The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-06-09

other, Poor thing, whatll she say
when she knows that her poor father
was burned UP alige?" The uncon-
sciousness that followed lasted for
days,
Randall Belmont revived sufficiently
to direct that both Jesaica and himself
should be conveyed to Mrs Van Wyess =.
1t was done the same evening.
There was a week of severe suffer
ing before him ere he was able to leave
his bed, and not in all his after life did
he lose the scars of the burns upon
his arms When he was released from
the doctors care, and was able to leave
his bed and walk about the house, he
found himself weak and thin with his
sickness; but le thought the sacrifice
a cheap one, if Ny it he had preserved
Jessica.
1t was 'ong doubtful whether his
heroic efforts and sufferings had saved
her.
He begged the doctors to be allowed
to see her. He met with a peremptory
refusal.
al will not speak," he urged. al
only want to look at her face"
NO., was the irm reply. ave dare
not allow it. Her condition is most
critical. The least excitement might
xii! her. Sholld she happen to see
your face, ] know not what effect might
be produced While her poor brain is
in its present condition, no one but her
physicians and Mrs. Van Wyck must
see her.
"But she'll live, won't she?" the
lover asked, with white face and trem-
bling voice. Doctor, save her, and
you may ask me for anything"
She is in the hands of Godw was
the solemn reply. All that our skill
and experience can accomplish shall be
done; and Mrs. Van Wyck, besides
best nurse anywhere about here. Yet,
l must tell you candidly, no one but
this poor girls Maker can predict the
issue"
Belmont had protected Jessica from
| the contact of the flames, receiving in
this way his own injuries; but the
smoke which she had inhaled in her
sleep had well-nigh killed her on the
spot.
All that night she lay as one dead,
and it was only when the next day had
worn on well toward noon that a faint
sigh from her lips betokened that her
tluttering spirit had returned to the
cares and trials of earth.
For some days after life hung doubt
fully in the balance, while the good
physicians and the widow watched in
ccssantly beside her. Then, when life
had again asserted itself, a fever set in,
and the rawlings of her delirum were
/ pitiful to hear. DISCOUNTED sentences,
unintelligible to those who heard her,
/ but which really spoke of the sorrows
of her life, fell fast from her lips
I Again she knelt at the bedside of her
/ dying mother, and her fearful promise
was repeated, to be faithful and true to
| her father always, since there was none
| other left to love him, Again she gave
| her reluctant consent to marry Edgar
| Van Wyck. because her father urged
| It, Then there was her appeal to an
/ other not to seek her, or her father
would do him harm; language which
1 the widow should have understood
/ but the Kind, anxious soul was too
much occupied with the dangers of the
/ sufferer to take much heed of her de-
! lirious words. Other broken sentences
! there were, which no one could have
! translated. When this stage of her
! fever had passed she lay perfectly con-
! scious of her surroundings, and of all
/ that had happened, but weak-oh, how
weak For days she lay thus, taking
little nourishment, too feeble to move
! limb, white as a snowdrift. Plainly
/ could it be seen by the grave aspect of
/ the doctors that they feared that this
/ stout battle for precious life had been
/ fought only to meet disaster at it's
/ close.
| But youth and previous bodily health
We're ON her side; and Time, the great
physician, at last triumphed for her.
There came time when the LEAKAGE
of that June was all out, and the birds
were filling the woods with their melo-
| dy, that Jessica was permitted to leave
/ her room and go out into the sunshine.
/ Randall Belmont found her upon that
perfect morning under the maple trees,
drinking in all the wonderful beauty of
nature.
He stood by the rustic seat, mute
and anxious. He felt that after all
that had occurred she would wish to
speak first.
She smiled little and held out her
hand. He kept it when she would
have withdrawn it.
"You are my preserver," she said. 81
may thank you for your courage and
devotion, even if the life you have saved
is a worthless one"
The life | have saved will be my
blessing, even unto the day of my
death, God willing! Without it, my
own existence would be worthless; with
it, | have heart for any fate"
His voice, his earnest manner, i'm
pressed her as always before, with
something like a sense of fate. And
still she struggled, and would not sub
nit.
at is better that it should not be so.
You will not believe me; but | tell you
that Won will be happier without me-.
Go your way; forget me, while | pray
for the richest blessings of life to be
with you."
| She spoke against the swelling
promptings of her heart; tears that she
could not hide filled her eyes.
Once more the music of Randall Bel
HOAt voice, lHe elOI ueuce Vi Ills
words, were exerted upon her. Again
he drew a glowing picture of the fu-
ture that awaited her as his wife; OF
the beautiful city home, and all the at
fractions that surrounded it. He I'M
plored her, now that every possible OBJ
stacle had been removed by the death
Of her father, no longer to thwart the
happiness of both of them.
He had taken both her hands; she
trembled she was irresolute; her eyes
avoided his: she would have fled from
him. but he held her there
Il am weak yet" she said. "You
overcome me; | know not what to say
Let me go back to my room.
But an answer | must have"
you shall have it.
"N hen?'
She was silent. Watching her face
with intense anxiety, he saw she was
struggling with an intense emotion
powerful enough to stifle her speech.
Was she about to Weld?