Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-12-24

fiuttering-huttering-hnaily stopping
while locked on dry-eyed | Wa
childlessl
There was "a blank after this, in which
forgot how discovered that | had
lost Hugh's love utterly but l did dis
cover it, and could not wonder at my
loss. Haggard, ugly. untidy, never
speaking, never smiling, | seemed nalf
mad.
"YOu really ought to rouse yourself" p"
Katie said, speaking with the cheerful
wisdom that would have fascinated a
third person. "You have lost your
baby, but you have your husband you
have not been bereaved as have been. Z"
How l wished for strength to crush
herl
Leave me alone" growled.
Leave you alonep Certainly, dear;
it is what most people will soon long to
do. But think, for poor Hugh's sake,
you ought to strive not to be such de-
pressing person."
Poor Hughi How dared she men,
tion him?
''Indeed you should not foster these
humors," she said soothingly "you
seem anxious to kill yourself, to judge
by your own acts"
"As if you cared-as if you would
not he glad was dead ~
"And what benefit might I expect to
reap from your death?" she asked, with
the slightest possible elevation of her
arched eyebrows.
"What benefit Hugh 70 1 almost
shrieked. 81 suppose you think you
could marry Eugh"
My long self-control had at last given
way and | stood before her gaspiAg and
painting.
perhaps 1 might do worse than
marry him." she said, with her slow,
aggravatlng smile.
''But you could not, you could not ~
l cried, triumphant even III my misery
"The Deceased Wife's Sister Bill has
not yet passed the House of Lords.
Your marriage would not be legal"
at would in America"
"Ha I"
"Yes, Hugh told me so."
"Oh, Heaven ~ l reeled backwards.
as though bereft of all vital power.
| Hugh had talked to her of their possi-
BILE marriage if L were cad had no
sensation but crushed, stunned sense
OF inward agony, and in the midst of it
my SISTERS next words were vaguely
heard, but not cOmprehended-
"He was not referring to me. you
goose 1t would be like you to go and
tell him whole romance Of your own"
had dim knowledge that she was
an OF fn.r h.Nt hnr. 10
veyed no meaning.
Hugh loved her-had told her even
how she might be his wife if | were
dead. 1t was enOugh-I must die TO
accommodate them. had only strength
to think the one thought over and over
81 must die" l got up calmly, and
went upstairs slowly, stony-faced,
leaden-hearted, but strong with my
purpose. dressed myself for walking
more carefully than L had done for
weeks, and quietly went out. The
street door closed after me with bang
the icy wind smote NE sharply /; but
| did not feel it as l went swiftly
towards the railway-station TO meet the
train by which Hugh was coming
home. There was a grim humor in the
luct lildl L ucdln oO DctI
him. l laughed noisily as | hurried ON
through the well-dresSed crowdHit was
amusing. There would be a scuffie,
cry of "a woman killed !" a hush, and
Hugh would come with the rest to look,
and the mangled remains would be his
wife. Let him marry Katie then if he
liked. with that sight ever in his eyes
and tingling in every nerve of his body.
hurried on-lights were flashing at
the station, porters were signaling to
each other; away in the distance was
the train, its steam shining in the dark
ness, its red eyes glaring hungrIly,
while the engine emitted short s0bS, as
if it knew and regretted the work be-
fore it.
stood on the very edge of the plat
form and waited. The tram came on |
quickly-the station was long one.
Leaning from one of the windows
was Hugh, with the lamplight on his |
face. In one minu'e more he would |
be wifeless. Oh, my lost lovel
"Stand back ~ porter said gruffly, |
catching hold of my shawl. "You are |
too near"
l certainly was too near. threw |
off the shawl with a frantic gesture,
and then with cry that rang into the |
night, chilling even my own blood, | |
leaped
''Helen, Helen pa pair of arms |
were round me-Hugh's arms-Hugh's |
voice was calling to me.
''Let me gol' shrieked. "YOu are |
too late-you cannot save me nOwP'
SIT is |, Helen-you are safe"
''Safel Let me die! Oh, for Heav-
ems sake let me der
"Merciful goodness, Helen, what is
the natterp 1t is I-awake, awake
You are dreaming, love-"
"Oh, Hugh. where am p"
Here, in the draVing-rOom. at home
with me. What has been the matter?"
81 clung to hlm-I held him as
though should never let him go. 1t
was all dream, but Its horrors were
over me yet.
SLOW long you must have been sleep
ing here The fire is out, and you are
almost frozen; and have been fancy
ing such cosy room, and such bright
faced wife, all the way from Manches-
ter"
was not yet fully awake. 1 held
him close to me, while tears rained on
his wet sleeve.
'sOh, Hugh, have dreamt such hOr-
rors l thought you had ceased to
love me, and were gong to marry my
sister Katie"
"What sister Katie ?"
"Katie Bashforth. / thought that
the Captain was dead. and that she had
come to live with US, and"
81 think you are dreaming yet, little
woman. You have no sister. You
were too good for there to he another
of the same"
''No sisterp Oh, Hugh, she was too
real cannot have invented her in q
dream. Why, see her yet!''
"Well, unless she was born to-day
you have none; and sister few hours
old is not likely to be formidable, even
e l.