The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1885-11-07
Oh AplER VI.

During the journey no newark Flora re-,
manned silent. 1t wa, in vain that her
father tried to draw hoe into conversation.
She remained Oh iurat. :, cold anI hari a
the granite oil her NATIVE city.
When they changed horse; MacAllis}er got
cut and left har to HRS III AMI sorr Jv
while he mountol AMI rode the res OF the
journey with DAenp ter, who by this time
was savagrly drunk. Decidedly, Danl was
not pleasant company. blGci care So. he
hind him, and fair head, dahbleI in blood
when it was not before him. was Ieside him
always So the two men role on in s!lencs
till they reached Aberdeen.
Flora found Jcannie MACPHERSON lowering
'twixt life anl death. The name of tho per-
petrator OF the ontra - was darkly limited
among the servants, but no one dared to
speak out OF course Flora had her own
suspicious.
ut is an ill wind that blows nobody
good" and it was well for. tho girl that her
young mistress had returned, or MacAllister
would have found that his brutality had be-
trayed him to murtler. Poor Jeanpe's suf-
ferings somewhat diverted Fioras mind
from hol own trouble Her first duty now
was to her faithful handnai len, whom she
nurscd with asiiduouj tenderness.
Next morning at daybrcax, when the fish
erman went out to catt their nets, they
found Curly lying, bathed in blood, where
he hal fallen the night before Save for
some faint pulsation of the heart. he was to
all appearance quite deal. MlcDiarmii
and three or four of the men carried MIN to
Sandy's cottage where the cool wife up
Pile | fomenta lions, and for hours and hours
chared the frigid limbs till they slowly re-
v,ved to life, but consciousness and speech
had wholly left him AT last they succeeded
in forcing spoonful or two of whisky and
milk down his throat, and thus they kept
body and soul together for some days.
At lensth David Donaldson had got the
letter Of his fall, and was for returning to
the ferry He had kind heart, had honest
Davie, and hen he saw poor Curly in this
woful plight he forgave him his own
ciac'i on the head, which was a stinger, and
remembered ohly that Curly hal given him
nine golden suvrrei5 gas. Thea no volun-
teered to go to Duuiao AMI spring
guinea for surgeon.
Next day be returnel with DIR. Dixon, the
famous theatrical physician. who recog
uized Curly instantly, despite his battered
condition.
Cool Goir' exclaimed tl.e doctor, this
is an awful business. Concu sion of the
brain-compo,ud fractured Who did itt
It's murder or manslaughtcr, at the le st!
III Dye hears'
Mac Diarmid replied:
Dell o mo kens, or any y thae chaps
pointing to the group of fishermen. 1--WE
found the puir laddie lying at the foot o
the great mucble hill, yes're'en was week
past"
That was all the information Dixon could
obtain. Doubtless MacDiarmid and Davie
had their suspicious as to how the outrage
had occurred, but they kept their own coun-
sci for the pres,nt.
Dixon wasted no time in words. He de-
cided that his patient must lie taken to
Dundee at one, Without delay the pool
fellow was carried down to the coach, and
MacDIarmid and Eispeth accom- panied David
and the doctor the good wife tcnierly
nursing Curly's head upon her lap all the
way, and never quitting him till LIS was
safely ensconcci IN the iniirmlry. The
poor soul had son of his age fighting thu
queens battles far away in lndia-so she
kissed his fevered brow and muttered:
"Puir BARN. It's M heart that's sair for
ye Puir laddie. puir addict It's wac for
the mither that bare ye."
When MacDiarmid led her from the rook,
she missed in his ear, SANDY, twas yon
muckle lang Icon with the corbie's beak
and the evil Ten that did 1t. But hcll never
prosper with the lassie, nor with aught else"
Curiy's case WAS one that almost bafflal
the faculty, but DIR. Dixon was not to bs
beaten; he had made up his mind to save
his patient and save him he did at last
Perchance it had BEEN better for the pool
fellow had lie died then and there The
good Samaritans at the infirmary nursod
him by day, watched over him by night
with unceasing tenderness and care, antici
pating his every wish, his every look.
" hen at length, afte months of darkness
and de1irium, the light Of reason began tc
dawu thera WAS general rejoicing through
ont the place. for they had grown to love
tho poor creature, even as though be were
their own kith and kin. Every morning
when DIR. Dixon came in his patients face
would light up into the shade " Of a smile,
AMI his eyes would follow his nurse with a
kind of dumb, doG-like gratitude. Though
speech was denied him no could distinguish
all that was said to him, and it was quite
touchin to see him gently taks the hand OF
nurse or doctor and kiss it with some of the
old grace
When at length Jeaunis MACPHERSON re
covered she caull scarcely recognize her
beautiful Young mistress in the stern, gray
woman to whom she owel her life As soon
as she was able to speak coherently Flora
insisted On ths truth When the girl told