Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-06-25
A Mystery.

on which the mortal agony inflicted
by the surgeons probe and knife
was painted, without blenching OF
apparent emotion. But when gal.
liant Harry belmont was brought in
from the 'front.'" with q hideous
hole in his manly breast, such az
only a Minnie ball could make, a
great hush Of sorrow and dismay fell
upon us all. He cannot live three
days." fell upon our ears; the hush
was broken by tue sObs of strong
men, as we'll as ty the more quiel
weeping of the female nurses, for all
OF them loved the brave young cap
tain as brother.
We lowered over his cot through.
out the day, and when night came
it was agreed that one of us should
have the special duty of Watching be.
side it through the night, for feal
that he should waken from the leth-
argy which seemed the prelude OF
approaching death, to ask for some
thing that the steward could not Oh.
tnin. And then 1 pleaded for the
privilege, after some demur it was
accorded me.
Watch him very Closely" said
the surgeon to Inc assI took my seat
for the vigil beside the bed Of our ia
vorite, for at any moment he is IL
able to come out of the coma, and he
may be wandering"
But / was very tired, and about
midnight, do what I could. I could
not keep my eyes from closing in a
half-unconscious reverie, which after
a time, merged into a fitful slumber.
And very soon occurred the mystery
of which it is my present task to
tell.
CA bright dream of the northern
home so far away was fitting
through my brain, when suddenly I
seemed to be impressed with some
presence, that held my body in q
thrall, while my senses became al-
most pretsrnatarally acute. Open
ing my eyes at last, I gazed toward
the couch Of Che wounded captain,
and by bis side, with one hand
clasped in hers, l saw the figure of
a young and beautiful lady, whose
eyes were looking down to his with
such a look of plying tenderness,
that ! felt sure at once she was his
sweetheart.
I wondered much, however, how
she came there in the hospital at
that hour of the night, when visitors
had never been admitted after sun
down. And l knew DIR. Vance, the
surgeon in charge, had his own
brother been dying in that place,
and his father and mother come to
see him, would never have admitted
even them, only at regular hours.
1 was so exercised in mind, that |
was just opening my lips to question
the strange visitor, when l saw the
steward with q light, moving along
at the lower end of the ward in such
a way us to bring our visitor between
the light and me, and then my
heart stood still. The lamp the
steward carried 1 could see shining,
and Twas looking through the form
of the lady who stood by my patients
bedside.
gazed in awe upon the apparition
for few brief seconds, and then u
torpor overcame me, and l knew no
more until the steward roughly
shook my arm and bade me to awake
for Captain belmont was no longer
letharsic, but delirious. But when
1 looked upon his clear calm eyes, l
told the steward he was not deliri-
Gus.
els Nettie here?" he asked faint
ly as bent over him.
did not question who Nettie"
was, for 1 was certain l had seen
her semblance, and answered,
calmly:
" Nettie las been here Captain
belmont, but she is not here now"
81 wish you would call her again,
Mrs. Ennis, for wish to speak with
her"
did you speak with her when
she was waiting here?" I asked.
beeding not the stewards great
amazement.
mo-" he answered, simply. Z" l
tried to speak but somehow / could
not utter word, suppose that l
was then too weak.
"Was she your affianced wife, l
asked.
q" Not when | joined the army.
We had been affianced once, but sue
broke off the engagement because =
here his voice faltered-'' because
was too poor. But | know she loves
me.
" She does, said. " l could see
it beaniug in her eyes.
If she Is To nurse me- hc eX'
claimed, ." l surely shall recover
q call her now dear Mrs. Eunis-l