Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-07-09

fields, while they were cantering down the
shady roads, and Mrs. Leighton and Theo
were beating eggs in the buttery and get
ting up rare dishes for tea. The letter had
come from New Haven and Barbara had
answered briefly that she could not go I'M
til some time later. She had never looked
so animated and beautiful as now. She
rarely saw Eben, sending him her requests
by her sister, and Eben went on at his in
ventions feeling as if every blow OF his
chisel drove out piece of his hearts core.
And, although he would have scOrned the
idea, Eben had grown wonderfully hag-
gard and pale, with great dark circles I'M
der his eyes since DR.. Ormsby had intro
duced Edgar Ney to the Leightons. He
took little pride in the knowledge that he
was the better man of the two, but he did
know that he could crush Ney with one
hand into a shapeless mass, and he won
dered sometimes why he did not. One
day he was seized with fit of trembling.
He was pruning pear tree when he look
ed up and Barbara stood before him, in
her habit, switching at the nettled butter
flies that fluttered on the hollyhocks, and
around Eben g brown hands.
'sHow pale and i'll you look, Eben." It
was the least she could say, and it was the
truth. Ebens heart beat madly for mo-
ment and then went on slowly.
II am not one to get i'll, Miss Barbara;
am not SO much Drowned as usual, per-
haps.''
His Miss Barbara" sounded oddly, and
his looks belied his words. She looked
down at the ground and said nervously:
81 hope you will not argue with me this
morning, Eben, but I've set my heart on
riding the colt. Tam O'Shanter, to the
falls. am not in the least AFRAID
"But I am,'' said Eben, calmly 81
cannot permit you to risk your life with
that vicious colt"
ssMr. Ney will take care of his vicious
ness" Barbara answered, trile inso-
lently.
'sMr Ney may ride O'Shanter and vel
come, but I cannot consent for you to do
so.''
1
sent. Be so kind as to have the colt
around in a quarter Of an hour"
Eben finished his pear tree and went
into the shop to wash his hands of blood.
He had cut himself to the bone. Barbara
and. Ney sat on the porch reading from
the ssPrincess" when the horses appeared.
The colt SHE'D and reared when Barbara
sprang lightly in her saddle. An adj
mirable horseWoman, she held her own
finely, and Eben stood as if rooted to the
ground until turn in the road hid them
from sight, then like deer he set off down
a footway toward where the railway
crossed the road as with horror he remem-
bered that the morning express would
come down in ten minutes.
The riders had stopped by the way to
permit Mr.. Ney to dismount and gather
the first cardinals for Barbara. AS they
trotted sharply down the road the roar of
the train was heard just beyond the curve.
Maddened with terror the wild young
horse Barbara rode reared, plunged and
sprang away from the other horse and
darted down the cut toward the train.
With a hoarse shout to sssit firm" Eben
rushed out from the copse and flung him
self under his hoofs. He caught the bit
in his hands and pulled the colt on his
launches, and then violent kick made
him drop like log. Some woodchoppers
Barbara off the train Numbered by. Eben
was picked up for dead, and even Mr..
Ney declared he was brave fellow.
In an agony of grief and remorse Bar
bara hung near him all those tedious days,
when Eben s mind wandered and he NUT
tered troubled, incoherent sentences. in
which, poor fellow, he told all his hopes
and fears. He was now indeed haggard
and ghostly pale, with an ugly scar on his
left temple, and his hands lay weak and
nerveless on the coverlet. The first mo-
ment of sanity and consciousness which
came made him sigh and wish that he had
remained Obvious to life and its miseries.
| It was Barbara who leaned on him while
her great brown eyes filed with tears.
ooh, Eben how can you bear to look at
s'You would not say that if you knew
| what was in my heart
.sCannot you tell me, Eben? am so
wretched."
II am sorry for that; I must not tell
| you, Barbara. cannot suffer more that
have"
''Then shall tell you something ?" and
she hid her face in the pillow. He put out
his hand and touched her head caressingly.
81 have been very wi!lful and blind and
unhappy, Eben. I would have given my
life to save yours, as you gave yours for
me-"
s'But, Barbara; Oh Barbara, my darling,
gave mine because l loved you better
than life, than heaven. / would rather
have died than lived to lose you forever -
"But you will not lose me-" Her arms
stole tenderly around him, and she laid
her cheek against his. II owe my life to
you and it is yours"
barbara, think what you are saying.
I shall be mad enough to think that you
care for me ~
'sEben, my love, you are all the world to
me. Cannot you see that this is so p
s'My own!"
With one great effort and spasm of his
old strength Eben pressed her to his heart.
"And you never meant to marry Ney 2"
81 am afraid I only meant to make you
jealous, said Barbara, with her old sauci-
ness.
II shall mend now fast enough, but not
until you have promised to abide by what
say, my darling"
81 promise solemnly."