Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1884-08-23

bled and fell heavily, tanning herself so
severely that travelling the remainder of
the distance was clearly out of the ques-
ton. Randolph tied her to the fence-a
somewhat unnecessary precaution-and
made his way by shortcut across the
fields to the nearest farm, friends,
where he found the household just
astir, and easily obtained promise of
looking after the mare from a sleepy
looking farm boy. Then he struck
across the country in the direction of
Port Caradoc, through patches OF cool,
green forest, where the sun had as yet
scarcely penetrated, and over fields
bounded sometimes by snake" fences,
sometimes by rough barricades of tree
stumps. The grass was heavy with dew
glittering in the morning sunlight.
A little after 8 O'Clock he came in
from the side next the village, but from
the opposite direction. While still half
a mile off he deserted a horse and car
rage standing at the gate and what
seemed to be knot of people in the
road Figures were moving in and out
of the door. Randolph was not very
much surprised; it had occurred to him
before as more than probable that, were
the report true as to the steamer having
gone to pieces ON the sandbar use would
have been made of his house, as the
nearest at hand, as an impromptu hos
pital for the rescued. Now, drawing
nearer he recognized the carriage at the
gate as that belonging to the doctor, and
felt confirmed in this idea. He hurried
on, feeling faint and sick from long ex-
ertion and want of food Soon he was
perceived and recognized by the group of
people at the gate, all but two of whom,
and these apparently strangers, were
well known to him-some were old
friends. Not one stepped forth to meet
him-not one spoke. Instead, they
turned to each other with looks of hor-
ror and pity, and one, young farmer,
who had been for years his greatest
friend in the place, turned aud walked
quickly away. Randolph stopped-his
heart gave one great throb and then
seemed to grow still. Was it true2 Had
this strange, dreadful presentiment of
evil been only forewarning of the
truth? Then a great calm came over
him. He walked on. What is it,
friends?'' he said, quietly. No one an
swered; one old man attempted to speak,
but the words died away in his throat.
Keziah came down the path. ''The
Lords hand is heavy upon you, Ran
dolph," she said, solemnly. He pushed
her gently aside and entered the house
The door of the front room was closed
He opened it, and the bright, cruel sun
light streamed into the darkened room.
Streamed in upon the bookcases, on the
walls, the new piano in the corner,
the sofa covered with bright blue-he
had covered it himself But not for
this, He had thought how she would
resi- there in the evenings; how he would
sit beside her, perhaps with children
playing at their feet; but he had never
thought of this-oh, Godl never of thisl
He needed not to draw the covering
from the fair, pale face to know that it
was her form lying SO quietly there
needed not to press his burning hands
upon her brow, upon her heart, to know
that hope was fed. He scarcely listened
when they told him how it happened
why she had come a week earlier; how
she had struggled at the end for life. At
first he knelt there, piteously shaking
her cold hands and moaning like some
dumb animal in pain, and then he raved |
and cursed his health and strength, and
prayed for death.
But death comes not for the asking,
and he lived