The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1888-03-29

S. ole out of the sitting-room into the hall
just as Ethring's door opened admitting
Margaret
She was middle-aged, gray-haired WON
IN, kindly of heart, severe of tspect and
uncertain of temper.
Setting down the tray she was carrying,
Margaret looked suspiciously in the direc-
ton taken by the fugitive, whose boo heels
were heard Gathering down the front step
Hsr hard face softened somewhat as she
glanced at her patients thin, haggard feat
ures and deeply suuken eyes
Well you do look peaked, an that's a
fac.,r she said, sharply. And then set be-
fore him bowl of such chicken broth as
only an invalid just coming to his appetite
could appreciate
"How am ever going to pay you all for
so much goodness said Ethring. grateful
ly, as he swallowed the Ii st drop and re-
placed the bowl on the tray
Wait till pays talked about-we amt
heathens, was the curt reply
Plunging her hind into capacious peck
ct, she produced an oblong note-case oil
Russia leather.
Thats yours she began, in short, jerky
sentences You'll find your money in il
all right Tho phoy graft was che only
thing that had any address we could write
to- That was on the back
Ethring nodded and smiled dryly.
So you wrote Mrs Ans.rable Well!"
1t was fortnt fore she answered Miss
Lillian She was sorry to hear about Mr.
Ethr.ng How terrible to think he would
be cripple. for that's what the doctor
thought first She wasn't strong, ans
couldn't bear the sight of suffer.n in any
shapa Mr. Ethrings' frens should lie no
tilel II it was nes'sary some one of ZEN
would co ne to Mapleton. All bills would
be paid-Mr. Ethring was well off Hers
respectively Rose Anstrath
ut sounds like her" quietly remarked
Ethring, and took the photograph from O
compartment OF the note-case A hand
some, a,ylish woman, with somewhat si-
perclilous facs, with dark hooking eyes
Sancing at it with a shoulder-shrug, he
tossed IL cOouy into the asa- $500
Agrim sulIe fiickered across Margarets
Ice, but being wise in her day and genera
ton, she mgde no comment.
You'll be better of in tother ROOM"
she said, abruptly And almost before he
knew it, Ethring found himself and his
chair before the counterpart OF the fire.
place and fire he had Just left
There's your letters Margaret an
nounced, wheeling little table to his side.
Doctor said you w mt to see 'em till
you were strong enough and left him
Well, Miss Ans.rath had not written him
HIS lawyer had, also his partner, and there
were two or three other business commun-
cations That was all
Ethring managed TO scrawl brief answers
to each Then leaning b1ck with au air OF
relief, Ethrlng began glanc NJ about him
with eager in crest
The large front room had been modern
lied to the ex tent of two clumsy but
roomy bow windows These were filed
with plants A canary sang blithely in one
Ii rs piano heaped up with music was be-
tween the two. The furniture itself had an
air of ant quated comfort Thers were
cleverly executed wat IT colors hanging be-
tween Old family photographs on the walls
Llll's work table and basket stood in coy
nook-her books looked down from an old
ash bookcase Withous, tbs March wind
bus cred boIsterously. Within WIS warmth
and rest and peace.
And 80 Ethring sat browsing and dream
ing till with the twilight came Margaret
with lamps, Jack with bolsterous greeting
and LII with smile of welcome
"A lilly maiden In very truth" was Eth
rings thought IS after the evening meal
shs entere the room aud stood by the
PIANO for moment half absently turning
over the sheets of music
TO an extern. yes But without the frl-
gility of the h)wcr to which he had com
pared her. She was tall and exqulsit,ly
formed, with a swees, serious face, dark
eyes of unfathomable pths, and broad
WI +, forehead crowned with soft rings OF
chestnuth iir. The glow OF psrf set health
jus tlnged the soft, white cheek turned
p'rtly toward him.
do you like music, Mr. Ethring?n she
| asked, half abrup ly But without awaiting
an answer, LII sc tied herself and began
playing For Lll.'s soul was bound up 80 to
sp FAX, in music. 1t was her life-1nd love,
then. So fro n her slim finger tips flowed
hlrmonies such as the fashionable drawing.
roo knows not of Dreamy noc,urnes
and BITS of Bach or Llslz, and the grandei
thoughts of Beethoven.
! And so evening after evening, ms Ethrinl
or w better and stronger, he listened 10
Lills music But more. Ths charm OF hei
presence, the magic of her voice, the at
traction of her beauty aud purity, were all
throwing about him the spell wnich Gomez
In its reality but once in lifetime
1t so happened that IL was in the twilight
OF an Easter s ,bbath that Eshring tried tc
express sonethIng OF this TO Lii herself
cn not repeat his words, OF course
But know that he told her that she. and
4 she alone, was the one woman in the Who'll,
world for him, in such manner TINT shl
felt intuitlvely that this was no passing
fancy
Trembling with strange confusion. la
sood with downcast eyes and crimson
checks, az her lover who bad ventured Il
take her y lin hands in his own, plead. ns
man mi sht plead, for his life,
But have known you $50 short time
Mr. Ethrlng shs said. in a low and ratllel
tronblsd v-:oL II ON not TAI my own
! hsart In this thing.'