River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-10-28
CHAPTER VI.
SUSPICIOUS.


| should imagine. bear little COMPARE
son. ItTrned my head upon the pill
low. towards the light. Ins.inctively
| shTunk from too full q view. even OF
that shaded illumination. This was a
prtcauti0n which had never occurred
to me in any dreams Of restored sight.
With care and caution / looked. The
shaded light If lamp fell upon q
small table. and upon the form of n
woman standing near it.
! made 2 slight movement in extend
ing my field OF observation, and, sure
enough, the figure moved, as if in re-
Spouse.
care you awaken asked soft voice.
the voice which / had already learned
to know as that of Mary Fortescue.
''Is that Miss Fortescue?" | asked.
Yes. Can | do anything for y0u?"
What time is it?'' was my next ques-
ton.
NEARLY half-past nine
''How lorg have ] been here?'
/ had no notion of the lapse Of time.
IL might have been days since / set out
on my eventful journey; il proved to be
only hours.
You came his afternoon, she
said. How 10 You feel?"
i am quite well now; only little
confused >
1T was terrible" she said, ''that
fash of lightning"
1T stunned me.
Yes; we thought yOI were killed. :
! felt momentary impulse to con-
fess all that ! believed | owed TO that
shock; but fear Of irsaing myself de-
ceiyed after all, and a natural secret
iveness, Intensified by wears OF lonely
self-cOmmuning, res trained me.
Would You like anything?' she
asked
Not now. thank YOU. Is this my
rOom2 How did cClue here3'
Hardy and the gardener brought
you here; bat you were quite uncon-
scious- Hardy vii, wait on YOU for
the present, she addee s.He j. rath-
er rough, but l think be VIII be careful.
You mustn't tab much. she said,
rather 10 the tone Of nurse 10 child.
Il will send YOU some supper. and we
can talk tomorrow il you are better.
! felt very loath to be left alone, and
reluctant TO be consigned TO the care
"a AAtAAAAF DEAtEFEA AAEGNtA AtAEAL AAN
would prove to be the man who had
conducted me from the lodge gates up
TO the house. And so il proved. For
while | lay, musing. still in a sort Of
trance, on my position, and the Won
derful possibilities that seemed to be
opening to me, | heard a heavy step,
and a man entered the room. / tested
my powers of vision again. and again
was not disappointed. Very indis-
inctly, but still Enthusiastically, / per-
ceivrd the figure Of man who seemed
to carry something.
is that Hardy?" I asked.
Yes, sir, said the gruf voice
which had greeted my firsJ arrival at
the lodge. i've brought you some
supper" he continued. '.How viii
you have it?''
sat up, and Hardy, with more skill
aud kindness than | was prepared to
give him credit for. helped me to dis
pose comfortably Of some light refresh
ments.
There was Q certain hardness in the
way he looked after me. which was
strangely at variance with the gru6-
ness of his voice and demeanor, as
exempliiied out Of doors At my arrival;
and though | felt a sort OF repugnance
10 him of the instructive sort. ! was
conscious that | might have fallen in
to the hands of very much less ser
yiceable valet.
He was not given TO conversation,
which quite suited me, and having
made all snug for the night, and d.
rected me as TO the bearings of an
electric-bell if / wished to summon him
at any time. he turned the light out
and departed. In spite of the strange
ness Of my position. aud the citation OF
the awakened hopes of discovery, /
soon slept, and slept soundly.
The morning brought me greater
joy than it often falls to the lot of man
to experience. Lying hal awake, the
dominant thought of last night began
10 take shape. and to give color to
my dreams; then. having lost myself
in unconsciousness awhile, | struggled
to grasp what the joy was which haunt
ed me. awoke fully, ST last, with
start. ] opened nv ewes. 1t was truei
The widest of the joyful dreams was
true! l had gained my sight My
vision was still dim and Clouded, but
! was no longer in darkness. / saw
the Dle>seu Al2GI OF uaN through lAe
window blinds. | saw the shapes of
the articles of furniture IN the room.
Ere long Hardy came TO call me.
bringing my breakfast on 3 tray. /
had slept till late. and breakfast was
over He brought a message that Miss
Beaufoy hoped / vas better, and
begging me TO suit my own con-
venience entirely about coming down.
/ dismissed Hardy. saying that would
ring if | required any assistance. l
could not bear 10 associate my recovery
in any way with one for whom / had
conceived so instructive an aversion.
After spending q leisurely time of ex-
ouisite delight in testing the limits of
my recovered senses, L was ready at
last to encounter my new associates.