The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-08-04
CHAPTER XIII.

William Sears was lying upon a low
couch in his chamber, weakened by the
change which had come over him within
few hours. A table had been drawn to
his side, and upon it lay mass of papers
which he had insisted upon Janet's placing
within his reach He had been lying there
for a long time in the solitude of that
room, where during the past weeks his life
had been going SO TRANQUILITY and so slowly
out. He raised himself at length, strug-
Cling with his weakness, and took up the
manuscript. 1t was the last effort of his
genius-the tragedy which had lain SO long
unfinished. AS he read, the color came
back to his check, and the old excitability
broke through the feverish brightness of
his eyes.
He seized the pen and began to write, at
first painfully and with great effort, but
after time an unnatural strength support
ed him to give voice, for the last time, to
the wild thoughts which thrilled his soul
with their strong utterance. Never during
all those years in which his passionate
poesies had been going over the world, and
filling it with the magic of his name, had
he written with the burning eloquence
which inspired him then.
Another hour, and the beautiful work
would have stood out in its perfect COM
pleteness, but his strength began to fail,
the lamp which had blazed up with such
brillianoy flickered again, and this time
there was no power to kindle it anew. The
pen dropped from his nerveless fingers, and
he sank upon his pillows murmuring still
fragments of the glorious vision which was
upon him. He tried to rouse himself, but
in vain, then all his waning energies be-
came absorbed in one mad thought-Cath-
arine, would she never come? He should
die there alone-she would return and find
only his motionless form. A chill seemed
slowly creeping over his heart, and he
pressed his hand against it as if to keep
life in the sluggish pulses and warm them
into new vitality.
He would have called for Janet, but his
voice had left him, aud he felt himself
sinking into the lethargy from which he
should never waken. lea-H rr
1t was wonderful to see the action of his
strong will--he struggled up, clutohing at
the table for support, while the cold dew
gathered over his forehead, and his very
heart seemed rending with the mighty
effort called out,
90 Oafbariyoaf Cayba,ipa I33. u axis .I.
There was hurried step in the room be-
yond, and as even in answer to his prayer,
Catharine appeared and was kneeling at
his side. He recognized nothing more,
though he heard family her agonized ap-
peal. ailI
Williaml William p
But it was not the death pang, though
she had deemed it such, and after the re-
storing cordials which old Janet admins
tered, he sat up again and looked around,
then he recognized them all, Robert Morris
and Nellie looking sadly ON, with the ven
cradle old man lost in silent prayer.
"Catharine OH Catharine thought
] was TO die alone; but you are here-all is
well p mlvW
"They are all here, William-there is
Nellie my sister"
"Nellie, poor little Nellie p he said
dreamily, repeating the pitiful appellation
which he had always given her Of yore.
"5he knows all, William, she has saved
mol"
Saved-saved? %
Catharine paused, she could not bear to
darlen that hour by the knowledge of the
black crime of the man who was his father