Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-08-07

as well IS the work OF the h1red nurse
| upon herself, and, both mentally and
would walk homeward, only having laid
a silent kiss on Lina's lips, and whis-
persd word or two for Gerard. BIZ.
\ there were other times, when she would
/ Eprer in his room for hours, with that
bright sense of ease which peculiarly
belonged to Marjorie, and made her
seem at home wherever she might be.
II was on the last morning in May that
Col. Stuart. buried in anxious thought,
walked alone to the cottage. He had
spent most Of the previous night beside
Gerard's bed, and he knew that the end
was drawing near. It would be calm
and peaceful end but none the less sad
for those who Witnessed it, and Who
knew what the solitude afterward would
be for the twin-sister.
So Col. Stuart was thinking, when b
reached the oottage-door and looked
down upon q pitlful little object. Jet,
with his head held tightly in his hands,
was sobbing without q sound, while his
whole frame shook and trembled in the
emotion which was unchildlike in its In.
tensity.
Col. Stuart, with his arm about the
shaking little form, was whispering his
few cheering words of comfort, whom
Lady Adhesion came through the cot
tAge-door, her face unusually pale and
with the mark of tears still on it. He
turned to walk with her down the gar
den then, in his quiet, soothing way,
he asked for Neil.
standing this question, as he knew she
would, from the motion of his lips,
"and am desolate without him. But
Miss Chester is coming blackstone day
when Oh, have. felt so miserable
in there He ought. % be at High
Adhesion. If he il to die be should die
at High Adhesion Should it not be
SO, AG0k ?"
"It matters little" he answered,
with q smile she could understand,
whether she guessed rightly at the words
or not.
"Col. Stuart" she said, "you will
not go up 10 himP He has been dis
turbed much to-day and is very tired,
Marjorie says. She herself is waiting
down stairs. See abe Is sitting at the
window there, and will not 60 up unless
at understand" he said. ST will
walk little way with you, Lady Athel-
ston."
Whether she heard his answer or not,
she was glad to take his offered arm for
the tears and distress Of this morning
had left her weaker even than usual, and
with feeling Of unwonted delicacy she
had come alone.
Even when he returned, after leaving
her at the park, Col. Stuart saw that
Marjorie still sat beside the window
but her head was not bent now 1t was
raised as If she listened to some sound
far of. So he paused a minute at the
gate, looking thoughtfully away among
the shadows Of the overarching elm
bouGhs, and just then Dorcas came from
the cottage behind him, and, throwing
her arms about the sorrowing child, she
took him tenderly into her own home,
and closed the door upon their weeping.
Up stairs, in the room where Gerard
lay, the silence had been the hush of
peace, and not despair. Lina's eyes, as
she sat beside him, were fixed upon his
face with yearning that was unutterablJ
sad in its intensity but his were far
away just then, out among the sunlit
leaves and pure white clouds and the
yearning that was in them had no sad
ness In It.
They were both silent, as they were SO
often now, in that hushed expectant ST.
lence in which the living and the dying
feel so keenly the great gulf between
them, yet feel so mercifully the one
Hope which spans this grief.
II was Gerard who broke the silence
ct last, speaking softly, as his eyes came
back from their long gaze and rested on
the pale and wistful face beside him.
"Lina, am so glad, so very glad,
that you have consented to go back-T
mean to go home-to High Adhesion. I"
"You asked me, Gerard" she said
YEARLY. "Can do anything but what
you wish?"
"Lady Adhesion is really fond of you,
my pet, he went on, seeking for all the
comfort that the thought could give
them, Greatly fond of you and can
see a happy life in store for you-a
known, my little sister"
She tried to answer brightly the ten
der questioning of his eyes, but she
could not.
china" he said presently, ST want
I want you to give me my Order of Lii
Cense-my ticket of leave mean, dear.
It Ii always in Q hidden pocket Of my
coat. had to carry 1t about with me,
and always made the pocket myself ;
suoh q CHEEKY task, Lima"
One passionate, grievous sob burst
impetuously from the girls heart as she
rose and looked where he babe her.
Never had she seen the paper she sought,
and now, of all times, how could she
bear to look upon it? Tightly she
.olasped her fingers round the folded
sheet, and brought it to him with her
face averted.
"Even now, can it give you pain to
look upon it?" he asked with a smile
which showed how little pain it could
give him. "Why, Lima, if il had not
| been Riyen me, where should I have
been now? Not here with you, my dar-
ling Eight years, this order says, and
not six Of them have passed yet. !
should have been there still but for this
paper which you will not look upon.
Yet even I, Lima, until to-day, have not
dared to omen it since 1t was given me.
I felt that II I saw the words before my
eyes must tear them into atoms. But
| non "A 1. d;Aca-.nL LL:..l- I ....lI -.al