Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-04-21

T You have just got rid of me
o time. My aunt died this morning
S and has left everything TO her nurs
Q and companion"
:. Then he got into the street, an
! walked along with faltering, stag
e gering step. His eyes were wild
+. his face liviily pale. People turn
: ed to look at him as he went by
} and two or three wondered wha
was sending that man to the devil
He went home and stood by thu
body OF his aunt. There was ,
single fascination about this dealt
something very wonderful and
tempting in that mysterious and
absolute rest. Suddenly he became
master of himself, of the bitterness
and despair of the moment. He
walked firmly to the door, but q
step followed him and, turning, he
saw the pale, perturbed face OF
Miss Williams. Then he remem-
bered her presence in the room,
but his madness and grief had pre-
vented him from realizing it.
"Just one word, Mr.. Erism,' :'he
said. "Of course you know that
I will not touch one penny Of this
money!
at doesn't matter now" he re-
piled. at might as well be yours
as anybody's!'
"But it is yours" she said.
ooh, as for me-" said Gerald, al
shall not want it." He walked
through the hall. Miss Williams
followed him stealthily. He enter
ed the room. but when the door
shut him in Luane remained, bag
gard and trembling, her ear glued
to the cold panel between them. A
grim silence reigned about her.
She could hear the clock tick in
the dead woman's room below. Sud-
denly she put both her hands about
the knob and opened the door.
Gerald turned quickly; there was
an ominous click the pistol fell a
little as it went off. The blood
soaked through his coat and trick
led out upon the floor. Just as
Luane was about sinking at his
feet, Gerald put out his hand to
her.
can accident, Miss Williams"
he said. Please send Adams for
the doctor, and then help me off
with my coat"
This brought Luane suddenly to
herself. She fastened to do his
bidding, dispatched Adams, and re-
again to Gerald, stanrhed
The blood with strips of the pillow
Ease from bed. When the doc
or came she held the light for him
while he probed the wound and
extracted the bullet.
"An inch or so higher" said the
ioctor. "and you would have been
buried on the same day with your
aunt"
at was lucky thing, then, that
Miss Williams had an errand to my
'oom when she did," said Gerald.
AS she opened the door my hand
ell and the pistol went Off"
"She unconsciously saved your
ife," said the doctor. Then as
4uane left the room he added.
She's the finest young woman /
know, and would make a capital
Nurse in my hospital. Do you know
What she thinks Of doing now that
'our aunt is gonel"
"No," said Gerald, with a grim
mile :"but / fancy she'll think Of
livelier than that"
"She has snch an excellent physi-
lue and splendid nerve" said the
loctor. "But / must go. Keep
s quite as you can, and have
adams within call"
That night Gerald awoke with
n intollerable thirst his temples
hrobbed, his eyes burned. Look
ng over at Adams, he found that ,
e was fast asleep. This of itself
vas offensive to Gerald. What
BUSINESS had the man to sleep when
ie was suffering! How terribly
oppressive the stiffness was, this
emi-darkness and loneliness' At
hat moment a ponderous snors
esounded from the throat of the
turdy Adams, and Gerald almost
capped from his bed. II was like
stab to him: it was uncomfortable.
lie stretched over his sound arm,