Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-04-20

Then jess beautiful eyes closed, and down
she went with the bending tree, Presently
the sapling snapped and she fell senseless
with a little cry and as she did so the men
with the corpse passed on.
Two minutes afterwarl, John Mel, having
heard the rumor of Iii; own death on arrival
at the camp, and greatly fearing lest it should
have got to jess ears, came cantering
hurredly across, and diSmounting as well as
his wound would allow, limped up the garden
path
Great heavens, Capt. Niel,7 said Mrs.
Neville, looking up; why, we thought that
you were dead
And that is what you have been telling
her. suppose" he said sternly, glancing ut
the pale and deathlike facs; you might have
waited till YOU were sure. Poor girl. it must
have given her a turn and STOPPING down,
he got his arms under her, and lifting her
with some difficulty, limped OIL to the house,
where he laid her down upon the table, and,
assisted by Mrs Neville, began to do all in
his power to revive her. SO obstinate was
ksr faint, however, that their efforts were
unavailins, and at last Mrs. Neville started
| ~ tn the camp to get some brandy. leaving
| him to go on rubbing her hands AHA sl,rIrrh-
| ling water on her face
| The good lady had not been gone moro
than two or three minutes when jess sud
| denly opened her eyes and sat up, and then
| slipped her feet to the ground. Her eyes fell
| upon John and dilated with wonder, and he
thought that she was going to faint again,
for even her lips blanched. and sha hegan TO
shake and tremble all over in the extremity
| Of her agitation.
"Jess, jess" he said, "for Gods sake don't
look like that, you brighten mos
| II thought you were-I thought you were
-" she said, slowly, and then suddenly burst
into passion of tears and fell forward upon
his breast and lay there sebbing her heart
out her brown curls resting against his face.
1t was an awkward position and a most
moving one. John was only man, and the
spectacle Of this strange woman, to whom
he had lately grown so much attached,
plunged into intense emotion, awakened, az
parently, by anxiety about his fate, stirred
hinsdeeply, as it would have stirred any
body Indeed, it struck some chord in him
for which he could not quite account, and Its
echoes charmed and yet frightened him.
What did it meant
"Jess, dear jess, pray stop; can't bear to
see you cry So"
She lifted her head from his shoulder arid
stood looking at him, her hand resting OH tho
table behind her. Her face was wet with
tears and looked like dew washed lily. and
her beautiful eyes were alight with a fame
that he had never seen i'll the eyes Of woman
before. She said nothing, hut her whole face
was more eloquent than any words, for there
arc times when the features can convey a
message in language OF their own that is
more subtle than any tongue we talk. There
she stood, her breast heaving with emotion as
the sea heaves when the fierceness CT the
storm has passed. very incarnation o. the
intensest love Of woman. And as she Stood
something seemed to pass before her eyes and
blind her, and q spirit took possession of her
that absorbed all her doubts and fears, and
she gave way to force that was Of her and
yet compelled her, as, when the wind blows
} the sails compel c ship. And then, for the
first time, where her love was concerned, she
put out all her strength She knew, and had
always known, that she could master
him, and force him to regard her as she re-
garded him, did she but choose. How she
knew it she could not say, but SO it was And
> now she yielded to an overmastering impulse
and chose. She said nothing, she did not
l even move, she only looked at him.
"Why were you in such fright about me?'
| he stammered.
. She did not answer, but kept her eyes upon
n his face and it seemed to John as though
power flowed from them; for, as she looked
4 he felt the change come. Everything melted
away before the almost spiritual intensity Of
l. her gaze. Bessie, honor, his engagement-al
e were forgotten; the smouldering embers
e broke into flame, and no knew that he loved
I this woman as Ire had never loved any living
d creature before-that he loved her even a.
e she loved him. Strong man as he was hs
!. shook like leaf before her.
II "Jess," he said, hoarsely, "God forgive me
:, love you!" and he bent forward to kiS Der
It She lifted her face toward him. then Sud
It denly changed her mind, and LAID her hant
upon his breast
e "You forget" she said, almost solemnly
n "you are going to marry Bessie"
e Overpowered by deep sense Of shame, ant
It by another sense of the deep calamity tina
/ had overtaken him, John turned and limpet
Ii from the house.