Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-03-02

ORh V lLLh, \
all of you, and nothing that you ever said O.
did could have offended her, Pm sure"
mot offended-no But I was rash on ont
occasion. Did you never hear of it ?"
s'No, not that know off,
81 knew, poor thing, that she was heart
broken on account of-of course you know
And yet-though I may say honestly that a
the time I couldn't help it must need
60 and worry her by talking to her Of my vair
hopes, as if stood any chance! She has new
er felt the same towards me since"
"Do you mean to say" asked Captain Rus
sell, to whom this was new revelation, "tha
you were in love with Sophy 20
"Was-and am. It's love shall carry
with me to my grave. But even if l live
I don't mean to let it trouble her any more. ,
"You astound me-" said the Captain. "Did
you ask her to marry you? Excuse the ques
| tion but you know she's almost the same az
my own child"
II did. She refused, of course. 1t was
what might have expected but the question
was such vital one, found the temptation
to put it to the issue too strong to resist
Well, doubtless it is better as it is. God
knows"
There was a silence, to Captain Russell, a
troubled one. He was meditating deeply on
what he had just heard. At last he said
''If there's any one living who ought to be
jealous of any forgetfulness, or neglect Of my
poor boys memory, it's me. 1t is to me as if
had told him goodbye but yesterday. Aye,
but yesterday it seems that he was little lad
playing around my knee. In my heart, his
place can never be filled. His image is there
still, and morning, noon and night, waking
and sleeping. see it before me, almost like
living presence. But with the young, these
things ought to be different 1t is natural for
them to change. Pm sorry she refused you,
Mr.. Erskine.''
GAS things seem likely to turn out, there is
nothing to be sorry for-on my account, at all
events"
"Your case is by no means hopeless. If you
do recover, I wish, with all my heart, you
may have better success than before"
81 fear it would be useless for me to try
again. should only create, perhaps, a lasting
estrangement between u.s."
The hours wore on. The sick man fell into
a doze. At first he slumbered quietly, but by
degrees he grew restless. His limbs twitched ;
his head turned uneasily from side to side ; he
began to mutter incoherently, while the flush
of fever deepened on his cheek, and it's danger
Gus light glittered in his half-opened eyes.
Early in the morning the doctor arrived.
"The crisis has come, )" he said, as he looked
at his patient. "How long has he been thus %
Captain Russell mentioned the time Also
told how collectedly and calmly Mr.. Erskine
had spoken during the night, and how much
stronger than usual he had seemed.
"a false strength" said DR.. Stanley. II
have often known such favorable intervals to
occur shortly before the critical point of the
disease don't like them. They are seldom
good sign"
"How do you think this will end ?"
~ don't know badly, Pm afraid"
"How soon can you tell ?"
''In few hours; by evening, perhaps I
shall stay here until it is decided. My patients
in town can do without me to-day"
Almost in silence, the two men kept watch
by the sick-bed all through that weary day.
A mighty struggle was going on between Life
and Death-a struggle of which medical skill
was powerless to foretell the ISSUE With
keen, careful glances, the Doctor from time to
time bent over the pillow, touching with light
hand his patients brow, and marking the va
riations of his fluttering pulse.
''He grows no worse" was his first COM
ment, about four O'Clock in the afternoon.
''If he holds on this way until night, I shall
have hope"
/ Then, about an hour later
ellis fever is certainly shade lighter.
What constitution he must have!'
Twilight-the long, soft summer twilight
stole on, and cast it's dim shadow into the
room. The sick man had ceased his weary
tossings, his eyes were closed; his hands lay
listlessly outside the covering, and from his
parted lips the breath came family, feebly, but
at regular intervals; the flush had faded from
his face, and languor, as Of death, seemed
to mark his repose.
The crisis was over-he was safe !
"Thank Heaven" muttered the old Cap
tain, who had not been aware, until now, of
the extent of his own anxiety. I'll be back
directly, Doctor. Pm just going outside, for
five minutes, to get a mouthful of fresh air"
He walked out at the front door, and STUN
bled against Sophy, who had just come down
from her own house.
'Mamma felt so anxious" she explained,
''I just came for a minute to see how Mr..
Erskine is this evening""
''He is better, my dear child the danger is
over, thank God"