River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-10-13

kiss had touched them.
"My friend" he whispered, low,
''you have guessed my secret, have you
not? You have seen it, How could
l hope to hide it except from her? She
suspects nothing. Tell me how l shall
approach her that | may not startle
her. She is yet but child. You are
| a woman, Dora. Help me p'
Was she still standing upright?
About her were the crushed ruins of
her castle, which scarce sixty seconds
before lowered to the clouds. The
noise of the falling fragments had
stunned her. Had he not heard? The
dust which had arisen therefrom blind
ed her. Could he not see?
| "You are woman, Dora. Help
me :"
These were the words ringing in her
ears. Oh, God had she no greater
need for help"
'You love Cara?"
How calm and quiet her voice sound
ed, even to herself.
Love hel All, Dora, you who
have never loved can little guess how
much p
She laughed then. Something in the
words amused her; something that
showed her how we'll she had kept her
secret-an old maids secret.
''Talk to her." he went on. Tell me
if she feels, if she will ever feel, for me
that for which long"
"Nay, speak to her yourself" she
answered. "She scarcely can deny
you, pleading your own cause"
"You think so? Then / will come
tomorrow. Good-by. God bless you p
At last she was alone. The knowl-
edge came with a long sigh of relief. as
some hours later the Goodnight"
had been said and Dora could face the
misery the morning had brought her.
How long-how very long ago it
seemed She drew chair beside the
open window, and sank into it heavily.
At that moment faint tap sounded
on the door, and a golden-crOwned
head pushed itself through the space
where it was held ajar.
''Please let me come in, dear Miss
Dora?" said a young voice. 81 can't
sleep, and l want to talk with you"
Then, without waiting for permits
sion, a little white-robed figure glided
in and sank on the stool at her feet.
The moonlight showed the fair up
| turned face, and was it only the shad-
ow resting on her own soul which made
the older woman fancy that a graver
expression was upon it than its wont?
She softly stroked the bright hair.
IL have something to tell you,
Miss Dora" the girl went on, after a
little pause. 81 love you SO much that
| woul like that you should hear it
first. But tell me first-am | still u
child? And do you not think that
children, as Ronald calls me, can lover"
"You love, them"
Almost breathlessly she put the
question. Her own pain was swallowed
up in the JOY that at least to Ronald
his love would not be returned to him
as bitter Dead Sea fruit.
ayes, l love-" said Cara. 'It was
such a funny accident, our meeting.
1t was two years ago. His regiment
was stationed at the same town where |
was at school. He is only lieutenant,
but he is so brave, so handsome! My
own father was an officer, you know. |
think remembering that made me first
care for him."
Them Miss Deane recovered her
breath.
"a lieutenant Who is this man?
OF whom are you talking?"
His name is Harry Linden. He
will be here next week. He is coming
down to ask my guardians formal per-
mission to marry me. Oh, Miss Dora!
do you think he will refuse or be an
CRY? He is so old, perhaps, he has
forgotten that he, too, once was young"
Bitterest mockery of Fate! So old,
she said, and not yet forty years
crowned his brow.
Once again she met Ronald Ray
alone. as he came next day to plead
his cause. He listened with white,
drawn face, while she told him of that
! other secret with which she had been
entrusted, meanwhile sparing him in
the telling all she could.
In her tender pitying 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 never suspected the truth. |
will not see her to-day. Tomorrow |
will be stronger"
He turned; but as he gained the
threshold, he tottered, strove to recover
| himself, but 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 de-
lirium 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
Slapped the foundation of his life; but
it proved not so.
There came day when, opening his
eyes. he recognized the nurse whose
gentle touch had soothed all mis- fever
fancy hours. Slowly he regained his
strength; but it seemed as though re-
turning health brought with it new
vision.
Caras acknowledged lover was with
them now. They who had 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
other man
With all her ingenuity Dora strove
to keep it from him, until he said to
her one day:
"Ny wound has been cauterized; II
hurts no 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 1t
came the tiIle for Cara's wedding. She
had returned to her guardians home,
which she was now to leave forever.
1t was the evening before her mar
rage, when Dora, sitting alone, heard
the step she had learned to know so
we'll.
As he had done once before, entering
the room where she sat, he came
straight toward her, taking both her
hands in his.
Dora, he said, ''do YOU remember
that you once told rae that, pleading
my cause. l could not be denied? Will
you make good your words? Must |
be punished because Tor long years
have been blind? | love you, dear
want you for my own-my wife Will
YOU forgive the infatuation which mis-
led me from the real cry of my heart
ard now answer it? 1t is very empty