Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-03-26
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IF, on the contrary, he falls into state
of coma, nothing can help him.
Hours passed on. Every tick Of the
silver-tongued repeater on the mantle
seemed to find an echo IN the hearts OF
the anxieus watchers. At last the criti-
cal moment came. The Squire awoke
free from fever, though weak as child.
He was saved.
At first Hilda kept as much as possi-
bic out OF his sight, shrinking into the
shadow of the heavy damask curtains
when he was awake. But he did not
seem to notice her, and she gradually
forgot her caution.
During his long and tedious GONZALES
cence he was often querulous and in
tractable. Then Hilda would take a
book and read to him in her low musi-
cal voice, and thus soothe him to sleep.
( She was only waiting until her pres
ence was not absolutely needed to go
back to her self-imposed duty at the
hospital One morning she had been
reading the Times, until the Squire
was, as she thought, asleep. Then the
paper dropped listlessly in her lap. Her
thoughts, unmindful of time and space,
were with him she loved so faithfully,
self-sacrifcingly.
A trembling voice suddenly reused her
from her reverie:
Hannah tells me you are going away.
Is it necessary? Can any other sick
person need you as much as do?"
Hilda looked at the old man in sur
prise. A cadence, born of loneliness
and sorrow, in his voice, touched her
unspeakably ; and as she recalled the
hale, hearty Squire, who often rode by
the farm in the pleasant old days, calling
out cheerful good morning to her un-
Gle in his stentorian tone, tears came to
her eyes to see what a wreck of his for.
mer self he had become.
After brief hesitation she said soft
ly:
for the present."
IT do need you very much," was the
reply. $50 that matter is settled. Now,
nurse. want to ask you a question.
Have ever seen you before? Some
how your face seems familiar, but can
not place it,"
Hilda felt the blood dyeing her face
even to the border of her cap. She
turned away, ostensibly to adjust the
curtain, in reality to avoid a reply.
Just then Hannah came in with the
mail. Important news fromsthe army
was expected, there having been rumors
of an engagement.
"Get the paper. nurse, and run over
the war items"
Hannah caught the words and passed
on her way out. In her way she was as
much interested as the Squire. Was it
not her nursing who was far away on
the battlefield striving to win his spurs?
Hilda took the paper and ran her eyes
over the column. One painful moan
escaped her lips the next moment she
lay apparently lifeless. The heavy fall
loosened her cap, and her hair rolled in
all its rich luXuriance around her-a
kindly mantle hid her deathly face from
even old Hannah's plying eyes.
A dash of cold water soon revived her.
and as soon as the fright occasioned by
her sudden illness had subsidized. the
Squire took the paper, and, saw facing
him in staring letters:
BLOODY ENGAGEMENT.
Great Loss of Officers and Men-CyrH
Atherton, of the Grdys, IortalLy
Wounded qO155ie E,ldedVori2g to ST.
lence q Battery.
The letters swan before nis eyes He
could read no more. He rose feebly and
dragged his shaking limbs to Hilda's
side.
"My poor girl" he said, brokenly.
But he did not finish his sentence; for,
at the sound of his voice Hilda opened
her eyes and looked at him, first in a
dazed, bewildered way, then she put out
both hands and motion him away.
1--WE have killed him between us
Do you hear? You and T! Oh, my
darling my darling!p
The Squire turned to Hannah:
''Who is this young woman?"
"I.ord bless us, sir. Didn't YOU know
it was Hilda? Master Cyril's Hilda,
who has been risking her own life to
save yours ?"
Hilda's voice interrupted them:
"rThe grave is the lonesome couch we
have given your bonny head, and your
father may think it a better one for you
than your lowborn Hilda's arms. Oh
my own Cyril, could you but know my
heart ached when I shut the door in
your face, and sent you to do your duty !;
but you never, never will be the wiser
You have gone forever, and thinking,
too, that Hilda was cruel and heartless.
Oh, cruel Hilda! and more cruel fa-
ther"
It made the old mans frame culver
like an aspen leaf to hear the bereaved
girl. He felt himself almost murder
er, as the low plantive tones made their
accusation against him.
He took her hand at last, and said:
"My poor girl, forgive me and help
me to bear this bitter, bitter punish
ment. From this moment, he Cyril
alive or dead. will make amends to
you for my unthinking cruelty both to
you and him. You shall be to me as
much my daughter as though you were
Cyril's wife. But as long as Cyril was
not reported dead there may be room for
hope. He may come back to us yet"
Hilda caught eagerly at the ray of
hope; ;,
her hands in her intense eagerness until
the nails almost cut into the tender skin,
"could it be possible that there was a
mistake? Do they ever put the wrong
name down ?u
II have known of instances of one Of
ficer being taken for another in the haste
and confusion of battle, and this tele-
gram was sent while the conflict was
still raging"
So they tried to hope-even while ev-
ely ouO CiSS was InIuklng SOrfOWIu1ly
that the kind, bright faced young mas
ter was lying with his face to the stars,
no longer ignorant of their voice
less mysteries, in his solemn sleep.
Hllda remained at the manor. It was
a comfort to the old man to make, as he
thought, this expiation for his fault.
In order that Hilda's position in the
household might be fully understood,
he announced her to be his sons be-
trothed wife, and invited lady Har.
grave, his widowed sister, to come and
lend thesanetion Of her presence to the
young glrPs residence in his home.
The next telegram brought cheering
news. Cyril had lost an arm, but was
doing well, and as soon as he would be
able to bear the journey was to be
sent home, wearing on his breast a dec.
grafton earned by his own bravery.
After this there was a happy house
hold at Atherton manor. Lady Har
grave wal versed in all the womanIv
accomplishments, and she found an ap1
pupil. = :, - =
The Sqhire could hardly show enough
~ 1<Hc1f F~ Il