The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1883-06-23
IcosrruxD.]
CHAPTER XVIII.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

CHAPTER XVIII.
WHAT DOES 1T MEAN?
Nellie Mason did not die, despite
IL predictions Of her ply sician.
There was night filled with horror
faf her father and mother. and her
1aele Richard; night when the King
q. terrors was ut hand, and almost
tsached the stricken w0man's heart
11th his icy fingers. s~ sa e. 4
SLr. and Mrs. Remington had given
pSHl hope VI recovery, but Richard
IartiA said he would nut-dare not.
h sat. where the light -shone fuu
>uths face Of the sufferer and bro ught !
4lat almost every feature Of her beau.
fifai countcnance, for even the fevers
fSvages stillief it so. Like q statue
hs seemed, there was scarcely . moves
mspt Of the body to be observed.
"Die," he said, in tones that be-
! 4rayed trihe the real feelings strug-
fhif within him. .sDle ! no, 4 d31p
mot, while there IS even . breath, Be-
lieve&latp ossihle'' q zsmS
A1ktskat shs .St.sissd nok y vDrl.
ill, Is the hands Of the tiny clock on
thsnshtsi ehimed softly the hour d
tWelve-midnight, there came low
moan from the sufferers lips. -
Then he rose from his seat, with an
exclamation. almost ofjoy':
ADoctor, she will live!"
EYES," ...E
His patient had been extremely
calm, worn by strivings and battllngs
With the fever, and the weakness
seemed just on the point of taking
away the breath Of life, when the
change came, and rather reluctantly,
The ply sician gave the answer that
proved his representations incOrrect.
! Richard Martin left the room inn
mediately. A sigh escaped him as hs
passed out of the door.
."Perhaps we both should have been
better off mad she died ~ he muttercd
TO himself.
Nellie Mason convalesced slowly.
The fever did not Lave her in .
frame,at all easy to build upon. She
Z suffered-suttered both in body and
mind now, for consciousness soon
awakened her to the events transpir-
ing about her.
Nothing was said of the sad disaster
[fom which followed all the trouble
that had CO ne upon her, but one day +,
while sitting at tine window, looking
into, the dreary street, Nellie made .
remark which plainly revealed to her
parents that she had forgotten moth
Sng-at least nothing relating to her
husband.
81 wonder what Henry Mason
would say Of his wife, now that hes
wealth Of hair is gone."
Al NO reply was made to this
speech, she added:
."The headgear I wear may not
please him. Where is he 7"
This last came rather rapidly, as il
forced by sudden thought.
tive will not talk on so unpleasant
. subject, my dear daughter" said
her father, Struggling his Shoulders.
mo Nellie, you are not in . condi.
tion to either think or talk over such
disagreeablc Matters"
cit il not so disagresable, MOTHER
that is, it would not be if--''
Here Nellie paused, and looked al
her parents inquiringly.
"What have they done with him p
she asked.
Mrs. Remington then told her oi
her husbands release and departure
from the city.
She asked no more questions after
that, but fell into a reverie, which
lasted until she was awakened by the
sound Of pleasant girlish voice at bel
elbow.
She had not even heard the sharI
ring Of the bell or the noise of tn.
opening and closing door, SO deep were
her mediSaiions.
"Why, Nellie, my dear" exclaimed
the voice, how dreamy You are
Turning her gaze from the dreary
street to the face Of the speaker, Mel
lie Mason beheld her old friend o.
Woodstock, Bessie Boyd-now Mrs
Charles Bishop.
s'Bessie !"
"Yes, Bessie. I did not hear o.
your illness till yesterday, and here
lam, longing to know how you are"
In short time the two friends wer,
conversing freely. In the course Of
instrumentation Bessie told her 'great
secret''-that she was married.
Nellie sighed when she learned that
her friend had accepted the Doctor
put did not attempt to reveal his base
ness.
"You need.not bs dismayed - said
Bessie, with . laugh, ssfor I know al
about his proposal to married vo