The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1888-02-23

lew families had ESCAPED entire >vhilc tbo
shrleks from the burning building had all
been hushod when tho great walls fell in.
was still searching among tho crowd for
u Crace or Miss Armund, when u call from
mr dudley summoned mo to him. | found
hnn bending over the still form Of the poor
OLD woman, whose white face looked still
and set as If in death. Her clothing was
badly burned, but her injuries must have
been mainly due to her fall on tho bricl
pavement. 1 raised her head and famed
her face, meanwhile rubbing the cold hands !;
out no sign of life returning, begged Mr..
Dudley to get a carriage, if possible and
nave her taken to n house. He did so, but
IL was when attempting to help the driver
Int hor in that observed his right arm was
helpless. ran to help in his stead, inQuir
ing If he was hurt
ut is my arm," he said, steadily, though
he was deadly palc. 81 fear it is broken"
L could have lnelt down at his feet in tho
cold street and begged his forgiveness for
all the unkind things had ever said Of him;
but he motioncd me to enter the carriage
and, after giving the driver orders TO drive
to Mrs. Leiberg's, did so. We entered tho
great house that had left q short hour be.
lore III such gaicty and splcndor in sorrow
and mourning. Mr.. Iceberg had escaped
unhurt but his wife had been severely in.
Jured by the crush, we found. She was
famtly, when we bore Miss. Armund into the
room.
Tho doctor who was Attending Mrs. Lei
berg had the satisfaction of seeing her soon
appear little revived; but Miss ArlnlLd
remained unconscious for ten hours desriiu
the combined efforts of Mrs. Kent, the doe.
tor and myself to arouse her. But inst at
dawn she revived. | bent over her, asking
softly II she was better. She looked uD in to
my eyes, strange gladness in hers, a sort
OF dumb joy that mado my heart ache, but
she did not answer The doctor gave hcr a
sleeping draught and then b;sdc us all lcavd
the room except Mrs. Kent, who would
watch with the sick woman. went to my
room and, after throwing off my rich dress
and donning n calico wrapper, went down
again to inquire about Mr.. Dudley, who |
found was being attended by tho physicians
who pronounced his arm broken in two
places, and he was now lying in the west
parlor, looking strangely pale and i'll; vet
he smiled family and cndeavored to mako
light OF his injuries when inquired and cx,
pressed my regret at his isfortunc.
For the next few days little else was at
tended TO except tho wants of the three in
valids at the Iceberg mansion. l devoted
myself almost entirely to Miss Armund
who seemed i'll at ease whenever left her
sight. Her injuries were of a very serious
character, and the doctor gave little hope OF
her recovery, even from the first, and at tho
end of three days he expressed his very
grave doubts as to her surviving twenty.
four hours longer, and limited that if sho
had any business affairs to settle she had
better attend to them at once. The doctor
was then closeted with her for some time.
at the end of which he camc out looking OK,
tremely grave and concerned. He mOtioncd
me to his side. "Miss Armund" he said,
sis much worse, but she seems in more an
guish Of mind than body. She desires mo
to telegraph at once for Mrs. Clayton, who.
she says, is friend of hers; and she also
desires to see Oliver Dudley at once [
will" he continued, ego at once to the tclc.
graph Office and send the dispatch. viii
you, Miss Lynn, be so kind as to deliver her
message to Mr. Dudley}"
II will at once" answered, and the doc
tor hurried away. Then all at once it flashed
upon mo that now most likely was to
be revealed tho mystery that surrounded
me, for that Mrs Clayton and Miss Armund
possessed secret that was of more or less
value to me l mover doubted. But would
the dying woman reveal it, or would she
die and tho precious secret be buried with
hcr9 felt my brain whirl at tho thought
Surely fate would never be so cruel Miss
Armund had seemed to find my presence
agreeable i'll tho last few days, though hor
Injuries had prevented her from conycrsng.
clung TO the hope that she was my friend
after all, and this helped to calm, somewhat,
mys excited feelings. l delivered her mes
sage to Mr.. Dudley with tolcrable COM
posture, and then rushed off to my own
room to wait in strange, shivcrng suspense
tho arrival Of Lena Clayton An hour
passed, two, three and then there was q
summons from Miss Armund'S room. was
sent for. went in and was struck at once
by the change III her n few hours had
wrought; hor face was gray albd drawn, her
eyes sunken, yet glittering with deadly
brightness Evidently this world and its
troubles were nearly over with her.
Iwent in softly. Mrs. Kent, Mrs Lei
berg and Oliver Dudley were in tho room,
but they withdrew at once, leaving us alone
together A strange, solemn hush brooded
over oil at first; the bright fire cracked
and blazed on the hearth, sending warm
glow over the richly furnished room; the
rich damask curtains, drawn aside, re,
vealed the snowy world outside, whore the
keen winter winds whistled shrilly. A few
chattering snoW-birds flew wildly about
and now and then passer-by walked
swiftly past. All within was warmth and
luxury; outside cold and bitter wind; but
to the pallid face on the pillow snow and
sun were alike unhCeded. She had passed
tho line whore earthly clements cease to vcx
us.
sat down near the head Of the bed and