Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1882-11-02

"Ah. |, too. love life," Dora said, az
she disengaged herself from her friend
clinging arms, "but something draws
me on"
"Thouph I knew should never re-
turn, l should go. ~,
Out in the storm and darkness Dora
huTries.
The winds beat against her, now
pushing her back, now urging her Tor
ward, until at length she slailus upon
the brink of the little river that rlppies
SO innocently and cheerily along under
a sunny sky, but whose waves now are
leaping and tossing their ioam-cres's
like mad things.
The stepping-stones, when puI yes,
terday are so easily crossed, are peiore
her, and Dora begins her perllous jour
ney.
"Come backl Dora, Dora, come
backw calls Eleanor's voice from the
terrace above.
But she does not heed.
Steadily she goes onward, but, on, so
SLOWLY oftentimes slipping. and on the
very edge of falling into the treacher-
Gus water, whose inky blackness only
seems the denser when, for lew sec
Onds, the glare of the lightning shows
her what progress she is making.
She has gained the center OF the
stream.
Her slight form is trembling with
the combined effect of the cold. which
strikes through her dripping garments,
and the bodily eXertions she has been
compelled to make to keep her footing
upon the slippery rocks.
Will she be able to reach the other
side?
Bravely she struggles ON, and at
length The goal is reached, and her feet
touch the other shore.
A short while later the telegraph OPP
orator, leaning idly back in bis chair in
his warm office, is startled by the en-
trance of a small, dripping figure, look
ing, with its dishevelled hair and pal
lid face, like visitaRt from some
ghostly sphere.
"a tree has fallen across the line OPP
posite Miss Gray's cottage.
Telegraph for the seven o'clock ex-
press to stop"
Then, her mission accomplished,
the brave heart stops beating, and
Dora sinks unconscious to the tlcOr.
Four weeks have gone by-weeks of
the most intense anxiety; for all that
time Dora had laid between life and
death.
But at last the shadows have lifted,
and out once more into health's sun
shine she has emerged, to the heartfelt
Joy of the friends who have prayed
for her recovery necessarily, even
when they feared their prayers would
be of no avail.
1t is bright, pleasant day, though
somewhat chill, and in Eleanore's cosy
sitting-room, in an easy chair. near the
CHEEKY fire. Dora is seated.
She looks very lovely, for the fire.
glow has lent delicate color to her
pale cheeks. and made into aureole
of gold the short waves of hair that
cluster about her forehead.
The door gently opens, and voice
says, ''May come imp"
1t is Mr.. Eldridge. and it is the first
time since her illness that Dora has
met him.
The delicate color deepens as she re-
signs her hand to his clasp, and an
ca Of
They chat for a while; and then, to
Dora's great surprise, she learns what
she has not known before, that among
those who to her brave deed owed
their safety from death was her friends
guardian.
81 asked Eleanore not to tell you,"
he says; "for wished to thank you
myself, and at the same time to ask
you question most momentous to
me.
ut is this,
Dora, will you make the life you
have saved more precious by laying
that dear hand on mine, and saying
that you will be my wife?
"Ah, little one! my heart went out
to you the first time that we met; but
| little knew to what strength my
passion had grown until the dark hour
came when 1 feared that death waa
about to snatch you from me.
Dora what is my answer to be?"
"And L always thought it was Elean-
ore you cared for" Dora says, as, a
little later, she sits with a happy face,
and her little hand tightly clasped in
her lovers.
$50 l do care for Eleanore very
much; but it is Dora my heroic darling
that l wish for my wife-the guar.
dian angel of my heart and my homeP
is his answer.
81 am more pleased than l can ex
press" is Eleanore's enthusiastic excla
nation, when the blissful secret is con
fided to her.
81 do not believe that in all the uni
verse there is anyone nobler than my
guardian; and, Dora darling, you art
well mated, for nobility and heroism ar,
kindred qualities, and after what ha'
passed you can certainly never Cal
yourself cowardp
Dora stopped her mouth with kiss