The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-10-18

and there he lay, white. crushed, and
! bleeding.
''Have you sent for doctor?" she
said, as she dropped on her knees he.
/ side the passive, insensible form.
"Yes'm," answered one Of the work.
men, who stood a. his head. 1--WE sent
right off,
"Who is this man." she asked.
quickly. "Where does he live2"
"This man here? dunno, ma'am.
Ills names John Ware. He is q new
hand. We don't know nothing about
him. lie was kind of bossy chap,
and yet he didd't seem to know 50 all
fired much either-did he, Eh?"
Don't you know any of his friends?''
Joanna asked. "Where does he live?''
''Deed, couldn't tell ye, ma'am.
L don't know nothing about him.
The doctor came, and his verdict
was a grave one. Joanna came out of
the library with pale, resolute face.
"Aunt Margaret" she said, quietly,
"they are going to take him up to my
roOm."
"Whatl" Mrs. Mowry screamed, in
a spasm Of hysterical horror. "Joanna,
are you mad?"
lie says he has no friends in the
city; and, anyhow, the doctor says it
might be fatal to move him from the
house. The slightest jar makes him
suffer unspeakable agony"
but, Joanna, it is utterly impossi-
ble for us to keep him here. Think of
the-the expense. lies only laboring
man, and-n
81 will bear whatever expense his
being hero may entail upon you"
"But suppose he dies on your hands?
Or he may lie here for months. For
heavens sake, send him to the hos
pitall''
81 cannot think of doing anything
SO mhuman. lie may occupy my room,
Aunt Margaret. DO not distress your
self about it. will see that he does
not occasion you the slightest annoy
ance."
So John Ware was installed in the
little bedroom back of the studio, and
the doctor came and went for weeks
before it was really known that the
patient would recover.
Joanna nursed him with untiring
devotion.
"You really think he will get we'll
now" she said, some days afterwards,
with womanly tears in her eyes.
The doctor took her hand and pressed
it warmly.
EYES," he answered; "thanks to
you'll"
The patient had been sleeping, but
now he opened his eyes, and they
shone with glad welcome as they fell
upon the pale, sweet face Of Joanna.
~ was just saying, my young
friend," observed the doctor, releasing
Joanna's slim fingers to take up John
Ware's finely shaped hand, which was
now as white as marble-"I was lust
saying that you owe your life more to
Mrs. Blight than you owe it to me-"
The handsome fellow gave her a look
so full Of gratitude that it was almost
admiration.
II Shall never forget herI'' he said, ,
in musical voice that promised to be
rich and deep when he grew stronger.
~ cannot even estimate what l owe
her, much less repay her."
Joanna did not like to be thanked,
and She slipped away at the first op-
portunlty; but she carried with her the
memory Of that handsome head, with
its crown Of chestnut curls resting
softly among tho pillows.
Tho weeks went on, and John Ware
was convalescent.
1t was one midsummer morning that
he sat at the window of the study i'm
an easy chair while Joanna made q
feint of working little in oils.
But what did it mean, the tender
light that shone in John Wares eyes
as they rested on her 1.-the, graceful
figure clad in pure white? Why did
Joanna's hand tremble as it held the
palette? And why was her face 50
often suffused with sweet, conscious
blush?
"Why don't you come over here and
talk to me?" he said, with the pre-
sumption of an invalid.
81 have something better to do, MI.
Ware," she answered, mischievou
but you don't know what you are
missing. The little cottage must be
complete now. Here comes IL wagon
load of new furniture"
Like every woman land every man),
Joanna had some curiosity, and this
announcement brought her to the win
dow without delay.
Certainly, there was wagon-load of
furniture, and such turniturel In that
load, which was the first Of several
that came that day, there was a beauti-
ful oakcn sideboard, exquisitely carved
a quaint, lacquered cabinet, ebony
bookcases, handsome brass bedstead
and dear knows what not.
"Thcy arc going to make Il very
pretty home out of it," John Ware
observed. GLOW do you like tho
house?"
Joanna's eyes sparkled.
"O," she cried, clasping her hands
together, ~ think it is perfectly charm
ing! But, she added, with sudden
gravity, ~ should think it would make
you shudder to look at it.n
"Ohl no." he answered, with perfect
calmness. Then he added, softly, sit
might, under different circumstances.
But il l had never had that fall I
should never have known you as know
you nOW."
| Joanna did not speak; but presently
she felt his firm clasp upon her hand.
Still, he did not look at her,"
''You know what has been tremb-
ling on my lips for weeks" he said.
II would not ask you to make the
smallest sacrifice for me, if you felt it
was a sacrifice; but l love you, Joanna,
and my happiness will never be COM
pleted unless you are my wife,"
He did not ask her to marry him: he