The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-08-16

undoubtedly, if he had been the most re-
pulsive and degraded of human creatures,
but it is doubtful whether she would nave
felt the same zeal.
"a man with that face must lead noble
life, and be of use to humanity" she said
to herself.
She cast a glance at the nurse, torpid
looking old woman, doing in her chair by
the window, and went downstairs with
decided step.
At the door the landlord and Nicodemus
were talking together.
"You don't say so, now? If that amt a
streak of luck that | should kind OF get
mixed up with him sol" Nicodemus ex-
claimed.
"But he amt much better than dead
man." said the landlord.
you'd better believe he'll come round
lively enough when Miss Eldridge takes
hold of him. They always do. Nobody
ever thinks of dyin' with her a-doctorln' OF
'em. Folks in this world can be ginerally
divided into them that fetches things to
pass, and then that don't. Miss Eldridge,
she's one of them that does. If ever you
hear of me joinin' the church 1t won't be
Parson Godfrey's doin's, not by long
| chalk-he gives me the fust idea | ever got
from him in my life last Sunday, and that
Want exactly what you could call s P;:
| itooal-it III be Miss Eldridge's. DIE?
Don't you believe it! He'll. be able to talk
| business inside of fortnight"
Only the last few words of this discourse
| came to Miss Eldridge's ears, and that
made so little impression that she did not
| think of it again until weeks afterward.
81 shall stay here" she said to Nicode-
demus; "and L will give you lis1s&
things that 1 want sent over. shall KEGS
| PHYLLIS with me for the present"
The latter point Miss Eldridge had care
| fully considered, as she came down stairs,
She shTank from staying there alone, and
certainly it would not be exposing Phyllis
to any danger to keep her. Nothing could
| be less like aravening wolf than this young
| man in his present state.
So Miss Eldridge and her niece estab-
lished themselves in the Norwich hotel,
| and devoted themselves to nursing back to
conscious life and health this stranger of
whom they knew nothing except that his
name was John and that he was in some
way connected with some mysterious old
| friend of the squire.
For more than a week the issue was
doubtful. The patient was delirious, and
in high fever. But one morning, after
the first long and refreshing sleep he had
| had, he looked calmly up into Phyils's
face, as she stood tanning him, and said,
| interrogatingly:
| sly on are an angel"
so, dear no." said Phyllis, blushing and
dimpling.
| Owing to Miss Eldridge's vigilance no.
| body had ever said that to her before.
| 1t was a striking fact that, although she
| blushed and dimpled, and said so, dear
no." Miss Phyllis regarded the remark as
a strong proof of returning intelligence,
and, strange to say, she did not repeat it to
| her aunt.
And, apparently, she was right, for, from
| that time, he began to mend rapidly, and
soon the day came for which Miss Eldridge
| had longed-he was able to be moved to the
squire'S house at Greenvale. The hotel at
| Norwich was comfortless and noisy abode.
| Miss Eldridge felt that the quiet and seclu.
sion of Greenvale would do her patient
more good than anything else could.
The mystery concerning him had not been
| solved. He had asked where he was, had
remembered the accident that had befaller
him, and had inquired who was taking care
of him; but Miss Eldridge had hidden him
not to talk or try to think, and he had
obeyed with the docility that comes oil
physical weakness:
1t was not until he was comfortably set
tied in the squire's house, and had recOv
cred from the fatigue of the journey, that
| Miss Eldridge would answer his questions
as to the reason of her seeking him, and
showing him such kindness.
| The squire, who was confident that if ais
memory for names had failed, his memory
for faces had not, declared that he had
never seen the young man before, and he
was so puzzled about the matter that he
gave Miss Eldridge no peace until she told
the young man of the telegram.
81 am certainly John, but who r. Mason
| is do not know, nor how anybody alta dis
lance could possibly know what had hap.
pened to me. | am really afraid thatI am
an impostor. | have become possessed of
your care and kindness by false pretences.
| ct mob oil fbn dc
by telling you at once who | ann
sit does not matter in the least. We are
more glad to be able to help stranger
said Miss Eldridge' hastily, her tender
heart sorely troubled by the young mans
LOOK of distress. "You really must not
talk about it at all until you are stronger"
Several times in the course of the next
| week the young man reverted to the topic
but always to be checked by Miss Eldridge.
1t wounded her sense of delicacy that he
should feel obliged to give an account of
| himself, and for herself, she was quite
willing to take him upon trust. Moreover,
practical and prim spinster as she was she
enjoyed the little touch of mystery. She
did not acknowledge that to herself, but it
had its effect
She did not take as good care Of PHYLLIS
as she ought to have done; she acknowl-
edged that afterward with deep penitence.
! Phyllis read and sang to MIN through the
long days of his convaleScence. Miss FL
| bridge or the nurse was always present,
and there was very little talking. He was
a remarkably reserved and quiet young
man. Miss Eldridge could not see that it
made any difference to him whether PHYLLIS
or she was his entertainer. And as for
Phyllis, she seemed to regard it as rather
a bore to devote herself to him.
One day Miss Eldridge suddenly awoke
| to the fact that she had been vaguely wish.
| ing it were otherwise! Was she really so
attracted by this utter stranger that she
would be willing that Phyllis should fall
in love with him? Miss Eldridge took her
| self sternly to task for such an unprincipled
emotion. And yet he did not seem alto
gether unlike a minister. She resolved
she would no longer blind herself to her
| duty. The young man should be allowed,
encouraged, to give an account of himself.
Miss Eldridge went out to walk to calpsa her
perturbed mind and reflect upon the situa-
| ton, when she encountered Nicodemus.
Twice already had Nicodemus expressed
an earnest desire to have an interview with
the invalid. Miss Eldridge had set it down
as that curiosity to which the rural mind
in general, and Nicodemus' in particular,
was prone, but to-day Nicodemus was so
persistent that it struck her as improbable
that his motive could be merely curiosity.
"What do you want to see Mr.. Conroy
| for, Nicodemus" she said.
| well, you see, ma'am, it's little mat
tor of business" said Nicodemus, looking
dowucast but determined. "There's some
thing in his line that / want to buy"
"What is his line?" was on Miss FL
bridges surprised tongue, but she checked
its utterance. What she would not bear