The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1882-10-11
strong limbs trembled and failed as

out moving.
lie had braved it a long time, but
the dreadful pest had come upon him
at last. Tom sent for Colonel Ashhy.,
and the sick man was carried home. At
the door Bessie met them with a pale
face but steady eyes.
"She ought to have been sent away"
said Tom.
but l am not afraid" she an
swered, firmly. please let me stay"
l dare say you will decide that DR..
Halifax was shockingly unstable when
| tell you that from that time his
| mind began to waver as regarded
Bessie Ashby. Meeting her every day
in her cousins sick-roum it was not
easy to feel cold and stern. She was
so sweet and girlish in her new
| humility, now the old capricious
coquetry was thrown aside, and in all
her appealing obedience to his orders
| he could not fail to see a little Sensl-
tive fear which sometimes troubled,
but always stirred his heart. Hemust
take care of her, too; every shadow
that crossed the pretty face must be
incurred into. lie was not going to
fall in love again, of course; he was
merely doing his duty, as a medical
man. Still, it was rather interesting.
Captain Housted was the last serious
case of sickness, but it was a very Sc
we're one. For weeks the poor fell
lows life lay trembling in the balance
one day fevered and delirious, the
next seemingly sinking into death.
But in time he began to struggle
through it, and, thanks to Toms skill
and patience, the shadowy face began
to light with a faint glimmer of re-
turning strength.
Gradually the fearful scourge weak
ened it's power, and little by little
seemed passing away. There were
still patients to be visited, and work
to be done, but the awful rage OF the
pestilence had swept by. Then it was
that Tom Halifax began to reap his
reward. People who had never heard
his name six months before sent Tor
him in all critical cases. Men Of
wealth and high standing courtcd
lis acquaintance as the brave
Young doctor who did his work
SO nobly throughout the sick
ness at Dorning. Men and women
pointed him out to each other on the
street, saying: "But for him should
have been laid in my grave" when
my old mother died he was the last
man she knew" "When we were IN
trouble he worked for us day and
night. God bless him. Had there
been nothing else, the warm, loyal
Young heart would have thrilled with
tender thankfulness at the simple
gratitude of the humble sufferers to
whom he seemed almost a Savior, but,
apart from this, reality camel to him.
There was no lack of practice now,
and the name and fortune that had
seemed so far away a year ago became
a promise of truth. Of course as yet
they were not quite perfected, but still
each day brought them nearer, and
showed something of solid advance
ment in life and prospect. The Cha
teaux en- Espagne were beginning to
stand on a substantial foundation
Perhaps this might have made him
happy. Naturally he felt thankful,
but being a very warm-hearted and
Gin some things) a very u~nscientliic
NJ. d., he could not feel quite restful.
The truest of all truths is that what
ever we love we can forgive, and
whatever we forgive it is not difficult
to love. Bessie Ashby had refused
Captain Housted. Why had she done
it? Could it be that her foolish little
heart was subdued at last? 1t is easy
to be magnanimous when n has
injured, and it is hard not to be mag
unanimous when the %injurer is a pretty
girl whom one has loved. If this were
more than a simple record l should
certainly decide that my hero could
not forgive my heroine under any cir
cumstances, and consequently should
doom them both to misery and de-
SPAR. But, as it is, I am compelled
to say that Tom Halifax, NJ. d., for
gave Bessie Ashby, for the simple rea-
son that, in spite of her faults, he loved
her.
And Bessie? During her cousins
illness she had learned the extent OF
the NJ. DIS power. She had found out
that she could look up to him and rely
on his strength, that she could trust
him implicitly. She began to discover
that he had a higher object in view
than the regard for self, which had
been the one ruling power Of her life,
and his example taught her the true
nobility of generous sacrifice. Still, in
spite of the change in the hearts OF
both, they had not advanced much out
wardly from the old GOODNESS. But in
the second month of Captain Housted's
illness the denouement came, as a de-
noument always comes, unexpectedly.
One evening there had been a slight
return of the fever, and after a heavy
sleep the patient awakened, restless
and wandering. Bessie was standing
at one side of the bed and DR.. Halifax
at the other, holding the captains hand
as he opened his eyes.
at was you she loved. after all,
Halifax" he said, smiling family. 81
am 'only Cousin Fred"
The blood rushed into Bessie's face.
The handsome eyes told her they I'M
derstood-told her with n glance
that burnt her cheeks and set her heart
beating swiftly. The next moment
she brushed by him and left tine room.
Half an hour after DR.. Halifax
came downstairs and walked straight
into the parlor, as though he had some
object IN view. A very pretty figure
stood revealed in the dusky light by
the window-a pretty head, with long,
shining curls, resting upon IN equally
pretty hand. l wonder if Miss Ashby
knew what was coming? Certainly
her pulse nuttered very fast. and she
looked out into the garden quite
resolntcly.
"Bcssie."
She did not move.
"BcSSle..
He certainly was a determined gen.
tleman, this DR.. Halifax, for he drew
the pretty hands away and turned Miss
Ashby to the light.
"Was it true?" he whispered, bend
ing very low over her.
The long curls dropped a little
nearer. 1t really looked as if Miss
Ashby was going over to the enemy.
I'll think it was" she said, very
softly. 81 think it has been true for a
long time, DR.. Halifax"
1t was dreadfully undigniiied, but
Miss Ashby positively made an uncon-
ditional surrender, and the curls lay in
a shining heap against DIR. 1lalifaX's
broad shoulder.