Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-01-14
"Sir, / owe you my thanks" she

WhNA tQu Will Pag hC soNA 0ttSA a.
full" he replied, and left her.
What did he mean ? His words
the man himself haunted her. How
brave and full of courage he had
been How nobly he had come to
her relief How generously he had
uttered no word of reproach, or OF
the truth that she had brought it on
herself. If he had not been a Prus.
sian, she might almost have liked
him. AS it was-but she could get
no further than this. She broke
down IN a storm of tears.
A week later the troops, all but
the small reserve, were ordered out
for a sortie. Paris had long been in
siege and must soon capitulate.
With all her heart, Matte prayed
night and day for the success of the
already doomed flag. That her
cause could be lost seemed to her
impossible.
Now and then the winds bore to
her the boom of cannon. They were
fighting not far off land among them
was the man she had treated with
disdainful contempt. Could it be
she thought of him at such a time !?
The third day the fighting closed.
The Prussians were again victori-
Gus; but all night long they were
bringing back the dead and wound
ed to the town.
1t was just daybreak when a squad
of soldiers halted at her door. She
had not dreamed of undressing dur
ing the long night. A nameless
dread had tortured her. She knew
in this moment what it was, as she
went down and threw open the door
to receive the pale, senseless form
they bore.
This way !" she said, with quiet
dignity, and led the way to her own
room and her own bed.
He had told her she should pay her
debt. Could he have forseen this
day ? Would he ever know what
she had done for him ?
For weeks his life hung in the bal
ance; but one night he opened his
gray eyes to consciousness, and they
rested on the solitary figure by his
side. Her aunt, weary, had gone to
rest. A smile broke W the white,
thin face.
"You here, mademoiselle 2" he
said.
YES" she answered, 81 am with
you"
He held out his wasted hand and
she silently placed hers within it.
Then still with a smile upon his
lips, he fell asleep; but from that
moment the tide had turned, and
life had gained the victory.
He was almost well again, when
one day, came the tidings of the fall
of Paris, and on the same day, by a
fatality of fate, came to him the
news of his promotion to a generals
rank.
"Ah, mademoiselle," he said, 81
cannot rejoice while you weep. l
little imagined how you would repay
it. | meant then the day would
come when you should love and
marry me. | had loved you from
the first moment my eyes rested on
you, in spite of your contempt and
scorn. But now you have paid your
debt in your own way. You have
given me back my life. / will no
longer torture you by my presence.
l will go away and leave you."
And he turned his head, that she
might not see the moisture in his
eyes.
But softly she stole to his side and
kneeling down, nestled her head on
his arm.
eff say stay, Hugh, then will
you go ?"
"My love-my darling ! do you
mock me ?"
"Nay, Hugh, l am like my own
poor Paris,'' she replied. "The
seige has been a long one, but she
and l, l fear, have alike been taken
by Storm
The Woman's Hospital at Tien-
tsin, China, established through the
influence of Miss Howard, an Amer
lean missionary physician, through