The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-11-10
the sofa and taking her hand, which

/, the sofa and taking her hand, which
/ he retained, said, looking down into
! her face. II came to inquire if you
took cold last night"
.al.Col5!'' she exclaimed; with a laugh,
"Why; / thought it Father, warm
F., Still holding her hand; fft drew,
Eveline toward the sofa, but-instead OF
complying, she dropped into the first
arm chair: Won Vroom released the
hand and drew up d tabsuret directly
in front Of her:
'sOur sensations have different bar0-
meters, for to me it was cold"
Determined not to subscribe to his
allusion, she replied inpassively:
I "And all that sable could not pro-
tect you from chill?''
! Won Vroom leaned forward, took
up her hand, and, fixing his eyes on
her, said:
"Do you know that,you froze me,
that you did not give me the slightest
pressure from one of these dainty
! fihgers?'
! 'sFor what result?" she asked.
! at would have warmed me just d
trife. All, cruel Miss Masonr'
There was no response from Eve
! line. Won Vroom glanced rapidly
into her face, as if to instruct himself
how far he might go, or to read
there some play of emotion, or an
swering look of encouragement. But
there was only placid, calm gaze
from those innocent orbs that q lit.
tie baffied him.
Then casting down his eyes, they
fell on the pretty hand, which she
had previously withdrawn, now lying
in relief against the dark dress, and
taking it up, he asked:
! Chow many rings do you sport on
one hand?" and began counting,
"One-two-three-four."
! Glow is it possible that can inter-
est you, Mr.. Won Vroom!' said Eve
line, making an effort for it's liberty.
/ at does for they must have his
tory. This solitaire diamond came
from mamma; the sapphire and dia-
mond from your aunt; and on this
finger, the circlet is an heirloom; and
this little garde ring above is your
gift to yourself for its security
"Only one have you guessed cor
rectly, Mr.. Edipus!" said Eveline,
with laugh, at which he carried the
hand to his lips and said kissing it:
Zone for each ringi''
! Eveline now tried to disengage it
from his clasp, when he said:
ooh, if | am to lose it, must not
omit farewell to the ringsl' and he
thereupon re-enacted the same farce.
This rather amused her.
"Why is it l have never known you
BEFORE" said Won Vroom, both
living in the same town." and he be-
gan playing with the lace on her
sleeve.
"You were in pursuit of tulips and
other gaudy flowers, and not look
ing for lilies of the valley, curled up
in their leaves"
'.Au contraire, have seen this lily
many times, and admired it from g.
distance. But | do not know of any
gaudy tulip that had particularly at
tracted me-"
After reading all this it is perhaps
worth while to know that Van Vroom
is not, in the end the one chosen of
all the many called, and to moralize
family on the changing times and
manners, since the rule of well-bred
womanhood was noli me tangere.
The former times may have been no
whit better-or even, it may well be
a trifle worse than these-but there
can be no question that they were
more dignifed and decorous, and
had somewhat of Turveydrop's de-
pertinent even in matters OF the
heart. But love at Washington, Bar
Harbor, or almost anywhere else
must pail and faint before affairs of
Napoleon Smith," whose author is
more mysterious than Donnelly's
cipher or relation of the Mills bill to-
the building of the pyramids. For
it is acknowledgements, all
raw-head and bloody-bones, and
smells O. gunpowder, with a favor
of La Dame aux Camellias.
"In that last sortie a piece of an
exploding shell wounded Napoleon
Smith for the third time in exactly
the same spot! All my work was
away, and Napoleon Smith is again
without memory, education or intelli-
gence. He will live, but for years he
must be educated like child. He
will be brought up to the intelligence
of manhood with great care, in ten
years. A nurse is with him who cared
| for him when he was here before. Now,
if any one here loves him well enough
to lead him back to manhood by
tender care, here is your chance. Do
you wish to see him?" Aimee stood
with her hands over her face, and
tears streaming through her fingers.
Sturgis was pale as he listened to the
strange story. Hippolyte Bob was
horror-stricken. will confess that
an uncanny feeling came over me as
l heard that such a fate had again
overtaken Napoleon Smith. / shud-
dered as l listened. When we all
signifed our desire to visit the pa
tient, DR.. Mortlake led the way up
stairs.
do not be any more afraid of dis
turbing him than you would be of
talking before baby year old. He
has about that amount ofintelligence
now" said the doctor: before we en-
tered the room.
How well knew what was to see.
The same brawny form. The same
smiling face. and-yes, the same
loving look at the black-eyed nurse,
who stood beside his chair. And she
somehow she was different. Her
fierce eyes were subdued. A look of
resignation was on her face and an
ivory cross hung on her breast, sus-
pended by ribbon. Then she tried
to move away, but her patient
reached out his hand and drew her
back.
Aimee approached near to the chair,
extending her hands.
Napoleon, do you know me?" she