Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-03-04

was Clarence Livingston, the kneelinp
nurse the girl to whom he had refused
his dying father to make offer of his
hand Lena Munroe.
Long days and nights followed each
other, and Clarence walked nm from
stupor to mad delirium. in which he
told his patient nurse all of which she
already knew, and much besides-told
her OF the wealth he had vowed never
to touch, lying in his solicitors hands
for the girl he could not trace; of struggle
and trial which he had gone through,
which made her blue eyes dim.
But he said no word of any woman
whose love was his guerdon, and she
was glad that was spared her.
Once, in midnight hour, when the
ward was silent and the lights low about
them, he suddenly put forth his unin-
| jured hand and took one of hers. his
eyes brilliant with fever, were fastened
| on her face.
| My father loved you as daughter, y
he said softly, land told me you loved
me- but did not believe, and | wanted
him to leave me free. Child, why did
you fly from mep Did you fear would
learn to love youpn
She bent her face, and tears flowed
silently down her cheeks.
1t was delirium, she knew; but she,
| who had been unable to forget, remem-
| bered that long hour in the early night
too wildly not to again feel some of its
| pain as she heard
1t was weeks later when, after long
sleep, he Weakened to full consciousness
one morning at day-dawn.
The lights We're low, the scene spec
trial, as his languid eyes turned from
object to object.
At last they rested on the quiet figure
OF his nurse, asleep in her chair. and
there they fingered.
{ How sweet and girlish the weary face
was, under the stiff cap! and sad, too,
as though this life was not such as her
heart yearned for. And the hands ~
ing idly in her lap were so fair and
white and slender, dainty enough to be
decked with gems, fair enough to be
kissed, but too frail and white for tear
ing OF linen and lifting of dying heads,
he told himself
Then a sort of memory came to him
of those soft fingers on his brow, when
it had seemed burning; of that sweet
face bent over him in his delirium.
when he had taken it for the face of an
angel.
1t was midday when he walked again
and found her bending over him, and
this time he recognized her.
Lena" he cried, trying TO put out
his hand.
'You know mep" she said softly, turn
ing paler
81 now you, and / want to tell you.n
he whispered family, but with warm
glow in his eyes-''you are an heiress;
there is no need for you to do this work.
My father
Il know it ALL" she broke in; "and
that was why | left Lynn as | did. Did
you think | would beggar you? And
your father had been kind to me.
will not go back; l will not take farth-
ing OF that money; it is yours. -
Then share it with me-" he said
softly. Il would not ask you once, be-
cause | did not love you. do now.
because love has grown in my heart for
you in an hour. Lena, you have nursed
me back to life from what must have
been very nearly death. viii you learn
10 care enough Ior me 10 share my tut
urep"
You love me?" she said increduious-
ly. when did you learn that lesson?'
'At day-dawn, while | watched YOU
asleep in your chair, ere | knew who
you were. Lena. do not doubt me!'
Il do not" She knelt at the cot and
put back his hair, as he had dreamed
she did while he was unconscious. "And
! will own to you, Clarence, that have
loved you always since / first saw you.
That was why | fled from Lynn"
''And now you will come back?n
''tor the same reason" she smiled,
although her lips were tremulous.
Love sent me forth then; love recalls
me now; and will share the possess
sions with you which were neither hon
estly yours or mine, but can belong fair
ly to us together. Yes, Clarence, / will
go backr'