The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-11-15

In three hours she shall be here, he
said, regaining his composure. Il leave
you some strengthening wine Medicine is
useless. 1t is wrong to deceive you with
false hopes. Yon may live a week and you
may die tonight. God forbid that you
should die before return. Quiet yourself.
She shall return with me-"
He was gone.
An hour, two hours three hours passed,
like as many lifetimes in the invalid's
room, as she lay gazing at the slow moving
hands of the clock Three hours passed.
Soon the quick ear of the dying woman
caught the sound of hoOfs and soon the
crunching of the gravel announced that a
carriage had stopped before the door. A
moment later Miss Morse came into the
room, followed by Graeme and her father.
Annie's eye caught the wan, emaciated
face and looked sympathy. The invalid
motioned them to be seated Graeme Of
iciously offered Annie chair, but she
drew close to the bed
"You have something to say to me?" she
said
The sick woman gasped once or twice and
spoke with great effort:
''You-will not-be offended? 1ou-you
will-be-be- calm?"
81 have not much-much breath. For
give-forgive %
''Yes. yes, poor soul! I understand.
forgive you any pain you may cause me.
Do not be afraid Speak out My father is
here"
Alice looked relieved She rested few
moments, Their, moticning Annie to come
near, as DR.. Denver had done, she whis-
pered in her ear the same words that had
so startled him:
George Dascar has a wife in the insane
asylum at Bonesborough
When Annie fell back her father caught
her.
''Be calm, daughter, and thank God for
what you have escaped I know it ALL Dr.
Denver has put the proofs in my hands It
Is enough proof to say that at hint from
me Mr.. Dascar has left town. To this
dying woman however, neither the doctor
nor 1 could refuse the satisfaction of
speaking the words that would sever you
from that
Never mind, father Do not abuse him
yet 1t is so sudden must think. Please
take me home"
Her face wore an unnatural pallor as she
left the apartment.
''How did you get possession Of those
papers?" asked Arthur Denver of the sick
woman when he called later in the evening
MRS Dascar, after she had been cruelty
deserted, was my best friend We lived
like sisters until his persecution drove her
crazy. L took possession of all her papers
when they took her away to the mad
house?"
cat the place got the papers they told
me you had left there some time ago and
had taken another boarding place. Did
you come from there here?"
mo; I went from thereto the-to-
the"
DR.. Denver bent low to catch the words
to solve the mystery of the woman's pres
ence at Graeme's, for the old man gave a
new story every time he was asked how
the woman came beneath his roof
Take little wine,'' he said She drank
and, resting moment, said:
ITO the-tO Jhe-new department. the
in the Marine Hospital"
DR.. Arthur's face was ashen when he put
! the next question
Are you the nurse who was employed
there and had brain fever? You are not
Alice-Aice Cranston?'
The answer solved more mysteries than
one in Arthur's mind
II am"
Aspasm passed over the sick ones face,
the arms were thrown wildly up, and sank
slowly down, the head fell back, the eyes
grew fixed and CLASSY, the chin dropped,
leaving the mouth partly open. DIR. Den
yer touched the woman's lips with the tips
of his fingers and said quietly: This time
she Is dead" POMFRET JoY