The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-03-25
: deatb.like face: but when she

the death-like face; but when she
glanced up at her father, and beheld his
ashen countenance and trembling form,
she was filled with terror.
"What is it, fatherP" she exclaimed.
"Do you think, then, she's deadp"
His dazed look wandered from the
PROSTATE figure on the lounge, and
rested on the innocent being kneeling at
her side.
at length, in voice scarcely above a
whisper.
The scared expression in his face had
stolen into his voice, and it was hushed
and frightened.
Tears welled up into Mays eyes, and
dropped on the cold hands she was
chatting.
The lady, after while, showed symp-
toms of returning consciousness. Be-
yond her pallor and insensibility. she
presented no outward sign OF injury.
"I don't think she's much hurt,
father" said May, leaning tenderly over
her patient, the tears still glistening like
pearls on her eyelashes; but noting,
with hope and pleasure, the increasing
evidences of animation.
He made no response to Mays re-
mark, but continued to stare straight
down at the pallid, beautiful face of the
lady.
Suddenly a pair of eyes, larger and
more liquid than Mays, but of the same
azure hue, are opened out upon him,
and the conscious woman is scrutiniz-
ing his weird, haggard countenance.
For brief moment a crimson flush
banishes the pallor, and the hands that
May holds are clutched convulsively.
Then the red blood deserts the face
again, and it becomes ten times more
livid. The beautiful, liquid eyes droop
abashed before the mans gaze, and trav-
erse searchingly the room, till they rest
on May kneeling by her.
"I'm not deceived, then," she feebly
mutters. Is this"
Her voice broke the spell, or stupor
that had seized George Seton at the
first glimpse of her, and, in low and
decisive tone, he said:
"You mustn't speak just now,
madam, till the doctor arrives, and we
know what's the trouble. Prepare your
bed for this lady, May" he added, mo.
tioning the young girl to her room,
gravely.
May had scarcely disappeared, when
ing excitedly in her ear:
It's better for her--it's better for you
don't know what strange fatality
brought you to my cabin to-night; but
whatever it was leave us--leave her il
the peace and innocence that you hav,
found her. Since the hour that you de
serted her I've led her to believe yor
dead. I've striven to hide you anC
your sin from your child with tn,
charitable mantle of the grave, and fol
that sole purpose I've since hidden my
self here. Don't seek to undeceiv,
her Let her still think of you with re
gret. Let her mem Dry of you continu
to be a fragrant one
| The erring VIC man listened will
closed eyes and blanched cheeks to tn
mans passionate words.
"May l kiss herP" was all she fal
tered.
Eyes, if"
May entered, and George Seton move,
away. and flung himself into chair il
a far corner OF the room.
May resumed her watch by the lady
side, taking the cold, slender hands one
more in hers. She noticed that th
| lovely eyes, which were turned with in
finite tenderness on her, were dimme,
with tears, and that the hands sh
clasped pressed hers caressingly.
The monotonous tick, tick, of the oil
clock was all tiat broke the silence @
the room.
The lady closed her eyes. and Ma,
was beginning to think that she was 60
ing to sleep, when a sweet voice whis
pered in her ear:
kiss me, darling"
The young girl crept closer, and wind
ing her arms round the woman's neck
wrapped the poor soul in her chaste EN-
brace.
Was it the instinct of love or pity?
When George Seton awoke from hi
painful reverie an hour later to admi
Abe Gilman and the doctor, he foun
the two women asleep, the elder restin
on the bosom of the younger. Th
girl was easily aroused, but the othe
awoke no more.
The friends who came for the dea
woman knew not the unhappy husban
under his assumed name and altered ar
pearance, ,and May never learned that he
mother had passed out of the sphere {
sin and shame in her arms.
Her father lived long enough to sc
her the happy wife of Abe Gilman, an
then passed away, carrying his secrt
with him.