Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-30

along the deserted passages to q certain
room which lay in the rear OF the walled
buildings. II was the very room from
which the night before slender, gray
dmped figure had stolen softly out.
Just as he reached the door and was
hesitating at the threshold, Mrs. Jessop::
who had been called out by the noise OF
the cheering. was seen returning IN
state Of much excitement. Vane aceosted
her eagerly, but in low tones. us she
better Can see her yeti? hs said.
"She is much better she is dressed
and sitting mp. But the noise alarmed
her. She does not know the cause OF II.
Will you come in and tell her p
Vane followed her into the room. In
o large chair, next the window, looking
very white and weak, with bandage
round her temples, where the shot had
grszed and stunned her, sat Mary Sui
land. As Vane entered she looked round.
He paused and for some seconds the two
regarded each other.
lie had not seen her since the night
before be had carried her swooning TO
her room. He had heard with Infinite
relief that the wound was not serious
and, inquiring hourly az her room
throughout the night, he had learned
that the swoon was passing of and that
with some hours Of rest there would be
little TO be feared Yet now, as he stood
before her, even the great event which
had Just happened was less present to
his mind than anxiety 10 satisfy himself
with his own eyes that she was safe. The
shock which he mad felt at the moment
when he had raised her in his arms and
caught sight Of her white face in the
moonlight was with him still He had
felt at that instant certainty that she
was killed.
And indeed she had had a wonderful
escape.
Every sportsman who has tried his
gun at sheet Of blank paper knows
that it will sometimes happen that while
the paper will be spotted thick with
pellets there viii sometimes be space
left free OF shot-laree enough, perhaps,
to have let the game escape. however
true the aim. 1t had so happened here.
Amid the storm of shot only one had
grazed her; the rest had whistled past
her without harm. But where her slen"
der figure had so narrowly escaped q
man, being OF larger bulk, would ineyi-
tably have been struck down. Mary
Sulland had, in fact been slightly
wounded where Vane would have been
killed.
During the hours Of night, while he
had wandered up and down outside her
door. too restless to seek for sleep, he
had thought OF all these things. BE had
thought of the girl who had risked her
life for his; be had let his memory go
back into the past, and call to mind all
that he had owed TO Mary Sulland
through the years that he had known her ;
how all his noblest aspirations, dreams,
ambitions, had como from her or had
been fostered and strengthened by her
sympathy; and he had wondered how 1t
was that he himself had never realized
till now what she had been to him. And
now, as he stood beside her, as he looked
at her again, he wondered more and
more.
The look OF inquiry on her face re-
called him TO himself.
81 am forgetting" he said. 81 am
glad to be the first to bring you the good
news. see You guess it. Yes, relief
has come. The siege is over"
She looked at him with eagernesa. One
thought filled her mind-it forced pas
sage to her lips"
'Then you will not have to so again
for water I?
AS the words escaped her she flushed
red. Her action Of the night before had
hardly been her own-so overmastering
had been the impulse which had hurried
her away. And now, like woman, she
was troubled by q doubt-what would
he think of her? Had she, in thrusting
herself between him and danger, for
feited forever his esteem? How could
she expect that he would understand
He did understand, however-at least
partly. He saw that she was troubled,
and he took the best course possible to
set her at her ease. He meant to regard
what she had done as matter which
between themselves required no expla.
nation. As for others, they knew no.
thing. Except that she had been slightly
hurt by n stray pieco of shot, no one,
not even the Colonel or Lenora, knew
the truth. The men who had been at the
archway had only the yaguest idea OF
what had passed. The secret was Their
own.
mo" he said, smiling, 81 shall not
have to so again. Nor what is of much
greater consequence, will you, Mary"
She answered with smile. They
understood each other. He was bend
ing over her she was looking up at him.
Mrs. Jessup was not near them, and ii
was almost as if they were alone. From
the distance came noise of voice.
cheering as il they never meant to stop
but in the room itself there was nc
sound but their own murmured talk.
GAS soon as You are well again, ne
said, 81 shall be very angry with you,
Mary. l had chance OF getting the
Victoria Cross, but now they will LEI
you have it, | suppose"
She laughed softly, for his words were
music TO her. But il was not his words
alone that thrilled her blood. She had
won richer prize than the Victoric
Cross. and now she knew 1t. For in his
eyes as she looked up to them she saw
the flame of love.
1