Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-04-26

nluC " ClOCh tO-nlEl1 anu Will
you. But promise me first to keep away
from Mr.. Dent; give me your word not to
seek him-to avoid him if he seeks you.
Do you promise? 1t is WELL"
He would have taken her hand, but she
waved away. In another moment he heard
the swift rustic of her dress in the hall, the
sound of her feet upon the stair, the sharp
closing Of her bedroom door, and all was
quiet.
And even thus quietly the day wore
away, and the night rose slowly from the
valley and overshadowed the mountains
with purple wings that famed the still air
into a breeze, until the moon followed it
and lulled everything to rest as with the
laying on of white and benedictory hands.
1t was lovely night, but Henry Rance,
waiting impatiently beneath sycamore at
the foot OF the garden, saw no beauty in
earth or air or sky. A thousand suspi-
cions common to a jealous nature, vague
superstitution Of the spot, filled his mind
with distrust and doubt. eff this should
be trick to keep my hands off that inso-
lent pupr' he muttered, but even as the
thought passed his tongue, a white figure
slid from the shrubbery near the house,
glided along the line of the picket fence,
and then stopped, midway, motionless in
the moonlight.
1t was she. But he scarcely recognized
her in the white drapery that covered her
head, and shoulders, and breast. He ap-
preached her with hurried whisper. ''Let
us withdraw from the moonlight. Every
body can see us here
ave have nothing to say that cannot be
said in the moonlight, Henry Rance" she
replied, coldly receding from his proffered
hand. She trembled for a moment, as if
with a chill, and then suddenly turned upon
him: '.Hold up your head and let me look
at you! I've known only what men are;
let me see what a traitor looks like!'
He recoiled more from her wild face than
her words. He saw for the first that her
hollow cheeks and hollow eyes were blazing
with fever. He was no coward, but he
would have fed.
"YUu are i'll, Jenny" he said; ''you had
best return to the house. Another time"
"Stop" she cried, hoarsely; '.move from
this spot and I'll call for help, Attempt to
leave me now and I'll proclaim you the as
sassin that you areI'
at was fair fight,n he said, doggedly.
"Was it a fair fight to creep behind an
unarmed and unsuspecting man? Was it a
fair fight to try to throw suspicion on some
one else? Was it a fair fight to deceive
me? Liar and coward that you are,"
He made a Stealthy step toward her with
evil eyes, and wickeder hand that crept
within his breast. She saw the motion, but
it only stung her to newer fury.
''Strike," she said, with blazing eyes,
throwing her hands open before him.
'Strikel Are you afraid of the woman who
dares you?-or do you keep your knife for
the backs of unsuspecting men? Strikei /
tell youi No? Look, them" With sud-
den movement she tore from her head and
shoulders the thick lace shawl that con-
cealed her figure and stood before him.
''LOOkm she cried, passionately, pointing to
the bosom and shoulders of her white
dress, darkly streaked with faded stains
and ominous discoloration. "LoOk, This
is the dress wore that morning when l
found him lying ere-here-bleeding from
your cowardly knife. Look Do you see?
This is his blOod-my darling boys blood
one drop of which, dead and faded as il
is, is more precious to me than the whole
living pulse of any other man! Look l
come to you tonight christened with his
blood and dare you to strike me-dare you
to strike him again through me and mingle
my blood with his, Strike! implore you.
Strike, if you have any pity on me-for
Gods sake, Here lay this head on my
shoulder; here held him to my breast,
where never-so help me my God,-an-
other man-Ah,-'
She reeled against the fence, and some
thing that had flashed in RANGES hand
dropped at her feet; for another fash and
report rolled him over in the dust, and
across his writhing body two men strobe
and caught her ere she fell.
''She has only tainted" said Mr.. McClos-
ky. "Jinny, dear, my girl, speak to me-"
"What is this on her dress?" said Ridge
way, kneeling beside her, and lifting his
set and colorless face. At the sound of his
voice the color came family back to her
cheek; she opened her eyes and smiled.
ats only your blood, dear boy" she
said, shut look little deeper and you'll
find my own"
She put up her two yearning hands and
When Ridgeway raised his head again her
eyes were closed, but her mouth still smiled
with the memory of kiss.
They bore her to the house still breath
ing but unconscious. That night the road
W - W I'LL NllC
summoned skill of the country side for
leagues away gathered at her couch. The
wound, they said, was not essentially
dangerous, but they had grave fears of the
shock TO system that already seemed suf-
fering from some strange and unaccount-
able nervous exhaustion. The best medi-
cal skill of TuOlumne happened to be
young and observing, and waited patiently
an opportunity to account for it. He was
presently rewarded.
For toward morning she rallied and
looked feebly around. Then she beckoned
her father toward her, and whispered,
''Where is he -
"They took him away, Jimmy dear, in a
cart. He won't trouble you agin." He
stopped, for Miss Jenny had raised herself
on her elbow, and was leveling her black
brows at him. But two kicks from the
young surgeon, and a significant motion to-
ward the door, sent Mr.. McClOsky away
muttering, "Bow should l know that he
meant Ridgeway," he said apologetically,
as he went and returned with the young
gentleman. The surgeon, who was still
holding her pulse, smiled, and thought that
with-a little care-and attention-the
stimulants-might diminished
he-might leaye-the patient for some
hours, with perfect safety. He would give
further directions to Mr.. McClosky-dOwn
stairs.
1t was with great archness of manner
that half an hour later Mr.. McClosky en-
tered the room, with preparatory cough,
and it was with some disappointment that
he found Ridgeway standing quietly by
the window, and his daughter apparently
fallen into light doze. He was still more
concerned when, after Ridgeway had re-
tired, noticing a pleasant smile playing
about her lips, he said softly:
'YOu was thinking of some one, Jinny?"
"Yes, father"-the gray eyes met his
steadily-''Of poor John Ashe,"
Her recovery was swift. Nature, that
had seemed to stand jealously aioof from
her in her mental anguish, was kind to the
physical hurt of her favorite child. The
superb physique 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 mendoza
ments 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 Wing
dam coach at four o'clock in the morning,
the Rose of Tuolumne, with the dewy