, 1889-01-20

was no concern of min. when I was
aroused 70 tingling life again by Cyril's
voice close to my ear:
"Takcmy arm" he said, In low hurried
tones, land for heavens sake hold fast!"
/ clasped it with both my hands, but
without n word. He forgave me then;
he cared for me; he wished TO save me;
and the joy of this thought took AWAY
all fear. At the came mOmen the cur
tains in ono of the boxes near blazcd up
for n few seconds, and by the light ! saw
my cousins agonized face, as she strug-
glcd TO keep on her feet. and was
| pressed back by the surging, naddened
mass from the pit; she saw us, too, and
reached her hand out TO us.
"Amy! Mr.. Brownrigg!" she cried;
"help mel do not leave meg'
He turned to me.
1T f. impossible to save you both" he
said, hoarsely. Good Godl what can
/ dor
Isaw what he could do, and said:
Press forward; think only of getting
out of this horrible place"
Then the light died away again, and
with n smothercd sob of intense thank
fitness | slid my hands from his arm,
md taking my cousins, gently slipped
them into the same place and pushed her
forward, saying:
behind.t
She was half dead with terror, and
scarcely understood. but chung blindly,
and he, in the struggle and darkness,
did not notice the change, and pushed
his way forward, shielding my cousin as
we'll rs he could.
] kept close to them. until we reached
the passage leading to the door of exit
into the street, but then somebody seized
me by the shoulders and dragged me
roughly back, slipping into my place. /
lost my balance and fell, and for one
horrible minute felt n sickening sense of
sutlocation us the rush passed over me;
h ncNt struggled on my feet again.
Fortunately. l had fallen close TO the
wall, so was able TO support myself
agninst it, and felt my way by its guild
ance through the binding smoke in the
direction Of the door.
L was nearly crushed TO death, and
very sore II bruised, but | felt the still
glow of that great Joy in my heart, and
thanked God with all my soul that / had
been able TO show Cyril that | was not
entirely hcartless. Death seemed moth
ing TO me in comparison with the know
ledge that he loved me, for ] had seen
he love | longed for in his ~agonized
eyes and heard it in his voice during the
momentary flicker.
| suppose L tainted after this, for l
have a very dim remembrance of seeing
lights appear, rs If through n fog, and Of
feeling strong arms helping me on. and
then a total blank. until l found myself
in n carriage driving slowly along a
dimly lighted street.
Where is she2" | asked, family, look
ing around for my cousin.
"She is safc,' answered Cyril's voice,
quite safe at home by this time; but
Won AnNU OFn Won f,t,,H I,r+g H..
could have missed you? / shall never
forget my horror and misery when 1 got
outside the theatre and found your
cousin clinging TO me, and you, / knew
not where. i rushed in again, but was
helpless in the darkness, until Mt last l
found you quite close to the door,
"Have you quite forgiven mel" l
Yes, my dearest, I forgavo you long
evening / was so hard and merci-
less | feared to tell you what 1 felt, and
you always seemed to avoid me, and
treat me SO coldly.'
oh l said, between n laugh and n
sob, Il thought you never meant to
speak to me again, and l heard n lady
congTatulating you on your approaching
marriage to Miss Could"
Miss Could" lie exclaimed. "Vhy
she has just become engaged to Thorn
ton, h artist who painted her portrait
in the r. a. this year. What can you
mCan?'
II thought" l stammcred-'T heard
she was engaged directly after hearing
you congratulated. and so | thought"-
You were entirely mistaken" he said,
graVely. THAT lady was congratulating
me on h announcement of the speedy
appearance of my new book, and sug-
gested that probably my marriage would
be the next subject of congratulation.
But there Is only one woman | would
marry, Amy, the brother and friend l
know so well and love SO dearly. 1t is
my turn now TO ask for forgiveness.
Can you forgive me, Amy, and let my
new book be dedicated To the God given
wife and friend / hope to have always
beside me henceforth? Can you, Amy?'
Yes" l answered, and that yes" has
been tho key to my earthly paradise, for
surely no other woman can ever have
been so happy as l am.
There is no doubt one is absurdly Joy
full over ones first proof sheet and first
review, but Cyril and | always say, after
all the last is better than the first, and
we ought to know, for we have lust
finished correcting what will certainly
be our very last proof sheet. We have
grown old together, since that terrible
yet joyful evening, md as we sit hand In
hand by the fire, and recall the past, we
feel that though the first book was a
beautiful preface, yet the deepest Joy
and hottest content came afterward,
when h glamour of poetry and passion
being past, we still felt the glory of art,
and the unselfish beauty of love grow
clearer and more divine with every day
we passed together, and every line we
wrote.-Once n Week.