, 1885-01-11

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both tho women looking nervous and sieep-
less. and tho blind poet wearing the habltual
serene expression that his closed syelids gave
his rugged face.
Isabel sat facing her friends in a sort OF
trance. She was quite unconscious OF the
flight Of time until tho early autumn day
drew toward . close and the lamps were
lighted through the car.
In another hour we shall be at hons" OBJ
served Annie, looking at her watch. HHow
glad 7 shall DO"
As she spoke there came a jar and a crash.
Every one has read OF tho friKhtful scenes
tim follow a railway collision. Whom
Isabel could collect herself she found that by
some strange chance her limbs were free AMI
she was unhurt, then she knew by the smoke
and the smell OF burning that the train had
caught fire.
aAnnisr' sho called. aJohn, can you hear
mef'
Rossitur answered. Annie was lying In
sensible or dead under a mass OF broken
wood and iron. Isabel found him close to
her. She lifted his head against her breast
and held IL there while tho slow minutes
wore away among the shrieks and means of
the dying men and women, and the crack
ling OF the creeping fire.
Nov / feel my halplessness as 1 never
have done in all these years OF blindness, "
said Rossitur, with the calmness of despair.
aIf / had my eyes, l feel as IL / could get out
from under this weight on me and do some
thing toward saving you. But l must lie
here and let you die. / may tell you now,
in the faco ofdeath, how 1 love you / am
badly hurt, / know, and l am a manned,
useless creature at best My love can not
wound you now. / hope and pray that you
will be rescued still"
MI IN - ------ NJ = -
glad to die with you. What can my life be
to me nowl You know what 1t has been,
but heaven spare me the dreary blank that
existence would be to me without you"
Isabel" he said, suddenly, 1--WE can neither
Of US hold out much longer. This Is our
last meeting on earth. l have never seen
your face. WIN you let me kiss your lips
for the first and only time In lifeg'
She bent her head toward him Then came
a rush of suffocating smoke, more cries.
some from without this time-and then I'M
consciousness
Afterward, in Annie Rossitur's home, lisa
bel learned all that had happened TO her.
She learned that Julian, who had been I'M
hurt, like herself, had managed to extricate
himself and force a passage through a win
dow. He had worked heroically in saving
others, and had been mainly instrumental
in rescuing Isabel herself. He had risked his
own life in helping to drag John Rossitnr
from the wreck, but he only saved the
! glorious frame from being harmed by the
fire. 1t was a lifelei S body that they laid DO
side his crushed but still breathing sister.
Grace had been burned beyond recognition
she had been stunned by the first shock, and
had probably suffered very little.
And now Julian was downstairs, waiting
to see Mrs. Everson. She rose from Annie's
A - - - M a. -.
as she entered. was TO take her in his arms,
but something in her manner kept him at a
distance, though in the old life with her he
bad not often yielded to any check IN his
impulses
"You came TO he thanked" she began.
although l can not thank you for saving my
life, indeed / thank you with all my hear
for preventing my dear Annie from dying
such a horrible death. And you will let me
tell you how much / admire and appreciate
the courage you showed that dreadful
night"
"You are not fit to be out OF bed, and you
are nursing that womanip he exclaimed,
angrily. "What viii you do nextp
II am strong, you know" she replied, with
the ghost Of a smile.
@But, Isabel" " he proceeded, hastily, II did
not come to be banked. Tho praises OF
| Iutno ltollb uAO hithtuluSs nuu IodAan
do less than / did. l came-how can / say
itl-forgive me, Isabel, and come bacl
to me-"
at is too late. l have gone through SC
much" she said, dropping into a chair, fol
her limbs failed her as she thought Of the
coming struggle Of wills, and remembered
his pertinaeity of old.
at Is not too late" he cried, throwing him
self besds her, and taking her in his arm
with all the ardor OF his first love for her
@You shall not say so-you can not. II you
do, you will ruin my life. Can you be 81
hnrdi know all you a suffered for me
| confess how cruel l nave been to you-noI
once or twice, but so often that l ave won
dered how much more you would stand. But
/ have always loved you, and l love you now
ten times as much as l did at first 1 would
treat you like a saint. You are the one
woman in the world to me. Good sod
Isabel, you are not going to refusei"
He sprang up and held out his arms.
al cannot" she replied n cannot do 1t.
have forgiven you, but IL takes all my
strength. Is 1t fair. to come to me like thii
when L am so shakenf"
"Am l nothing to you any moref You die
love me once l know" he said r~eproachfully
as the love of such a woman asI havl
always thought you made of such light stuff
that it has died out SO easilyr
aEasilyiD cried ISABEL. aThink how lonf
it took to kill it It was not VI ril 1 has
proof upon proof that what I loved neveI
mad any existence, that my love all meltet
away. loved you with a girls imagina
ton, and you took wiliful, deliberate pains Il
destroy my ideal. l loved him with
woman's heart and he was worthy of 1t, blu
he would never nave known 1t II he hat
lived, for you stood between.us, and 1 cal
be no mans wife"
isabel, have yous 10 pity for your child
fatheri'
Then she gave way and broke into sucl
tears as he had never seen her shed
You had none for your child's mother,
she answered, hurriedly and ~unhroksnly
my life is safe from you now. Can't yol
see that we are better apartl Annie Rossitu
may live for years, but she -c.n never NOV
hand or foot again. and my place is with her
How long has Grace Fearing been deadH
and you ask me to come back to you"
isabel, listen TO mel"
mo, l know you well. 1t is only becaus
/ am u~nattainabie that l am desirable i
your eyes. Hear me out, please II l wer
to yield, you would tire Of me in a mont
and the wretched story would be repeated.
ask you, not for the sake OF what we ono
were to each other, not for my sake, but 70
your own sake as a gentlemen, as a man, t
give me your word that you will not perst
cute me again, but viii go away and leav
me 60 lead a life where, unless you wish II
/ can never cross your path"
Allow can / eyer go away and leave you
Your love may come back"
Julian, your place Is flled by a latel
higher love, that can never do eithor of u
wrong. Forgive me-, you forced me to sa
il. Now win you got Now will 20
promisef
She rose as she spoke, and he murmure
Il PROMISE as ne passed her on HIS WY /
the door; and TO his Maynard fancy sh
had never seemed half SO lovely as nov
standing beyond the reach OF his hands fol
- L-A..ud aud -laohaL IL l.