The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-07-04

gram. sent TO the nearest town. could
reach them. The motionless figures.
from which. alas came no longer any
sigh or sound of grief. because the spirit
had already rent its prison-house and de-
parted, were one by one transported 10
the unframed coaches, followed by the
woundei, who were anxious 10 be sent TO.
friends or families, ind then the train
started.
Five minutes after its departure Miss
Montmorenci discovered the figure Of a
man lying in the grass. He had evidently
crawled away from the scene of the disas-
ter, and had tainted from his hurt and ex-
haustioD. A broken leg, a fractured arm.
and how many other internal injuries the
surgeon could hardly determine.
Sending on In order to have the duenna
prepared for his reception, Miss Montmo-
renci gave orders to have the unconscious
figure carried 10 the house. Slowly, and
with the light of a few torches. the little
procession moved OF.
The report of the surgeon, after the
broken limbs had been attended 10. was
somewhat more hopeful than had been
anticipated. The man had recovered con-
seriousness while his hurts were undergo
ing treatment. and had declared himself
uninjured. save for the broken limbs. An
opiate had been administered, and he was
now sleeping. Miss Montmorenci might
retire with the conviction that all had
been done that the necessities of the case
demanded, or that medical skill had judged
expedient.
Miss Montmorenci, however, seemed
restless, and unable TO profit by the adj
vice of the good physician. She did not
retire, and she did pace the long piazza
back and forth long after every other eye
was closed in slumber. Something seemed
to have disturbed the usual calm placidIty
of her nature. Her manner was abrupt.
and there was a nervousness about her
step that had seemed quite foreign 10 her
temperament. Whether she slept at all
that night or not, she qsitted her room
at an unusually early hour the next morn
ing, and sent the duenna the first thing 10
inquire how the sick man had passed the
night.
Thorpe and Masterson. who had c0nsti-
tuted what they were please TO term the
hospital corps of the previous night, gave
rather adiscouraging report. The patient
had been restless, and there was an APP
pearance of fever which BODIED no good.
The doctor came again and applied his
remedies. shook his wise head. looked a.
if he might say good deal if he chose,
but only recommended careful nursing.
and promised TO come again in the even
ing.
And so for several days the tide OF gay
ETY. received check at the thought OF the
suffering brought so near. but in the pro-
gress of events the tender care OF which
he was the recipient, combined with
the strength Of an excellent constitu-
ton, brought the patient around 10
that point from whence a recovery
might with safety be predicted. though
the fever had left him miserably
weak. Through his days and nights
Of semi-consciousness. he had seemed
to have had strange dreams Of pale face
bending over him. of soft gray eyes look
ing their sympathy from beneath a cloud
of bright blonde hair, Of cool hand lain
upon his throbbing brow. Whether
these visions were the outcroppings Of a
fevered imagination, or whether a real
presence had glided in and lowered about
his sick bed. he could not tell; all was
uncertain and vague. but that the recol-
lection of these things had made great
impression upon him was evident from the
way he brooded over them. turning them
over and over in his mind. trying vainly
TO reconstruct, out OF his own broken fan
cies. the beautiful apparition which had
troubled his dreams.
When at length he was able TO rise from
his bed. and, with the assistance Of crnrch
and the aid Of friendly arm, could get out
upon the piazza he became the center Of
attraction. holding a caily sort OF recep-
ton. at which All the guests of the house
assisted, from Mrs. Dunston, who was In
haste TO inaugurate a fresh Irritation.
down to Thorpe, who began TO study the
face of the convalescent In every possible
light, with a view TO prospective sittings
when he should have commenced the
great historical piece which was tbei
seething in his brain.
Mr.. Layton. for that was the strangers
name, was admirably fitted for playing
the part Of Grand Lama 10 this little crowd
OF admiring worshipers. having been en-
dowed by nature with knightly bearing,
ard an exterior Of more than ordinary al
Effectiveness. He had. ii appeared. been
great traveller. For years he had not set
foot on his native soil. India. China. ia
pan were to him familiar regions; Eng
land, France, Italy-he knew them all
better than ke comprehended the astonish-
ing Changes that had taken place In the
Great Republic since he became a van
derer.
Nobody noticed that Miss Montmofenci
was invariably absent from these little
gatherings, but so il was. As Mr.. lay
toms recovery progressed. the mistress If
the mansion withdrew herself more and
more from her guests, yet with so much
tact that, knowing her reputation for &c
centricity, no remarks were made. no OBJ
servation ELECTED. Every one supposed
that Layton had seen his hostess scores Of
times, wheh the fact was he had not met
her-at least, not consciously-hAd not
even heard her name and had no idea To
whose hospitality ne was indebted.
And all this while the summer was pass
ing, the first frosts had come, and the
mountains were one blaze Of vivid color
ing, the like Of which not all Thorpe's at
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