The Mineral argus., 1884-12-04

dreadful tnlng 20 Jnlnh VI OhoH Di"'A
er having killed a man"
The major tried to turn his head
toward the speakers who seemed quite
near. when a hand was laid upon his
forehead and another voice said, Don't
try to move, sir"
Gam l shot?"
Eyes, sir"
"Who brought me here"
"a couple of men found you in the
road"
where's the captain ?"
Him as was with you"
Eyes"
dead, sir"
Days of lethargy, nights Of delirium.
At last a morning, when a voice beside
his pillow said:
"He is much better, Rachel" and he
looked up into a kind sweet face, which
he seemed family to remember having
seen somewhere before.
A figure came and stood in the long
open window and looked at him:
"Ah? 1 know" he said with a weak
smile, "The Queen of the Pixies"
"Come in, Puss," said the lady at
his bedside, and the girl drew shyly
nearer,
"Puss!" he repeated; "and where is
the white kitten? ?"
"How did you know / had a white
kitten ?" she answered. laughing.
Eyes, "he SAID, looking at her reminis-
Gently, chat is the way you looked,
when you danced in the hall"
"He is delirous again, " exclaimed the
matron, but Puss laughed and ran out
of the room.
Days of enchantment succeeded, each
more divine than its predecessor. The
bullet, fortunately, had taken itself out,
and, though it had torn an ugly open
ing in dangerous proximity 10 vital
parts, the simple domestic surgery of
Mrs. Sterling proved equal to every
emergency, and the convalescence met
no serious Interruptions.
Gradually the patient progressed
from an armchair near the window to
a hammock on the southern gallery,
then to a slow promenade under the
trees.
The tide of wal seemed to have rolled
away and left him there in paradise.
Puss-it was the only name he ever
heard her addressed by-sometimes
walked beside him a few moments in
the avenue; sometimes read to him for
brief half hour on the gallery; but she
an erratic puss, and seldom staid
long in one spot.
"Do you still hate me? }" he asked one
lay, as she paused for a moment near
where he sat on the gallery.
"Not so much, no." she answered
,andidly then with an air of reflection,
but | suppose 1 shall when you are
"Whatl then I shall not go. Why
my going renew your hatred?"
@0hLI shall nIy thank of Won then
IS a Yankee"
"And you are bound to hate all
lankeesl" he said with a PANIED look.
"Of course, they are our foes"
al am not your foe"
"Mine or my country's, what does it
natter. You will go from here to fight
.gainst us. You may kill my own
Believe me, 1 would save his life at
he sacrifice of my own"
"He nearly killed you, and you don't
late him?"
II regard him as my greatest bene-
"She looked at him incredu-
you are a funny Yankee" she said,
With her charming, joyous laugh.
But with fuller strength once more
woke the suspended senses of duty.
The semi-occasional newspapers sup
by information gathered
rom rowing negroes who huctuated be-
ween the Federal camps and their old
ZONES had enabled him to follow,
hough not very definitely, the course
f his regiment up to the investment of
'ort Hudson, aud when he had positive
that it was among the be-
he felt that, cost what it might,
must make an effort to join it. It
7as the last m~orning-the last break
asst had been eaten. Even Mrs. Starl-
ng, who had felt that she wa perform
ng an act of exalted magnanimity in
heltering and healing a wounded enemy,
who had carefully guarded herself
gainst a deeper interest than was nat
raj on the part of a physician toward
patient, felt a little sense of prophetic
oss when they rose from the table and
moved together into the hall. As thew !
TODD looking at each other, with the
wkward irresolution that precedes
Rachel called Mrs. Sterl-
ng to some domestic consultation,
nd the Major found himself alone with
FUSS.
She wore, as usual, her homespun {
own, and the white kitten curved it {
elf purringly about her feet. The Ma
or stopped and liftedit to her shoulder. {