Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-02-06

any other, and she had a light, beautiful
seat a her boys clothes.
AZ, yesT there they were. How the
smoke hung in the still air. Some crows
actually few cawing away, as she rode
under the dead sycamore tree where they
had their nest. Nearer, nearer, nearer.
That was what HautbOy's hoofs, as they
suddenly struck the frozen road, seemed to
say TO her.
Then all at once came something close by
her ear The sound of a wasp alighting to
sting. Another and another. Then she re-
allied what it was. She was within range
of the rifles. A bullet stung Hautboy's ear
and he reared little.
Suddenly he swcrved sharply aside. They
had nearly ridden over something that lay
on the ground. Something huddled, and
dark, and small-looking in gray uniform.
A sort of horror got hold on her; she looked
back at it again and again as she rode on.
Then came another and yet another.
Then some lying in this way and that, and
across one another, and then, somehow, she
was in whirl of smoke, and of noise, and
of leaping blades, and Philip was beside her.
And he, too, had lost his cap, and there was
great ugly cash all across his check. and
he was saying:
"Dck! You? Thank God! thank God!
thought you were killed. Come on-this
once will finish 'em," and then she was
rushing on with Philip, and on, and on, and
OH
And then it was red as though blood had
+, been poured into her eyes, and she could
see it. And then golden as though with
great sunset. And then came darkness I'M
utterabIe, and the noise as OF a thousand
rivers about, and above, and underneath
her.
When Boughton rode up to Carylon with
Dick, as he thought, on the saddle in front
of him, old Eden was the first who met
him, and in spite of all his agony flor he
thought the boy was dead) Philip couldn't
help noticing, with a dull sort of wonder,
how the old man had aged since yesterday.
He shook in every limb, as he followed
them up stars, and then, when Boughton
had laid down his burden on the bed in
Dick room, turned and shut the door, and
| went and fell on his knees beside the bed
and got hold of the coverlet with both
| hands, painting rather than sobbng, like
| one who has run a long way.
| Boughton stood it IS long as he could,
walked up and down the room forgctful of
exhaustion in his tremendous excitement,
| then he came and sat down on the edge OF
| the bed, and put one hand on the old mans
! shoulder.
'Dont-don't, Eden, he said, unstcadily.
He died SO gallantly-poor little chap-I
didn't know it was in him." he added, IN a
| hushed voice.
Then cried the old man, lifting up his
shaking hands with a certain uncouth ma
| jesty.
| ''Fo' Cord, sab, You mus know-yOu mus
know. l cyarn stan tub heah yuh call huh
| dat. Oh! my little miss oh! my honey |!
Mars Phil, sab, she tole' me not tub tell, but
yuh mus know, sab. Hits right-hit's
right Oh! Marse Phil, dat amt Marse
Dick, dat's Miss Judif herse'f-hcrse'f!'
WHAT" said Boughton.
| His blood stood still in his veins. There
was one instant Of absolute nonentity for
| him. And before he could speak again there
rushed in and past him wild figure, and
flung itself on the bed, and moaned and
wept and called the name of judith many
| times. And this pale figure had Dicks pale
gray eyes, and the eyes of the figure on the
bed were closed. Also there was much blood
in the red-brown curls.
And when at last the poor, repentant era
! ven had swooned for very grief and horror,
! Boughton pushed him aside with his foot,
| and calling him 'hound," added an ugly
word back of his teeth.
But when the women came to dress her
again as maiden, he was knceling there
beside her with his face upon her hand
aud they thought that t.c, too, was dead.
So the days wore away, and it was Christ
mas Eve again when the doctor, coming
from Judith's room, said that for the first
time he could tell them to 'hopc." On
Christmas morning she turned her sweet
| face with recognition toward the half-cur-
| tanned window, and said:
Don't hear the bells, dad!''
He answered yes" 1t was all he could
say, the dear old Colonel. And then she
said: why, it must be Christmas Day!''
Aud this time he could only nod. So she
asked them to draw the curtain, and lay
very peacefully for little space, looking
out at the saffron gare:of the weather gllm
behind the network of the tulip trees just
outside her window. After awhile she
spoke again. just one word this time:
"Dck!'
Then when he came in, his poor, weak
features working riteously, she took him tc
her soft breast and crooned over him, being
too weak for speech. And after many
words he whispered:
"Oh! Judith, darling, you have given me
something never had in my life until now
! And she said:
''What, dear boy?"
Whereat, bending his face in her pillow
he sobbed out:
Courage"
Then she reached for him with her thin
little hand, and here is what she said:
II am so glad, dear boy. 1t is the only
Christmas present that l can give you,
and she smiled at him and kissed all of hi:
face that she could reach for the pillow.
And that evening she asked to see Philip
He came and took her hand without say
ing any thing, but she could hear thu
clamor of his heart as he knelt close be
side her.
"Phil," she said, "I-I-thought yo,
might have Christmas gift for me! Hav'
your
Il would have gotten you thousand if
had KNOWN" he began; but she stopped
him.
Isn't there-the the bracelet" sh
said, not looking at him. ~ would like i
very much. l don't know whether it woul'
stay on"
He rose white, even to his lips, and wen
and fetched it. Then, as he took her hant
to put it on, he said:
Judith, you know whpt this means9"
eyes, she said, land II have some
; thing for you, Phil; not much, but
| thought YOU might not like it. Won know