Wichita eagle., 1888-02-10

$50 this is y1ast evening at PennyvlIle,'
Miss Vernor's dulcet tones were saying. Il
know you must be glad, Phil, we have been
such bother to you"
Here was his opportunity.
81 didn't know-I-I-thought may be
you'd conclude to stay with us altogether"
he Stammered
SO, that would be impossible" she said,
with an irrepressible giggle.
The bare thought of spending the rest OF
her gayety-loving life with busting "Marm"
Dodd so appealed to her sense of the ludicrous
that she sank back in her seat shaking with
suppressed laughter.
go, when l axed you to stay, I meant, of
course, for you and me to get hitched," said
Phil, eagerly, plunging boldly into the mat
ter. "You must have seen that like you
heap better than any of the gals round here,n
tenderly, attempting to embrace her.
But Miss Vernor's self possession had re-
turned, and thinking her dupe had gone far
enough, she said iciiy:
Il think you are very presumptuous, Mr..
Dodd; what right have you to talk in that
way to mew
Phil stared at her aghast
What right" he cried, in a passion of dis
appointment and pain; why hain't you
given me reason enough to think that you
sot something by mes Couldn't ha' got as
likely gals as there was in the hull country
side, only I'd rather take you, if you had
been a beggar, than any one else with the
best farm in the state"
The awkward boy was gone, and a man
with passionate, wounded heart sat there in
his stead.
II am surprised that you ever thought it
possible | could care for you," she returned,
coldly. 81 never dreamed that you would 50
misconstrue my friendship"
Truth to tell, the petted Miss Vernon felt
just a little embarrassed at his just wrath,
and the rest of the drive was performed in
uncomfortable silence
She said nothing to May of this episode,
feeling in no mood for reproaches. Besides,
something in fhils face made her conscience
give few unusual twinges; SO, with feel
ing Of relief that she was SO soon to leave the
farm and its inmates, she fell asleep.
How long she slept she knew not, but she
awoke with a sufocating feeling and a sense
of impending danger. She CROPPED her way
to the door and opened it, when volume of
smoke and fame rolling up the stairway
drove her back, half fain.ing with terror.
At the same time the sound OF excited voices
and cries of Fire" from below told her that
the household had also discovered their dan
ger.
They called wildly to her to come down,
but when she again tried the stairway, again
the flames drove her back. She sunk down
with moan OF despair, but some one dashed
up the burning stairs. wrapped her hastily in
a blanket and bore her out of the room
Down the blazing stairway, as through "a
furnace, they passed They had reached the
hall; a few steps more and they would gain
the door; but, overpowered by the deadly
heat, her preserver sank on one knee with bis
almost helpless burden.
80 God!" cried Pills voice: 1--WE shall
diet" And then Nell lost consciousness.
When she again opened her eyes she was
lying on the grass with May Lorraines anx-
ious face bending over her Dark figures
We're hurrying hither and thither, and the
whole scene was lighted up by the glare of
the burning building.
But whose was that dark, motionless form
borne along on a shutter, with features
burned and blackened horriblyz
With terrible instructive knowledge the
gay city belle covered her face with her
hands to shut out the sight
She knew the whole story afterward-how
he had rushed through almost certain death
to save her, and had died with her name on
his lips.
Her remorse for her heartless conduct
toward him was keen and sincere. She re-
membered no more his homely features and
ungainly ways; she thought only of the
hero's soul that burned in that rough frame
1t was no longer the heartless firt that re-
turned to Der gay city home. The pastime
of breaking mems hearts had lost its old
charm for Nell Vernon And if ever she did
feel tempted to trife with an honest affection,
tbs sight of Pills white, despairing face, on
the evening when she had crushed his hope,
rose up before her with startling distinctive
ness, and checked that folly at which the
world laughs. -Fireside Companion.