Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-05-09


loaded as hers had BEEN tried to re-
move her hands from her face, q fear
taking possession Of me that her reason
might leave her in this dreadful time.
After moment she allowed mo to with
draw her hands and look into her face.
FIR an instant she met my gaze.
should not have recognized her eyes Us
the same ! had seen ono minute ago.
Soft. sweet. rs the midnight sky of sum-
mer, they looked into mine with mex
tinguishable regret signing in theis
depths.
"Oh. Niviane!" cried, thinking for
one ecs:atic moment that my love was
returned. A deeper shadow fell like q
veil over her face. She moved away.
Attend to him." she said in q voice
of anguish. and turned and fled toward
the house.
All this had not occupied a moment
since the shot was fired. bent over the
fallen man with despair in my heart.
PROSTATE, senseless as he was, almost
hated him. for l felt that my future was
impenetrably darkencd, and thought
it was to him owed it He was hit in
the side, whether MORALLY or not did
not know, but was sure that he was
badly wounded. Stanching tho flow of
blood es well as / could, ran to the
house and sent the child for the nearest
neighbor to help mo get Gilroy to the
shelter Of Mrs. Jerdan's roof.
Answering all inquiries by saying that
he had been accidentally hit while We
were firing. finally quoted the volley
of questions that were leveled at me and
succeeded, with the help Of the man
who came, In getting him on to one of
Mrs. Jerdan's spare beds.
Then I galloped in furious haste after
q surgeon. At nightfall Of that day
1t was decided that "Gilroy YVES very
severely, but, it was to be hoped, not
dangerously wounded" The manner,
more than the words Of the surgeon,
soothed my spirit. Not till then did !
know how had dreaded to hear O worse
sentence.
Miss Clare had kept her room. Mrs.
Jordan said she was so much disturbed
by the accident that she would not come
down. I begged Mrs. Jordan to 60 up
and inform her Of the hopeful opinion Of
the surgeon; then I retired to my own
room, almost Ill from sheer excitement.
My sympathies were so acutely interested
In Miss Clare, that II might as we'll have
been myself who had done the deed. Il
was in vain that tried to sleep; / walked
back and forth in my little room with
the unmeaning fury Of an imprisoned
tiger. In the gloomy blackness of that
winter night, seemed fighting with o
future that brooded over my present like
the wings Of q vulture over the strug-
Cling deer. In the midnight there shone
no glimmer Of hope to quiet me; there
seemed not even the peaceful light Of
passiveness for me; for, to my tempera-
ment. I thought it must be happiness or
misery; I could take no refuge in glacial
calm.
Sleep at last came, but only painted
through terrific Nightmares; l drank no
draught Of sweet repose. It had been
daylight for an hour when I awoke. !
hurried down stairs with resolve to see
Miss Clare-to let her know that, loved
or unloved, I could be to her friend in
this her hour Of trouble.
"Has Miss Clare come down YETI I
asked, standing before the kitchen fire
and waiting the answer with vague
anxiety.
"Come down! Bless you, Mr.. Perrom.
she's been gone these three hours"
Tho words fell like doom upon me.
"Gone!" I echoed. with imbecile blank
ness "Wherey'
"Slie did not say where. but she hired
a man to carry her to the station some
tine before light. She took her trunks
with her."
Mrs. Jordan looked at me curiously.
She thought I was getting entangled
somehow.
Iaskcd: Ibid she leave no message?"
Message for whonY" she inquired, a
little maliciously.
For me-" answered boldly. but feel
ing very much like uttering a cry Of
despair.
NO"
lwcn. to the barn: l throw myself on
to my horse and sped to the depot.
Ny horse did not rrn-he flew. l en-
tered the little depot breathless. but
cold.
What trains have stopped hero this
morning. was my first question.
''Tw0-the up and down."
THE terminus of tho down train Is
Boston. is It not?' l asked. had IN
impression that Miss Clare had gone to
Boston.
Yes"
"When did that go?" He consulted
tho clock.
1.-TWO hours and twenty minutes ago."
And tho up train-where does that
gor'
THAT goes through to Montreal, and
has been gone from hero just thirty-6vs
minutes"
ibid young lady take passage in the
ears for Boston," knew there were but
few passengers from this town at this
season, and I felt confident the man
would remember il hs. had seen her. He
reflected q moment
mo; there was no lady, old or young;
only q man went In the Boston train"
"You are sure-you would have seen
herr
Eyes, sir: I sec the possengers." The
man began to look inquisitive himself.
"And tho up trainY' said. Now he
looked wise.
Nov you come to something" he
said. "A young lady took passage
through to Montreal"
"Ah" That exclamation camo from
me with such . mingling Of omotions
that the man stared. Clearly, II no lady
had gone from here toward Boston, and
ono had gone north, Il was natural to
think that lady must be Miss Clare.
Ibid you notice her faceT I inquired,
though felt already sure.
"Dark-dAxk hair and eyes"
What visions Of happiness I had
dreamed Of that face about whom the
man said carelessly, "Dark-dark hair
and eyea." A feeling Of inexpressible
tenderness throbbed In my heart at
those few words I turned and looked
from the window; my softened eyes It
seemed to me would betray me,
when = The NEXT train for the north
ducY
Tonight, at Q O'Clock"
! walked out and mounted my horse.
There was nothing for It but to waits
torment which the inqoidtion would
have exulted in.
No unfavorable symptoms appeared in