Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-10
FY DORA RUSSELL
(A1L RIGHTS REsERvED.l
CHAPTER xxxv.-A FRIEND IN NEED.

hack the feelings of his heart now when he
feared she las strickendeai in his arms.
(Which is the nearest-Gateford or Wroths-
,evq,' he called out hoarsely to the groom, who
had now succeeded in getting partial command
over the affriahted pony, and was endenvorins
20 release it from the traces
"Gaterord, by six or seven miles, sir, )" an
swered the groom.
..Tben ride the pony there-you can manage
10 do that; - said Erne, still in that hoarse
changed voice. "Ten Miss Clifford from me
VIVA, has happened, and ask her TO send car
rage at once here for Mrs. Clifford. Do not
waste moment; but first see after that poor
+, ew in he carriage
The groom having now freed the living pony
from the harness led it up to the bacs OF the
rarriagg where the dead man still sat. though
his head had fallen backward, and his half-oren
si-htlcss eyes seemed staring upwards al the
d.rkling sky. 49,,
TIE groom put his hand on his wrist. looked
ct him and shook his head.
lies done for, sir, he said, poor john
son's dead-dcad as door nail
Then nothing can avail him. leaVe MN
where he is and ride at once TO Gateford aud
give my message, and 1 will remain here with
Mrs. G ford uatil you return with the carriage;
and ask Miss Clifford for some brandy to b ing
II hope the poor lady" hesitated the
s' II cannot tell, =" said Erne sharply and
briefly, in answer to {! e unspoken question:,
'.go at once; Go not delny moment now
The groom obeyed II Il immSdlatclJ, and
lean ID on the be G, OF the unsaddled pony and
started off at gallop for Gltelord Manor
House, and Erne WAS lett alone Win Nancy auu
AGAIN he looked into her face, and something
IiEa n ornan broke from his firm lDs as he
rushed some burnt hair from her brow. Was
she dead? he asked h m self. even as he tried TO
scr on her from the downpour OF ram wnicn
was turning the road into O river and soaking
everything they wore. He laid her head on ms
breast and wrapped her cloak more closely
around her. ana ldeavored to shelter her WIN WI,
his own coat. Tne storm still went rag n on,
but Erne never needed it. storm was raging
in his own breast, darker and more terrible IN an
the thunder clouds. That she should be lying
thus-lving in his arms dead, or perhaps dying
the girl he had loved so well. the woman
whom but n dav ago he had told himself ne must
not love made him totally indifferent 10 Inc WIG
uprCar OF the elements.
D. something stir presently on his breast or
was it the strong thToObings Of his own heart!
lie moved hack the cloak little from her face
ana saw a faint culver pass over II, and the
next moment she feeby raised her hand and
..Na1cy. Won are quite safe, - said Erne with
unconscious tenderness and relief in his voices
81 have sent one of the grooms for a carriage TO
GateIord. he will be here soon now, so you must
not be afraid any more. ~
She half-lifted her head. and pat her hand TO
her face and n shlVeT, q shudueF ratheI, ran
'HAte Won coii?'' asked Erne drawing the
cloak once more closely around her. .-.,
.sWhere-am I?'i came feebly now from
Here. with me, Nancy-with Godfrey Erne-
and YOU wi Il soCn be at Gateiord again.
She tried again 10 lift her head, and again put
her hand to her face, and an oppression of great
1T is quite dark " she half whispered $50
dark 1 can see nothing
Then Erne glanced upwards at the SKY.
ono - he said: lit is clearing there over
toward the west: the storm wall soon be over
now, and it is much lighter :,
II can see nothing, l can see no'hlns'
moaned Nancy Unjust be blind.
THE lightning, perhaps, has hurt your
eyes" answered Erne with great earnestneSs
and kindness: ''but thai will all come right;
Inf 2 upyv and lean lg3lnSt me, and VIII
try to keep the rain from you. ..
And Nancy's heal once more fell down as u
she had not strength to hold II up and when
Erue laid his hanI upon her wrist to feel the
pulsstion il was so feeble that every moment MS
alarm increased. He did not a-te,hpt 20 sPenh
TO her any more, nor rouse her from the haI-
unconscious state into while she seemed 10 have
fallen. she moaned slightly once or twice, oul
gave no other sign of life, and Erne 3 msleraoIt
anxiety to be able to procure her some assistance
vas terri bic 10 endure.
WonId the carriage never come? he asked
himself with almost uncontrollabe impatience.
An hoar and more had passed since he had sent
tine Groom to Gateford, and Erne knew " ell lha
the Hutterng brelth that he listened ioF sc
EAGERLY n any moment might be stayed Al
lat MS strained ears heard a dis ant SOUND o
wheels, and few minutes later MISS uiuofu
li-faShione1 family coach appeared. the CHaCti'
man drawing up few yards from where h ~
stood, holding the half-u CONSCIOUS Nancy II
Then one of the ancient serving-women from
C4atcford descended from the coach, an" th'
groom Erne had sem, the woman giving . kln'
man q I'd the dead horse.
Hush, said Erne, sseruly; Miss Clifford
must be kept perfectly quiet. VIII lit her lhT
the Carriage. and then you lake of her wet cIoa,
and boots, and rub her feet and hands WIZ
brandy II you have brought any. -.
The old woman had brought bTancV ant
strong essences, and by Erne directions sh
first got back into the great roomy family coach
and then Erne carried Nancy in his arms to tn
carriYge door and she lifted in partly b.
himself, and partly by the serving woman.
The ancient handmaiden luckily had all he
Nr,Fl n n
CHI |! cold form in q warm dry fur oak wnic!
she mad brought and drew off her wet boois
Frne who had also got into the coach, still he'll
Nancy in his arms and now began wetung ne
Inns with brNnly and ct last induced her Il
swallow little OF the spirit
lifted up h r head and stretched o It her hands.
Are you better now?'' asScd Lrne gent y. 50,
''I-ieel SO strauge-and cannot see. iai
tered Nancy s weak voice.
THAT is the shock to your nerves, 70
know explained Erne, with the deepest plt
in mis- heart: ''ii will pass away; and you ar
safely in n IS Cifford's carriage now, and W
sbs | drive quietly back to Gateford; and IN
few Gays you will lie quite well again, and tn
storm IS almost gone now
: .Did The lightning strike me?'' asked Nancy
seas. civ audible tones -,
ut stluc. the c.rrage, but you are qniI
safe now and you must try to swallow MI
more OF this to keep you warm, and Miss On
lords maid here will stay beside you while
He placed her on the seat of the carriage as
smoke. and hade the old woman support her
tions TO the MIothsley groom concerning u
dead man and the dead pony, returning
Nancy s side moment later, and holding N
mn / the way during their return to Gateior'
Miss Clifford was standing in the antlql
,,o-rb as they drew near the old house, am
ionsly waiting their arrival. Something IN
bent still in er withered breast, had smote h
when she realized that she had sent cut your
girl and the handsome soldier who remind'
her of her youth, to bear the brunt OF a terriD
Eto-nl on the ex posed highway, instead OF b
meath the shelter of her root-tree- Then, wh'
the or, ON on the unsaddled pony galioped
to the house door, and,told Of the disaster IN
had occurred-iold with a white, drenche
scared face that the lightning had killed OF
man and that he feared II S. Clifford was de'
nlso-the Old woman who listened trembled a
grew pale remembering her own selhshness
She always went to s.eep every afternoon "
she wan ed TO sleep through the storm, ana
had not cared to be troubled with visitor
Thus she had let them go AWAY; indeed h
given no hint about asking them to remain, al
her heart reproached her with this now,
And with strange agitation and fear g
watched him lit Nancy out of the Carrioge,
sisted by her ancient maid. and caught
glimpse OF the face that had been so lovely hui
lew hours before. Erne made her sign TO su
nress any e1clHmatio Of alarm, and Nancy W
ouicLly and quietly carrie l to one Of the be
rooms AMI q doctor immediately sent for.
Miss Clifford then beckoned TO Erne to come
her and erasped his hand in her own shaki
,yithsrad one when he did so.
.tnT,.aE 10 he matter with ask cd IT