The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-01-25


he could bear if her face were seen
at the window-pane. But two days
after Christmas some impulse beyond
his powers of resistance led him by the
house which held all his thoughts
Closed blinds at the windows of Miles
room! What does it mean? And saw
dust sprinkled thickly over the stones
in the street before her door! And even
the bell knob fastened, that its ring
might not disturb the housed Rates.
heart sank with sudden fear. o.!
what had happened to his love!-what
had happened to her against whom his
heart had 10 more resentment? A doc
tors buggy stood before the house, and
as Rafe paused the doctor himself came
gravely down the steps. Impulsively
Rafe touched his arm. "Tell me, sir,
who is i'll at Mr.. Rand's. They are friends
of mine and have not seen the family
for a long time!"
"Miss Harrington is exceedingly and
dangerously ILL.," came the reply, while
thedoctor's quick eyes scanned the young
mans eager face, and his prompt reas-
oning formed its own conclusion.
{" Miss Harrington is suffering as much
from mental distress as physical pain,
he continued gravely, "and in her de-
lirium she calls name which is evil
IDENTIFY dear to her. Doctors are COM
PEELED to hear secrets occasionally, and
from all can learn Miss Harrington
has been greatly suffering in her mind
for some time past. Ifyou are friend
of the family, sir, perhaps you can as
sist her recovery. Pardon me, but l
do not think it necessary to speak
palmer"
GA lovers quarrel; knew it all
along, and that young fellow, if mis-
take not, is the lover himself! Whew!
what geese young folks are to be sure!"
Thus thought the doctor driving rapidly
towards his next patient, while RATE,
bewildered, ashamed, and wild with
fear for Miles life, forgot his pride,
his ability to abide by his decision,''
and all the arguments of right on his
side with which he had thus far en-
couraged himself in his proud obstina-
cy, and hurried down the basement
steps to ask more particularly about
Miles condition.
"Sure, Mister RATE, an it's long
time since we seen yees here. Is it out
of town ye've been?" questioned the
buSom Irish maid on opening the door.
"Never mind, never mind where I've
been, " was his hasty reply; "only tell
me will Miss Mile ive?"
The girls honest eyes filed with
tears. "It's powerful weak she is, sir.
and no one allowed to see her only me
and Mr.. Band. Sure, can't tell at all
whether it will be that she will die or
not. The Vargin save her, sir! Shall
l tell Mr.. Rand you would like to see
him?n
Rafe waited impatiently until the
message came for him to walk up stairs
and Mr.. Rand would meet him in the
parlor. The familiar parlor! RATE
looked about him sadly. There was
the piano where he and Mile had sung
together hour after hour, and he could
almost see the white fingers dashing
over the keys now, dropping melody
wherever they touched. Every nook in
the stately room was hallowed with the
memory of Miles presence. So many
glad evenings he had spent with her
there! And ali, me! that last sad sad
RATE now wipe it from
his memory? Then she had risen and
faced his angry eyes with her own,
dark, indignant glance. Cruel words
had escaped the lips of both, and al
though it must be confessed the right
was little on Rates. side of the aues-
ton, yet he had been exacting and un-
justly suspicious, even when Mile
promised some time explanation.
81 do not choose to be questioned, sir!n
came proudly from her lips, and re-
peated itself in the flash of her eyes and
the uplifting of her stately head. And
then followed his threat to leave her.
with the result we have already seen.
Oh! how Rates. heart ached Here he
stood again despite his decision, DESPITE
his pride, his obstinacy and all his
anger-only longing to 60 to her bed
side and take the dear head on his
breast once more and kiss the fever
stricken lips that called his name. But
the entrance of Mr.. Rand aroused him
from thoughts fast unmanning him.
A quiet hand-shake, and after the
gentlemen were seated Rafe learned |
how Mile had wearied of her Christ
growing stragely feverish to-
ward night, and on the following day
had tainted, the Doctor said, from men
,al trouble and physical exhaustion.
The exact nature of the disease could
hardly be known, but she was constant |.
y dellrlous, and her cries for "Rafe!''
= kafe !" were pitiful to hear.
Sand why was l not sent for" de-
handed RATE, excitedly.
Simply because if Mile had been
conscious we knew she would not have
een you, snd to disobey her will when