Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-24

peril and rescue mad been too much for Sa-
nello, it would seem as if Farla were the
one that should have been made i'll. But
not so. She seemed older, that was all: she
seemed to be at least ten years older now,
and went about her strange ways and pre-
scribed walks Of life with sobered and
earnest step.
But Sanello was ill. She was pensive,
silent, more than sad. Her illness seemed
to be an illness of soul as well as of body.
But John Gray saw little of her now.
And if he saw but little of her, he saw
nothing at all of Farla. They seemed to be
drifting far, far apart now, and that, too,
Just as he began to know the strength. and
the deep mystery of her soul. Heretofore
he had seen only the strength and beauty Of
her body. He had stood serenely above the
temptations of these. But now after what
had passed, he came slowly, certainly to
know something of her matchless truth and
glory.
And this made him shy; this made him
avoid her. And she, seeing how he avoided
her. responded in kind. No! Do not ask
me to stop and give the. reason, if reason
there is. 1 have only time to hastily set
down the facts: the effect. Find the cause
for yourself.
The season wore away; and the elbows OF
the artists coat with it; in fgurative
sense at least The mystery of the Buried
River remained as deeply buried as ever.
The enterprise. the light, was surely fading
ont of the mans life. He was miserable;
almost Indifferent now to the one great pur-
pose of his existence.
One afternoon late in the season, as the
artist climbed up the hill to his cabin after
a long and hard walk from the town away
down in the valley. he saw Farla standing
by the path, evidently waiting for him. Her
old nervousness was on her. Without
knowing it she was tearing the thOrny
thistle heads, and her hands were bleeding.
"Mr. Gray, want you to come to our
house. Come now, at once. Sanello is i'll.
Relic is so sick, Mr.. Gray, that we are
afraid she will die. Father has gone for the
priest. Come, come and help us if you
please"
The mans hat was in his hand. He
walked hastily at her side; an empty hand
sought hers and held it as they walked on and
entered the stoutly built door. 1t Is safe to
saw that she did not know that he took her
hand. 1t is also safe to say that he would
not have touched it at any other time.
The dying sister lay moaning and uncon-
scious. The poor mother was dumb with
misery. The little children stood in groups
about the large room in silent awe. A
stranger was coming. A stranger that had
never set foot over that broad door sill before
was not far off, He was surely coming
straight for that house. Itwas Death. The
children seemed to know this, and were
awed to continual silence.
at seems TO me that something dreadful
is going to happen" said Farla to her COM
panion, as they stood close by the dying
girl.
''I hope not Farla," said the man softly.
"You don't know all, Mr.. John Gray"
she went on. II must tell you. You know
Swain went away"
eyes"
Sand OIL If he had never come" mur-
INJURED Farla. "And now / must tell ,you--
they were secretly married"
''Then Swain should be sent for, and be
at her side" said the man firmly.
THAT is it. You see, Relic told mother;
and mother was afraid to tell father, till |
after Swain was gone to the Sandwich |
Islands; and now we don't where he is.
As they spoke the father came in with |
uncovered head; the good priest, red-iaced
and painting, close at his side.
'The doctor has gone away" moaned the |