Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-03-28

away that Ieou1d not iii Justice to nv
self leave unsaid. I Will not detain yo,,
long, nor will I repeat any thing which
may pain you. First, for the words
which you must have heard between
myself and Mayne, sinearel ask your
pardon 4 will not attempt to excuse
them except TO tell you that even love.
OF you was unknowingly filling my
heart. I know that since.
then you Intentionally led me on that
you might all the more surely strike
your blow. I have no word or fault to.
find. I bow to your indignation, but
for all that is past, I love you now,
deeply deyotedly, with all my heart.
My own words are my own shame 4
could not go away without telling you
this. Now, farewell" 5S
He held out his hand as he spoke;
his face was pale and set. i :1% .#&ft
4 She took his hand mechanically with
out meeting his eyes or speaking aword.
He stood a moment, then, with a sigh,
turned away and was gone. .~#'@
For some time Isabel did not move,
but remained sitting where she was,
"1oA tAS1 Syca Ie',h1AS "AiAoCC1itAASAJ ooo
over the river; then, with little moan,
she sank ON the grass and buried her
face in her hanbs. IS
+ ooh, Leonard Leonard !" she sobbed,
"come back to mel"
But Leonard Ashley was long since
out of hearing, and once more. her pride
had ruled her heart. .a. . :, ~ =
~, But he was not destined to leave her
When Isabel had dried her eyes, and
quoted her beating heart sufficiently to
meet the rest of her party again, Ash
ley had driven away to the station
behind Mrs. Mortimer's lovely pair Of
greys. -
The remainder of the afternoon
passed like dream to Isabel; her
heart and brain were both numbed with
a dull, aching pain, until as the merry
party were driving homeward, when
the sun was slowly disappearing amid
crimson clouds in the west, man on
horseback, driving like mailman met
them. Even the sight Of this rider tear
ing along towards them, which immedi
ately interested the balance Of the party
did not arouse the girl from her lethar-
gy until he wheeled UP alongside the
carriage, and gasping for breath which
he had ridden out, cried to Mrs. Morti-
mer: can accident ma1m! The greys
bolted---Mr. Ashley at the house dead |"
At the mention of Leonard's name Is
abel came out of her stupor, sat upright
in the carriage, her pale face now actu-
ally livid; then came q heartrending
shrek, and she tainted. y
But bad news is always easily exag-
gerated, and when the pleasure party
arrived home, they did not find Leonard
Ashley dead, although he had a narrow
escape, and lay bleeding and insensible
in the drawing-room. The horses had
become frightened and unmanageable at
the sight of the railway, and running
had thrown Markham out against a post
on the side of the road, and cutting an
ugly cash in the back of his head, and
rendering him with his black blood mat
ted hair and CHASTITY face, decidedly
corpse-like in appearance but on the ar
rival of the doctor they removed him to
made him IS comfortable as human skill
could, though he breathed heavily, and
consciousness did not return.
The doctor would say nothing de-
cisive when he had done everything in
his power for the time, and was about
to go, except shake his head gravely
but poor, pale Isabel, who had recovered
her consciousness before they had
reached the house, and had been fore
most among them all with helping
hand, was not satisfied, and followed
him down stairs to the door, and lifting
her pleading, fearful eyes to his, family
asked for the verdict.
''Well, little one," he said, looking at
her pityngly, II won't say there is no
hope, but only constant watching and
the best of care will bring him through u
Nothing more, but she thanked b i'm
| for that.
For three days and nights she never
| left his bed for moment while he lay
unconscious. She had forgotten her
pride now. His life depended upon her
watchfulness and care, for who else
could give him that unceasing devotion
The bitter words he had spoken were
forgotten. When he returned to life,
if he ever did, she would creep away I'M
observed, and he would never know
that her unceasing care had ever brought
him back. i. 80"
On the fourth day he began to show
signs Of returning consciousness, and
calling softly to the nurse who was
| sleeping in the next apartment, she
/ looked at him for moment, her eyes
filled with soft love ight-for now in his
helplessness could she not love him as
she would if he were dead ?--and moved
| lightly from the room. ,.-s. .>...a
From that moment he grew steadily
better; the. crisis is passed. Isabel had
saved his life. She did not again enter
the room, but each day met the doctor
| outside the door, and heard his reassur-
ing report, q s.:.,.$ l.. (. / : :
t At last, one morning, as she was
waiting outside his door, the doctor
come out smiling, but did not close the
door behind him as usual. Espying Is.
i abel, he. cried, heartily: 4.sj# MI
Ha, there's the little nurse thai
brought my patient back to life. Ivt
been telling Mr.. Ashley about you fol
I the first time this morning, and he i
anxious to thank you;. and seeing yor
saved his life, I think it is quite propel
4 in him. Come, he is much better thi!
morning, and il viii do him good to SCI
i someone. s.s n
aOh, no, MOI" cried Isabel, turning
/ pale, and pushing the kind hearted
4 doctor away who was trying to draw
her into the room. b ]. ~:
Come along, come along" he per
sisted, understanding her objection
i I tell Won it will do him no harm, OF