The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-05-12

| Strike! Are you afraid of the woman xrho
oares you!-or de you keep your knife for
the backs OF unsuspecting menf Strikei
tell you! No? Look, then!" With a snd-
zen movement she tore from her head and
shoulders the thick lace shawl that had con
cealed her figure and stood before him
LOOK! she cried, passionately, pointing 70
the BOSOM and shoulders of her white dIess.
oarkIy streaked with faded stains and omi-
nous discoloration. "Looki This IL the
dress wore that morning when found him
| lying nere-here-bleedng from your cow
srdly knife. Look! Do you see? This is his
oiood-my darling boys blood-one drop of
which, dead and fsted as it is, is more pre-.
cious TO me than the whole living pulse of
any otner man! Look! / come to YOU to-
night christened with his blood and dare
you to strike-dare you to strike again
through me and mingle my blood with his
Strike! L impore you'll Strikei If Won have
any pity on me-for Gods sakei Strike! IN
you are man. Look! Here Law his head
on my shoulder; here held him to my
other man-AhAD
She reeled against the fence, and some
thing flashed in RANGES hand dropped AZ
her feet; for another flash and report rolled
hlm over in the dust, and across his writhing
fell.
"She has only tainted" said Mr.. Nc
Ciosky. Jenny dear, my girl, speak to
mel"
What is this on her dressgn said Ridge
way, kneeling beside her, and lifting his set
ana coIorless face. At the SC und of his
voice the color came family back to her
cheek; she opened her eyes and smiled.
It's only your blood, dear boy" she said,
own"
She put up her two yearning hands and
drew his face and lips down to her own.
When Ridgeway raised his head again her
eyes were closed, but her mouth still smiled
as with the memory of kiss.
They bore her to the house still breathing
but unconscious. That night the road was
filed with Gathering horsemen. and the
summoned skill of the country side for
leagues away gathered at her couch. The
wound, they said, was not essentially dam
gerous, but they had grave fears of the shock
10 system that already seemed suffering
rom some strange and unaccountable nerv-
GUS exhaustion. The best medical skill of
Tuolumne happened to be young and OBJ
serving, and waited patiently an opportun-
lily to account for it. He was presently re-
warded.
For toward morning she rallied and looked
feebly around. Then she beckoned her
he?"
They took him away, Jenny dear, in a
car. He won't trouble you again." He
stopped, tor Miss Jenny has raised herself
on her elbow, and was leveling her black
brows at him. But two kicks from the
young surgeon, and a significant motion
toward the door, sent Mr.. MeClosky away
muttering, How should know that 'he'
meant Ridgeway." he said apologeticslly,
| as he went and returned with the young
gentleman. Thesurgeon, who was still hold
ing her pulse. smiled, and thought that
with a-little care-and attention-the slim
ulants-might be diminished-and he
| might leave-the patient for some hours,
/ r...kac "a II
directions to Mr.. McClosky-down stairs.
1t was with great archness of manner that
half an hour later Mr.. McClosky entered the
room, with preparatory cough, and IL was
with some disappointment that he found
Ridgeway standing quietly by the window
light doze. He was still more concerned,
when, after Ridgeway had retired. noticing
pleasant smile playing about her lips, he
said softly:
"You was thinking of some one, Jinny?"
| Eyes, father"-the grey eyes met his
steadily-"of poor John ASLEEP
Her recovery was swift. Nature. that had
seemed to stand jealousy aloof from her in
mental anguish, was kind to the physical
hart of her fayorite child. The superphysi-
que which had been her charm and her trial,
now stood her in good stead. The healing
balsam of the pine, the balm of resinous
gums and the rare indictments of Sierran
attitudes touched her as it might have
touched the wounded doe. So that in two
weeks she was able to walk about, and when
at the end of the month Ridgeway returned
| from a flying visit to San Francisco and
jumped from the Wingham coach at four
o'clock in the morning, theRose of Toulumne,
| with the dewy petals of either cheek fresh as
when first uniolded to his kiss, confronted
him on the road.
With a common instinct their young feet
both climed the little hill, now sacred to
| their thought, When they reached iIs sum-
init they were both, think, little disap-
pointed. There is a fragrance in the I'm
folding of passion that escapes the perfect
flower. Jenny thought the night was not as
beautiful; Ridgeway, that the long ride had
blunted his perceptions. Bst they had the
frankness to confess it to each other, with
the rare delight of such confession and the
comparison of details which they thought
each had forgotten. And with this nd an
occasional pitying reference to the blank
period when they had not known each
other, hand in hand, they reached the house.
Il Mr.. McClosky was awaiting them impa-
tiently upon the veranda. When Miss JeD-
ny had slipped up stairs to replace a collar
that stood somewhat suspiciously awry, Mr..
McClosky drew Ridgeway solemnly aside
He held a large theater poster in one hand
and an open newspaper in the other.
II allus said," he remarked slowly, with
i the air of merely renewing a suspended
conversation, al sllus said that riding three
horses to onct wasn't exactly in her line. Ii
| would seem that 1t amt. From remarks in
this yer paper il would appear that she tried
it on at Marysville last week and broke her
| neck"
Gable communication IS reopened between
1 the West Indies and the United StaIes az
| also Central and South America.
| -.
| The Nation in an article on the defeat If