Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-10-27

and confusion. He look ed at Esther "W.
should gain by walking, think, Mss How
"Let Us go. then, do not cousIde- me a in
stant-ans thing TO reach the snip In time"
ke my arm, then, IL Is so throays lst
here" AMI with the other hand ne jerkei
aside the dray horse urged into their very
faces Those grstings may be loose-take
care how you tread! That is the market,
and the ship lies two or three squares al Dvs."
He looked down at her feet AS he pointed
10 the market house. 'sIt will save you 8 ne
exposure. perhaps. If we go through it, the
pavements will be dry at least"
That was well thought OF; for. not With
standing her precautions, the heavy folds OF
her dress were saturated with the dam pness,
they were aching and benumb ad-but CO ir
age, g little further, and the goal was reached
AT any other time she would have delighted
I'D the rench p.cturesq ueness of this strange
ing coffee, the ruddy joints, the faces so full
OF character that presided over the stalls the
affected indifference Of the keen purchaser.
All this was study for 9 mind less preoc-
thought
The great clock of the market place struck
'Is It SO late, Are We not almost thereq,
.'Almosp'-and he felt q strange desire to
take her In his arms, Is IL she had been =
cal her above the crowt and the mirs of the
street on which they hal come again.
You see that broat yellow and blue a az
near" He saw, as he LOOK at the dag. tn At
The wind had changed. Scan you walk a
little faster?"
al will try" but her limbs were tr I'm bling
with anxiety and fatigue. "DD not wait for
me. 1 will come as well as can. [ know
there is more reason for haste than you viii
tell me"
He had caught glimpse of ST ,nal dying
from tall mast, &C." In white on q dar {
blue ground. II was the token he hal
WATCHED for al see the ship" ne cried ont,
yOxv ftNtly all
And on they hurried once more, brushing
past half-intOxicated sailors staggering on
the sidewalk, stumbling over heaps of cor
dage and rusty chains, assailed by strang 20
and sickenfng stenches, hindered by throng g
of rude and boisterous men staring, lesriuy
In her face, through ice and snow and mu1
commingled, on and on, tOiIing to ksso Or
guide in sight, she struggled as In her drea n
the night before, and with the same horri ole
dread of loss.
But no, there was the signal again, stand
ing out steadily To the fair wi al, VII oh had
not been reckOned upon as an adversary;
aud there was her protector, too, ptuSiag
with an effort that cost him much in the ar
dor OF the race, until she could reach him
crowded pier. She almo expected to see
the vessel glide away as they nearel IL; but
ii stood still and stately, its huge n Ill rising
out Of the water, and no hustle of immediate
departure around. How inaccessible il
seemed for all the staging lowered from its
side!
"Can you climb this?" and, breathless
with haste and excitement, Richard Graham
held out his hand.
Steady take hold OF the rope-do not
LOOK down, IL will make you dizzy"
She had one glance down into the deep,
turbid water that came tapping and circling
beneath her. but she chung to that out.
stretched hand as for life; her head swan
aud she slipped at the damp elects on which
she tried to gain foothold. Ole moment
more, and he had passed his arm around er
waist aud lifted her to the deck-and nOwp
They looked around, 1t was strangely still
and deserted; only one man At his watch,
who saluted them gruffiy as they approached.
81 wish to see Capt. MoultOn."
Don't know him, sir"
"Is he the captain OF this ship"
mo, SIR"
"WhO is?''
"Capt. Allen-always has been-he built
her"
''Is not this the Greyhound?" Surely this
was the pier 10 which he had been directed.
Richard Graham sent a trou oiet look
around, then up 10 the masthead-the blue
signal was there above them.
pooI'-the man said. more civilly, as he saw
the lady's culver aud u strange blank o. ids
appointment in her face.
Where does the Greyhound lie, then-do
you know" and as he asked the question
Richard Graham avoided the look ne knew
he should meet in his companions face.
Ibid lie there, sir" said the man, pointing
with the back of his hand to an empty space
near by. "Went to sea, this morning, full
an hour ago, just as the wind changed
81 am very sorry for you, Miss Howlant."
Her friend did not know what else to say.
"SOrry that my own eagerness mlsled you
So"
ooh, you have been very kiud"-kind as
brother she was going TO say, but how little
BROTHER" she added: and though he knew
very we'll with what simplicity the words
were spoken, they thrilled to his heart as if
they had had deeper significance.
Qyrcl TAI nj faf fQor nd hnn
low, and with il the fictitious strength ii
had lent. Her brain whirlet with strange,
connected thoughts; she was weaker than
every limb. Even after they had reached
the house which she had left so full of hope
al things seemed as IL seen thr ough the mist
II must go home now )" she repeated again
and again, when Mrs. Graham tried to Im-
fort her, to rouse her from this dreary apathy;
AID when they heard it the mother and son
locked ~ her feverish cheek and grassy eye
wi h sad fOrebodings.
All through the long and dangerous illness
which came upon her then, Esther Rowland
sisters love; and from the wsnderings OF de-
lirium those who bent over her learned mora
of the suffering that had brought 1t upon
her.
81 do not care for money, Albert" she
would say, pite pusly; 81 only live for you
IT was ali for yOu-who else have / TO live
for? Do not strike m :! Co me back! oh, come
shall have the money! On God! will moth
Ing save him? Must he sink into vice and
sin, and break my hearth" And, man
though he was, Richard Graham covered his
face for the tears h at came when Agnes told
him OF these things, and of what she knew Of
the TOLL Ing, selfdenying life Esther had ived
for the boys sake.
He trembled like q woman the first time
that he went in TO See her after reason re.
turned. She remembered all without queS-
tiGning, and had asked for him. The
rounded outlines OF her face were gone, and
her cheek was still almost rs white as the
lace that s. q led IL.
"You will let me thank YOU" she said, for
he could not articulate word for pity and
surprise at the work of illness, and for such
a yearning desire to say some word OF CON-
fort.
The slight, wasted hand lay unresistingiy
In his own for moment.
"YOu were very kind, and shall never
never-fOrget it," This was all that passed,
yet he went out from the darkened 70 ON wi q
a fixed determination to win her for his wife
if ii were possible.
After a time she came down stairs among
them, still fragile and helpless as a child,
lying upon the pile Ofsnowy pillows that tue
delighted Nora followed her everywhere
with, or walking slowly about the room,
upon Agnes or her father, VINO
seemed to adopt her as the rest had done. II
she wondered that Richard never Offered his
she did not say so; and one night
when Ages had left her alone with him for