Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-07-28

in low, broken words l told her L loved
her; and, in sweet, girlish simplicity,
Ishe laid her hands upon my shoulders,
looked up in my face, and promised to
be my little wife.
l went home that night riding in a
wonderful triumphal chariot, instead of
a gig. To my great surprise, ON reach
ing the house there was Fred Garnet.
Back already2 2" / stammered.
Already? Why, the months up I"
he said, laughing. "You must have
had good sport with your fishing, Mas
ter Max" 1sy'7 IIs
1t came upon me like thunder, this
return and lay that night happy but
miserable-for this meant the. end of
my visit. And what was to come in the
future? had not thought of that.
| put it off for the time and, having
obtained willing permission from Gar
net, went his round the next morning,
and of course found my way to the farm.
I fancy the servant looked at me in a
rather peculiar, constrained way, as she
said her master had gone to the off-hand
farm. r.r-
"And Miss Kate" 1 said.
: "She's down in the wood, sir % said
the girl.
L waited to hear no more, but ran
along the garden, leaped the gate,
crossed two fields, went through the
wilderness and over the stile into the
wood.
" My darling p l kept repeating as I
hurried on, expecting to meet her at
every turn and then L stopped short,
with horrible pang seeming to catch
my heart. 1 was dizzy, faint, raging
with anger, and mad in turn but that
all passed off to leave bitter, crushing
sense of misery, as held on by young
sapling and peered at the scene before
me. There stood, with her back to
me, Kate, false, false Kate-with the
arm of tall, handsome military-looking
man, encircling her waist, her head
resting upon his shoulder, and even as /
gazed he bent his head down and she
raised her arms-her face-her ips-to
meet his kisses, as he folded her tightly
to his breast. I saw no more, but stole
blindly away, went to the stable, saddled
and bridled the horse in a dreamy
fashion, mounted and rode back to Burn
ley, threw the bride to the man, walked
straight to the station without seeing
Fred Garnet, and went off to London.
Six months glided by, and then l
was once more called upon to take
charge of the practice of friend in the
suburbs.
1t was one dark night in winter. ]
was just going to bed, half wishing that
I hol hol ao1 ,,ln,, 1b, l. Ill
rang sharply, and the summons I wished
for came. 1t was a policeman with a
hansom cab, and his oilskins shone
wet and ividly in the red light over the
door.
"Axiden' case. sir y he said; CDR.
Barker in the next streets got in, sir,
and he wants help"
/ learned from him that q gentleman
had been knocked down by the very same
cab we were in, and trampled upon by
the horse before the wheel went over,
and broke his leg.
We were there in few minutes, and
was shown into the back parlor of a com
fortably furnished house, where the suf-
ferer had been laid on mattress. A
brief conversation with my colleague en-
sued, and he told me what he feared and
how he was situated another important
call demanding his presence. The result
was that agreed that we would examine
the patient, and then I would stay until
DR.. Barker's return. A faint groan from
the mattress saluted us as we turned to
our patient; and as I held the lamp over
his face and the light fell on the fair
hair and the long, dropping moustache,
[ nearly dropped it. "Nemesis /"
thought. "Mine enemy delivered into
my hand ! Kate's lover lying bruised
and broken-crushed like reed-at my
feet And now need not kill him to be
revenged for all his cruelty to me, but
only stand by supine and he will die p
for few brief moments told me that [
possessed greater knowledge than my
colleague, and that, if L withheld mine,
nothing which DIR. Barker could do would
save the flame even now trembling in the
socket of life's lamp.
The scene in the wood flashed before
me once again as I stood there-Kate's
sweet face upturned, asking for this
mans kisses-and all so vivid that my
brain reeled and mist foated before my
eyes.
"What do you think, Mr.. Lawler p"
said q voice at my elbow, and started
back into the present
"That he'll be pastsaving in an hour, p"
I said, quietly.
81 fear so p said DR.. Barker, shrug-
ging his shoulders.
Unless"
Here / unfolded my plans, as I said
bitterly to myself 60 And heap Goals of
fire upon his head. Kate, take your
loyer-and G d forgive you p
Excellent % exclaimed DR.. Barker,
who was frank, gentlemanly fellow,
without professional jealousies; and in
an hours time we had done all that was
necessary, our patient was breathing
easily, and DR.. Barker was shaking my
hand.
He's saved, Mr.. Lawler. You've
saved his life. Now, I'll be off and get
back in an hours time. "You've given
me the greatest lesson in surgery that I
ever had in my life."
And then / was alone, thinking bitterly
of what had done.
"Kate-Kate-darling
These words, feebly uttered, brought
me to myself, and I was the cold, hard
man once more as [ rose, and taking
the lamp, bent down over my patient,
whose eyes now opened, and he stared
at me.
"Where's Kate ?" he asked; "and
where-what - He stopped short.
"Accident? ? Oh, yes L remember.
was going to catch the night train for
Burnley, when that confounded cab -
"You must not talk, 1 said, fighting
hard to contain myself. You are seri
ously hurt. :"