, 1884-11-23

professional experience, slight as it was, told
him there was no hope.
"Dora, what has brought you to thisl' he
said, unable TO conceal how shocked he was
@You,H she answered. vehemently. you
laid a deliberate. cruel plan for your own
amusement, and you may well enjoy your
work"
D not excite yourself" he said, gently,
putting back with his cool hand the heavy
locks that fell over her forehead.
Il am sane enough. haven't been delirions
at all wanted to tell you that l intend
some day to make you suffer as you have
made me. You know you took all the flavor
out OF my life after you went away. How
fiat and weary everything seemed I took
no pains to live; what could l live fort Ny
mother cares for my brother more than for
me- SO ! did what they call running down
l danced and fiirted harder than ever, to for
get you, and my heart-ache, and my Ian
guild limbs; and when this illness came the
doctors said 1 had no strength to get well. Z"
She spoke in short, rapid sentences, but
would not pause long enough TO give him a
chance 10 stop her or to answer.
~ have not the will TO get well, y she added;
abut ! have the will for this: you shall love
me yet My soul shall follow yours day and
night, until 1t wins your love as completely
as you won mine. There will be a way. I
shall find itn
Fielding was overcome with grief and re-
morse as she went on. He could not find n
word TO say, until at last be stammered:
"Dora, l never thought did not believe
that you-What can l sayl WIN you forgive
mer
~On the day you say you love me, and that
day is coming she answered, with a solemn
impressiveness that shook his nerves in spite
Of his knowledge that her words were utterly
futile. The superintendent life that had been
one OF her greatest charms was so soon to be
quenched, and she spoke OF what was to hap
pen between them after the great final change
had extinguished it.
why not now, Doraf7 he implored, taking
her hand. How can there be forgiveness II
not nowf7
That remains with you, y ahe said. family,
Aand on that day my soul will know and
tell you. 1 shall again see you with other
eyes"
After that she refused to speak either to
him or to the Others who came back into
the room they had left that she might talk at
her ease.
"The end" murmured Fielding, as he stood
beside her open grave with uncovered head.
w are born and we die, and that Is the
end"
Time passed as usual. Fielding threw him
self moro and more p~assionately into his pro
f~ession, and for 30 young a man was becoming
celebrated for his microscopic Investigations
Of the nfe7germ. He finally discovered that
he needed rest long after every one else had
been urging him TO give up his absorbing
pursuit for a time; and he betook himself In
search OF health and eye-sight to a pretty
village, where so few went for tho summer
that be would be practically alone If he
wished. He made his temporary homo with
= widow who rejoiced in the possession Of one
daughter, as beautiful a specimen Of human
ity as it had ever been Fielding's good for
tune TO meet. He looked at her as n physician
is Inclined to regard a pretty woman, with
the eye OF an anatomist, and found her per
feet
He was willing to make It n dual solitude
for a few weeks, and at first he was amused
at the loquacity Of the pretty mouth curving
upward at the corners like a Cupid's bow.
Pretty mouths are so rare in this world.
Most Of those you see are mere gashes for the
exit Of the necessary revelation or conceal
ment OF ideas, or the performance of CASTRO
nomic feats; or else the heavy, unfinished
lips lie loosely against each other, as II
Heavens journeyman had made them and
not made them well.
After a while be began to grow tired of the
c~easeless flow OF words without an idea.
81 wish l dared make a bargain with her
mother for her brain In case l should outlive
her" ho wrote In his journal. 1.-THE exami-
nation Of 1t would solve several problems
that are tormenting mt at present. I never
met any person in full possession Of all her
faculties and a common education that came
so near to being an idiot She seems to have
absolutely no soul"
He started, stared at what be had written,
and threw down the pen in disgust.
What impelled me to use a word there
that 1 have not used for yeasf How long Is
IL since poor Dora varian diedi Three years,
upon my word. How time fiiesi It seems
like last week, and yet l know It is months
since / have thought of her. But what Is
that-does Miss Barrows play the guitar"
He leaned out Of his window, for he
thought he heard a low vibration like a
musical string rapidly untuned. No, it
seemed in the room beside him. He shook
himself impatiently, murmured something
about taking cold, and then went downstairs
whore Miss Barrows was lounging in a chair
In the sunset glow. She gave him a sleepy
little smile as he took the chair beside her;
the heat had silenced her for a few moments.
Fielding took the fan from her land and
slowly piled 1t back and forth until her closed
eyes and regular breathing suggested that
she might be entirely oblivious of his pres
ence.
He surveyed her with a feeling Of some
thing like aversion In spite OF her beauty.
There was no intelligence in the heavenly
clearness OF her eyes, no trace OF thought on
the brows that seemed almost chiseled; the
nlip-shod English that came from her full
throat in a voice that at times was unearthly
sweet dismayed his fastidious ear. He slightly
pushed back his chair and thought Of one
| gummar ufQht Whan ba had frrr1fe.u kc.~ a..
time passed as Dora varian and he paced up
and down the garden path, softly talking.
Miss Barrows stirred and Enclosed her eyes
when he moved.
Have you missed mar she said quietly,
and again the guitar vibrated on the air.
What was the matter with the girli Those
were her eyes surely that he sat gazing into
nghast, and yet, whore had they caught that
look Of Dora Variant
"Weil." she said, with Dora's own smile, AZ
have waited and watched, and the time has
come at last when 1 can see you with living
eyes and talk with a living voice. Yes, you
are right am Dora Varian-"
A chill shook Fielding from head to foot
What horrible hallucination was thisl Had
his close application to work crazed him at
last; and was this the form his madness was
to takel Half timidly he touched her hand:
Il was warm and soft as ever:
You need not answer me just now" she
said, gently withdrawing from bis touch.
LET me explain to you first how this came
to pass When / died, l told you l should
see you again, and three long years ! have
been beside you day and night, trying to
give you some sign of my presence. When
ever you thought Of me l knew It, and tried
to tell you so, but all efforts only resulted in
some strange sound. / felt that you heard
it, for you always looked around to account
for II in some natural way. But oh, Mark, IL
is six months since l have entered your
mind.n
"Where Is shs-uhsre IL Miss Barrowsf' In.
No later for Eleven Days.
~ ~ So