The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-07-20

herself, she woG.l have crushed then
with her scOrn: likewise if they hat
limited danger to him.
She was the lhccn. gracious To hel
subject, who had richly earned her ora
titudc; but gratitude canpol bridge /:
social chasm. Eat we must know oul
danger to avert Il. On the very brink
Of this chasm the man. the woman
were trembling. all unaware of the
| yawning gulf beneath them. A bold
leap might save them: otherwise they
would dash their aearts to pieces on the
pitiless stones.
| One day their eyes were forced To see.
1t happened thus:
Alan was rapidly regaining strength.
| He was able once more To read and
study.
Il must learn TO draw with nv left
hand, he said. one morning, To Daisy.
sitting beside hiin. IL fear il will be
slow work"
IL can draw little she replied -
Can not carry out some of your ideas
If You will show me how?'
You really mean it?'' he asked.
''lndeed do, ,hr answered. eager
~. and drew pencil and paper towards
her.
He gave her some directions, which
she followed.
81 saw MIR. Noteworthy yesterday"
she said, Us she worked on. '.IIe has
been absent, or he would have been
here to see you; he told me you would
be invaluable to the factory had you lost
both arms"
''Mr. HOlsworthy!' repeated hcr
nearer. Pardon me, Miss Merriton-
you are speaking of your future hus-
band, are you not?''
IL am speaking OF my fathers part
ner," she replied, haughtily. His al
lance or allegiance to our house ends
there"
Listening to her words, great weight
lifted itself from Alan Irving's hcart-a
weight of whose existence he had been
all unconscious; vet what mattered it to
him? He had been workman in her
fathers factory; !.a had saved her life
and won her gratitude. but beyond that
it was folly, worse than IOi!s. madness. TO
dream of aught else
As she bent over CT work. her haad
which held the pen il tremblee,a, Tbs
lifRpffs she made ,ssI, ..:.sc, -. -.
involuntarily leaned towards her. for
getful that his left hand had not acquir-
ed the necessary cunning. AS he did
so. their two hands met. His was hot
and burning, hers cold Us marble. She
sprang to her feet,
Il will come tomorrow" she said,
hurriedly; IL believe | am nervous
to-day"
mo; do not come tomorrow" he
answered, hoarsely. "You--you have
been very kind. but am growing bet
ter now; you must not come again.
His voice was cold to sternness, his
manner harsh and rcpelling. but i'm his
eyes was sOftness which BETRAYED
him.
'Why?" she whispered, and took one
step towards him, 4 soft light in her
eyes which nearly tempted Alan Irving
to forget the strong resolve he had made
to conquer his madness.
Co.. he commanded 1--WE do not
know what perditiOn is until we lose
Heaven"
She hesitated still an instant; then she
obeyed him and went softly out.
Sad news this about poor Irvingr'
said her father, next day, not noting
how pale grew her lovely face at his
words. '.The fever set in again last
night, and there is little hope entertain
ell Of his recovery. He Keeps talking
about you, Daisy, in his delirium. pool
fellow"
All night the girl had struggled be-
tween her love and pride. for yesterday
she, too, had learned her secret. but
though with her love had gained the
victory, how would il be with him?
And she was a woman. He must be
the one to speak, and he would only
gaze ut her in longing silence acros:
what he believed to be an eternally-di-
vided gulf.
Softly she entered the sick mans
room, and stole to his bedside. The
physician was already there.
Daisy broke from Alan's lips, in a
tender whisper, ..your hand is cold
why? 1t trembleS! Oh, my darling! can
you. too, feel? lam mad. with my
crippled arm and workman's dress
nothing left with my brain and ambi-
ton"
HE does not know what he is say
ing, Miss Mcrriton," murmured the
physician. alphabetically.
But no blush either of anger or con-
fusion, bctokened that she had heard
Only. when she was left alone with him
she bent the naughty little head, until
her lips were close to his ear.
"Alan," she said. won't you get well,
dear. for my sake?"
He looked up quickly. as though her
words had penetrated the misls of dcliri-
UNI. She stroked his burning brow with
her cool hand. He ceased to utter inco-
herent words. Gradually the heavy lids
closed and he slept.
MOtiOnlcss she sat beside him. Now
and then his ewes opened, but, seeing her
there. closed again in the slumber which
meant life.
When the physician came, he marvel
led ut the change.
'.He owes his life to you, Miss Merri-
ton," he said.
s.Thank Heaven it is sou she answer
ed, fervently. "Iowc mine to him.
No one interfered now with her post of
nurse. They thought that thus she show
cu lict SIutitu,S'
Alan himself was too weak to rebel,
but this morning, when as usual she
came to take her place beside him, he
gathered up his strength again to bid her
come no more.
Hate, despise me-" he cried" but |
am only mortal and love you! Coco
quickly! Do not let me see your scorn!'
But with Il low cry. half rapture. half
rebuke, she fell on her knees beside his
couch.
"Will YOU not bid me stay?" she whis-
pered. IL, too, am only mortal. Alan.
and |, too, love-
So the gull was bridged. Love ere
now has proven himself wonderful
carpenter, and has helped many Il lover
over many chasm; but when, year
after, the marriage between Alan Irving
and beautiful Daisy MERTON was cele-
brated, the gulf had dwarfed almost in
to insignilicance, fora new and wonder
full discovery and invention had made
his name famous, and given him junior
partnership in the firm of which his flu
ture fa:her-in-law was the respected