The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-09-20

mission. a little, white-robed figure
gliied in and sank OIL the stool at her
feet.
The moonlight showed the fair, up
turned face, and was it only the
shadow resting OH her own soul which
made the older woman fancy that a
graver expression was upon it than its
wont? She softly stroked the bril- ht
hair.
IL have something to tell you.
Miss Dora" the girl went on, after a
little pause. II love you so much
that YOU should hear it first But
tell me tirst-am still a child A.? And
do you not Think that children, as
Ronald calls me, can love:'
"You love, then:'
Almost breathlessly she put the
question. Her own pain was swal-
lowed up in the joy that, at least to
Ronald. his love would not he re.
turned to him As bitter Dead Sea
fruit.
Eyes, l love" said Cara. II was
such funny accident, our meeting
1t was two years ago. His regiment
was stationed at the same tcwn where
l was at school. He is only leu
tenant. but he is SD brave, so hand
some! Ny own dear father was All
officer, you know. l think remem-
bering that made me first care for
him."
Then Miss Deane recovered her
breath.
GA lieutenant. Who IS this man!
OF whom are yoa taikinc!'
His na:::e is Harry Linden. He
will be here next week. He is COIL
ing down. ne writes me. 10 ask nv
guardians forma! permission to marry
me. Oh, Miss Dora. 10 YOU think
he will refuse or he angrv. He is 81
old. perhaps he will have f5rgot:en
that he, 100. once was young"
Bi;,erest moc.ery of Fate! So old.
she said. AMI not yet had forty years
crowned his brow.
Once again she met Ronald Ray
alone, rs he came next day to plead
hi cause. He listened, with white,
drawn face, while she told him Of
that other secret with which she had
been entrusted. meanwhile = arirg
him. in the telling. all she could.
In her tender plying FOR his wound,
she forgot that hers, too, bled.
"You have been very kind" he
said. when she had finished. IL
am glad that she has never suspected
the truth. will not see her to-day.
Tomorrow l will be stronger"
He turned but as he gained the
threshold, lie tOttered. strOve to re-
cover himself. hut failed, and fell
forward on the floor.
The fever was upon him. Already
in his veins, the shock had brought
the hidden enemy to light. Tossing
in delirium for many weeks, Dora
learned how wholly the mans heart
had fastened itself upon the one hope
which so cruelty had failed him. For
a time. it seemed As though it had
sapped the foundation of his life but
it proved not so.
There came day when, opening
his eyes, he recognized the nurse
whose gently touch had soothed all
his fever-fancy hours. Slowly he re.
gained his strength; but it seemed as
though returning health brought with
it new vision.
Cara's acknowledged lover was with
them now. They who hsd welcomed
him for her sake soon did so for his
own. Seeing them together, none
could wonder that each had chosen
the other: but how the sight must
pain the older man.
With all her ingenuity, Dora strove
to keep it from him, until he said to
her. one day:
My wound has been cauterized
it hurts 10 longer"
He was brave and hid it. she told
herself. Did she not know that such
wounds never healed?
Thus the weeks rolled on, until it
came the time for Cara's wedding.
She had to return to her guardians
home. which she now was to leave
forever.
1t was the evening before her mar
riage, when Dora, sitting alone, heard
the step she had learned to know so
well.
As he had done once before, enter
ing the room where she sat, ne came
strai ght toward her. taking both her
hands in his.
Dora" he said. "do you remembe
that you once told me that pleading
my cause l could not he denied? Will
YOU make good Your words Must |