Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-09-23

| gcIHtIl ESSic, you IculcluDci Wudl wax
said between us tO-day-yesterday-
when was it?"-with a painful uneer
tainty-''that last time We were to
gether. i was wrong when l doubted
you'll You do love me?"
''Yes-yes.
'Tnere Is no one else?"
There is no one else. There neyel
was, there never will be-"
"Winnier says Sir Gerald suddenly
AT this the tall woman who haG
watched Esther's entrance with dIsmay
his sister Lady Challoner-cOmes for
ward quickly bends over HIM.
what is it my dearest Gerald?"
There is something | want 10 tel
you. This"-lettlng his tired eye:
wander to Esther again, and speaking
eagerly, though with extreme difficulty
lis the girl love. You Will be good
to her? You will treat her as a sister
when am gomez"
81 WILL dol" says Lady ChalloDel
hurriedly, with badly-suppressed
sob.
Sir Gerald turns again to Esther.
You Will stay with me?" he say:
anxionsly.
E. ther in her turn hesitates, and look:
at Lady Challoner with gentle pleading
in her gaze.
IF may" she says simply, yet witt
pathetic dignity.
Yes; she shall stay" says Lady
Challoner miserably, addressing her
brother. As yet it is impossible to her
TO exchange words with this unknown
girl.
Until the end?" asks the young
young man, looking only at Esther.
Until the end," repeats the latter
solemnly.
''It won't be long. my love" returns
he with sad smile, pressing her hand.
AT this Lady Challoner breaks into
bitter weeping; to Esther however it
seems as though she and kindly tears
have parted forever. Her eyes are dry
and brilliant, but there is such forlOrn
misery in her young face that presently
Lady ChallOner goes up to her and lays
her hand impulsively upon her arm, as
though in vain effort to comfort her
Perhaps in so doing she feels she IS al
ready beginning the fultillment of her
promise TO befriend her. A little later,
probably with the same intent, she her
self brings to Esther low-cushiOned
chair to the side of the bed, and insists
upon the girls rising from her tatigu-
| ing position to occupy it.
So the early morning lengthens into
noon and noon fades into twilight and
Bonde opens his eyes again, and, after
a troubled Semi-conSclouS moment, lets
them fall with glad relief upon Esther,
still sitting motiUnless beside him.
''Sull with mel' he says dreamily
with pleased look. Then-''I fancied
| was dead, and had no claim to you in
that other world. Do not let my cruel
fancy come true, Essie. Let me call
! you wife before l CO."
A Shudder runs through Esther's
| frame; she trembles and turns pale.
"What is itI" says one of the doc
tors, STOPPING anxiOusly over his pa
| tient.
II want TO make her my wife-nOw
at once. / have made no will; l have
done nothing for her. Her poor little
hands''-with growing and terrible ex-
citement-"will be at work all day
when / am dead and there will be no
one to help her. Tell her to consent to
our marriage, and get clergyman to
read the words, and quickly. Where
is the one who was here while since?"
The agitation is increasing with him.
Frightened by it, Sir Henry, the head
physician, takes Lady ChallOner apart
and converses with her earnestly, hur-
riedly, IN low tone. Then Esther is
appealed to.
"Hls last chance, if one can call it a
chance, lies in perfect rest of mind and
body" says Sir Henry; ''any undue ex-
citement will terminate his life prob
ably within the hour. And yet l will
not deceive you'll dare not say there
is in reality hope of saving his life by
any means; there is only"-gently-
'the certainty of rendering his last mo-
ments happy. This rests with yOu'-
gazing lnquiringly at Esther.
~ will do what he wishes" says
Esther, with quivering lips. A little
later she is again sitting beside her hus-
band, this time his hand locked in hers
a look of great content and peace upon
his white worn face.
For three long weary weaks he lin
gers, lowering between life and death;
and then at last there comes day when
the doctors look less grave, and when
even sober smile breaks upon the lips
of the youngest of them. Taking Lady
Challoner and Esther apart, they whis-
per to them of hope sure and certain
and tell them in all probability Sir Ger
ard in time will be again quite what he
was before that disastrous accident
that brought him to deaths door.
Towards evening he opens his eyes
again upon his sister and his wife. 1t
is getting dusk; but they both see the
happy triumphant smile with which he
looks at Esther.
II am to live then?" he says radiant
ly. $50 Il caught you with gile'l'' he
laughs feebly, but with humor.
Noting his recognition of his wife,
Lady Challoner, full of consideration,
had risen hastily and gone to distant
window. Esther, with pale face, fol-
lows hers. and by a slight but vehement
movement compels her to meet her gaze.
"YOu blame me-" she says impetu-
Ously; ''but 1t was not my fault. l
would have avoided the marriage if
could. too have my pridel Though l
loved him then as love him now,
would still have left him free to wed
some one in his own rank. On that
very day, before his accident, he had
asked me to marry him, and had re-
fused.' . Her voice is unsteady, her
hands are trembling as she holds them
out with little gesture full of passion
ate depreciation. You must believe me
He himself will tell you 50, But, when
they told me that alone had the power
to make his last moments happy
Oh, what would you have done? Now
Heaven, In mercy. has given him back
TO me; but how can l know content,
even with him, if those others whom
he loyes-if you look coldly on me?"
Her voice breaks, she draws her breath
with sharp sob, and turns eyes dark
with fear and grief upon Lady Chal-
loner.
She need not have feared however.
Going closer to her, Lady ChallOner
slips her arm~round her neck.
One never looks coldly on anything
beloved" she whispers softly. and
presses her lips to hers. =
INSTRUCTOR in rhetoric-'Give an
example of syllogism." Logical
freehman-AlI men are more or less