
Yes, know it,"
ha " His wife must not understand why
N comes. would rather die without him th
I'd to bring on her now, at the end, the pain
gave up all the JOY Of my life to spare he