The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1873-03-27
Hugh's Vendetta.
A Story in Four Chapters.
By CHRISTIAN REID.
AUTHOR OF VALERIE AxraEEE," ''.soRTox HoUsE,
''MAHEL LEE" xrc. ETC.
c4ApTrrs mn
CHAPTER I'M.
FConcluded7

Concluded.
Mr.. Tyrrell found, indeed, that
man could not inhale mephitic al
with impunity, when he attempted t
dress at later hour of the morning
and, at still later period, to max
his way down stairs, tempted beyon,
all prudence by the thought of tina
couch in the parlor where Margare
awaited him. aN
As he descended slowly, clutchins
neryously at the balustrade, and feel
ing SO absurd that he hoped devoutl,
no servant was in ambush to spy upol
his e17atic motions, door below
opened, and Miss Churchill hersel
stepped into the hall
'Is that you, Mr.. Tyrrell?" sh'
said, turning her bright face upward
"Oh, how thoughtless I am to forge
how faint and sick you must feell"
She ran up to meet him, and insist
ed on his leaning on her.
Il should have kept Hugh for this
service" she said, laughing. 'He
would havemad an excellent support
but I serve as crutch. 1 am good
height for a .crutch, am l .not?"
"You are good for every thing" he
said, gratefully. "How kind it was
of you to bring me here!"
"Why, where else should you have
gomez" she asked. CATER all you
have suffered for Hugh, is it not very
little to bring you here and nurse you
well?"
81 hope I shall not need any nurs-
ing
"You see 1 have made elaborate
preparations, at least"
She led him into the parlor as she
spoke-that same parlor which he
had entered once before in the dusk
of the gloaming-and where broad,
low couch was wheeled before the fire,
with cushions piled on it, and books
and papers near
eff you want to read an authentic
account of your heroism, there is the
mornings Post" she said, with a
smile, as (rather against his willy she
made him lie down. ''Or shall read
it to you? Hugh says I read very
well; and 1 was taught early to mind
my commas and stops"
81 would much rather hear you
talk" he said, looking at the chair
from which she had plainly risen at
the sound of his step. 81 can't help
thinking that I am dreaming. This is
far too good to be true"
"God knows if anybody had proph-
esied it to me this time yesterday, I
should have thought that it was far
too good to be true" she said, look
ing at him with quick-rising tears
quenching the laughter in her brown
eyes. Then, before he could conceive
what she meant to do, she came and
knelt down by his couch, laying her
two soft hands over one of his.
30, Mr.. Tyrrell," she said, '1 know
that brave men rarely Ike to be prais-
ed or thanked for their noble deeds;
but I cannot keep silence. I must
1 aoiO thank you for giving Hugh
back to me; for counting your own
Life as nothing in comparison to his;
for daring danger from which any
man might well have shrunk, and for
-for-oh, for proving to everybody
that you are as brave and generous as
I always knew you werel"
Her eyes glowed, her cheeks flush
ed, her lips quivered. Nobody could
have doubted how entirely from her
heart those eager words came. Tyr
rell-who usually had enough of that
simplicity which accompanies true
courage not to like to hear his own
achievements praised-would have
been something more or less than
man i, in this instance, he had not
listened with more than pleasure. He
tried to stop her, but she would not
be stopped. The generous heart was
no niggard, and meant to utter all it
felt-for Margaret Churchill was not
a woman to do things by halves.
'Do not talk to me like this" he
said at last. 81 am not used to such
sweet fattery. You know-or you
ought to know-that I would count
any loss or suffering positive gain
which enabled me to serve you. Fate
has been kind 10 me in giving me
this opportunity. 1 alone, therefore,
am its debtor. Hence, all is said.
'No; all is not said" she answered,
impetuously. '1ndeed" smiles
brimming up into her eyes again, like
the April mood of "a child-'1 really
have not an idea when all soiU be said.
Not in long, very long while, I am
sure"
"You don't mean that you are going
to talk for very long while about
me ?" he asked, slightly dismayed.
eyes, about you-and little, per-
haps, about Hugh. Do you know,
Mr.. Tyrrell, that if I am the happiest
woman in the world this morning, it
is because I was the most wretched
yesterday morning? What should I
have done if Hugh had been brought
back to me as many another woman's
best-beloved was brought back to
her? How should ] ever have for
given myself if you had cast your life
away in the errand upon which 1 had
been selfish enough to send you?"