Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-17

1890
ter to pray to God for our little ones
recovery. If you would have your own
| opinions respected, pay respect to those of
Others. Your language is not fit for a
woman's ears how much less, then, for
the ears of child !"
" You are entirely right, mistress, NUT
tered Rant; 81 ask your pardon. would
not harm her to save my soul. :"
You may come in and see the child
if you like; she knows no one; in her
delirium she has often mentioned your
name"
"Thank you" he said humbIy; 81 will
come in and see her."
" You will not speak to her; she must
be kept perfectly quiet
Rant followed Margaret into the house,
with steps lighter than her own. Evange
line lay in large cool room, covered with
bedclothes of snowy whiteness her eyes
were closed, her little hands were agitated
by feverish movement. In the distant
window facing the child were few loose
flowers; the window was partly open, and
the sweet air flowed in.
"She likes to see the flowers" whis-
pered Margaret; yesterday, when she
opened her eyes and looked toward the
window, she smiled at them"
Rant nodded, and stood looking down
upon the child something in her pale face
or in the quietude of the room touched
him nearly, for his eyes were filled with
tears.
"May l take her hand ?" he asked in a
whisper.
60 Be very gentle, answered Margaret.
Rant knelt by the bedside, and softly
placed his rough hand on Evangeline's
pretty fingers. The action did not disturb
her, nor did she move when he touched his
thick, coarse lips to the tender palm. For
some time he knelt in silence, and when
he rose to leave the room he beckoned to
Margaret. She accompanied him into the
air
There is no danger, you think he
said.
"She will recover, by the mercy of
God"
He did not quarrel with the formula,
but gave Margaret grateful look.
90 L am your friend, forever" he said !;
remember that. But for you, Evangeline
might have died."
''She is like one of my own, said Mar
I garet, and has brought to me the sweet
est and most painful remembrances.
" 1t is life of suffering" was Rant s
commentary. 'Those who love least suffer
least. Mistress, until Evangeline is well,
L must have some place near here to sleep
in"
"You will not come into the house %
"No. l slept in that shed one night,
with your permission. May 1 do so
again %
you are welcome We do not use the
she'd"
Place nothing in it, bed, nor food, nor
nything you suppose would add to my
comfort. I shall feel more at my ease if I
am allowed to come and go of my own free
will, and prefer to look after myself.
/" You shall have your way"
Z" shall come only in the night, and it
is not likely you will see me. would ask
another favor at your hands,
Give it words"
=" If all has gone well with Evangeline
during the day, place outside her window
flower, so that may see it when 1 come
in the night"
cit shall be done"
She had an intuitive knowledge of the
best way to treat this strange creature, and
her words were few and to the point.
Thinking of him after this interview, she
began to pity him in her heart, and to
wonder what kind of life had been his to
render men and the ways of men so hateful
in his eyes. In that one house in all the
Silver Isle some feeling of compassion was
felt for the lonely man.
Regularly every evening Margaret placed
a flower outside the window of Evange-
lines bedroom; Evaageline's recovery was
slow but sure, and when she was strong
enough to leave her bed, the child-having
been told by Margaret why and for whom
a flower was placed on the window-sill in
the evening placed another by its side,
saying:
Ranf will know it comes from me-"
Margaret informed her husband and
Matthew that she had given Rant the use
os the shed, and the children were warned
not to enter it by day or night.
He may have it altogether if he likes, "
said the men there is no occasion to say
anything about it. He will get to learn in
time that we look upon it as his
This happened without any words pass
ing between them and when one morning
Margaret Sylvester found two lovely white
goats, each with kid, tethered to a post
near the entrance to her house, she knew
that they came from Ranf as mark OF
friendship and gratitude.
To Joseph and Gabrielle Rant was a
being of wonderful and mysterious import
ance. In as far as he was removed from
ordinary creatures, SO far was he above
them. That Evangeline loved him was
sufficient to elevate him in their eyes.
Ugly and ungainly as he was, he was in
some sense hero, whose hand it would be
an honor to touch. Up to certain time
they were only friends with him vicariously,
Evangeline being the intermediary. Il
was years before he spoke to them, and
when he came upon them suddenly in the
forest, Gabrielle. trembling, scarcely dared
to raise ner eyes above his knees. Joseph
! IL