Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-07-12
Eyes; that is, I met her years ago.

"Yes; that is, met her years ago."
answers Margaret, hesitating. 81 did
not think she remembered me; but I
knew her again as soon rs saw her."
"Di<( you ever quarrell" the bride
groom asks. little puzzled by her man.
ner.
80. no." replies Margaret with shud-
der, thinking of the crouching figure and
the greedy clutching hands that she had
stolen up the long corridor to soothc into
content. But she was always strange
girl; and never understood her quite"
She adds rather lamcly.
"Ycs-strangc-that is the word, is it
not?" he says eagerly. ''She is nervous
and depressed sometimes, you know, but
that is nothing. She used to be that
that is what you mean, is it not:''
1t goes to Margaret's heart to see the
wistful look with which he waits for her
answer, striving to put away from his
thoughts the awful fear which she knows
has already oyershadowed his life.
8 I think size was always nervous" she
answers, wishing that she dared say some
thing to comfort him, if she could do so
without lic but of course, now that
she is happy, there is nothing to be anx-
ious about in that
She does not offer to visit the bride her
self, knowing what the sight of her must
recall to LEANS mind, and not in truth be-
lieving that her presence would be well
come, whatever Mrs. Ashton might say to
her husband of her wish to see Margaret
Fenwick again.
TELL her how glad shall be. if she
likes to come" she says earnestly when
Arthur Ashton takes her hand in his again
to say goodbye.
"Ycs l will tell her." he answers, but
all the unreal cheerfulness has died out
from his voice. i" 1t will do her good to
have friend like you-some woman to
whom she can talk
Margaret does not answer, for the
tears are filling her eyes; but it needs no
word to tell Arthur Ashton that the heart
he has thrown away is large enough for
what he asks Of it.
The months go by, but Leah Ashton
still only talks of coming to see the girl
whose place in life she has taken from
her; 50 that Christmas comes around
again without Margaret having seen her
rival, since the evening on which Leah
came out of the conservatory, with the
spray of maidenhair in her hand. There
is a reason why Mrs. Ashton should stay
in her own house now, and Margaret is
not surprised to sec in the paper one day
that Arthur Ashton has another cause for
being "very happy" She has almost
persuaded herself that be may be so by
this time, and writes to tell him Of her
hope, with her dear love to his wife. She
did not think that such letter required
immediate acknowledgment, and opens
his reply little anxiously. hearing that
it has been brought by Il special mcsscn-
ger.
! Come. if you can, at once--silc is ask
| ing for you. God have mercy upon me.
q A. A."
j. He is waiting for her at the door as
she drives up, and even in the gasligh'
she can see upon his brow an awful
! dread that his prayer will not Jc heard.
! You are not afraid to see hcr?'
Margaret puts her hand in his by way
OF reply, and her very touch seems to give
him courage.
She is not quite herself, you know
not sensible, mean-but the doctors
say that is common. And your namt
has been on her lips all day. She vii
be calmer when she sees YOU. will SHIT
not!"
Yes, yes says Margaret. choking
back her tears. only take me to her a
once"
She knecls by her bedside disrcgardin!
the presence of the doctor and nurse. ant
her soft arm steals lovingly around Leah
neck, as in old days.
"Dcar Leah, am here she whispers
The heavy lids open, and the dark mys
tory Of the wonderful eyes, blurred ant
scorchcl with the lurid fire that Margarc
remembers so we'll: is turned full upo,
her.
'.Don't go away" Leah whispers in
hoarsc, exhausted voice. They are shu,
ting me up alone again.
! Her husband is standing at the foot o
the bed with horor-stricken wondcrin!
face, but she has no eyes for him.
1T SO dark and miserable, Margaret
but will be quiet if you will stay Maxi
them let you stay. do you hear?"
The weak voice rises almost to a scream
and Margaret tries in vain to soothe it,
"Ies, dear Leah, am Margaret. Dea
Leah, you know that I love you! Oh
my poor darling, you know that I low
YOU
The surgeon who is standing OPPOSITE
Margaret, shades his head solcmnly a
she raises her eyes to meet his, and tn
shadow OF death begins already to stea
over the room. Even the lips arc chill
and pallid as Margaret touches then
with her own, and the feverish grasp o
. the poor weak hand dies into impotenc
in her warm fingers. The dark tang,e'
hair falls ever ID" shapely brow ant
thick, curved eyebrows just as it used t
do, and Margaret docs not know, unit
she is told, that it is the yelling face O
the dead. And there is no need for he
. to pity Lcalr Ashton any more.