The Globe-republican., 1891-05-27

Then she went on quietly again. Il wan
you to get him OF if Pm hurt, you know
well-6lled. Either way there'n be room
for hun to start over. II I'm killed, ant
they bring me bach, don't tell any one. Hav'
me buried for-him. II they wonder abou
me, never mind. The other would kill dad
That's all Goodbye, dear Eden"
She put one soft arm about his blacl
neck, drew down his loyal old woolly pate
and kissed him twice. Then she went, ani
left hun sobbing as though his heart wouli
break.
1t was Q soundless gallop over the new
fallen snow, past 50 many familiar places
and objects Now came the old mill. now
the barn, now the spot where she and
| Boughton had climbed the straw-stackl
that other December day. Now the Leap
/ over the millstream. She noticed that the
marshmaliows seemed abloOm again, with
their brown cups full of snow.
Suddenly there was q fash to one side. A
saber lying on the snow. There was blood
on it An! the one Dick had thrown away,
Of course She dismounted and took it
into her hand, and got up again. The blood
was stiff with the keen air, and did not
come of when she grasped the hilt. On
and on. Nearer and even nearer that sharp,
Incessant sound. She had ridden as often
on Q mans saddle in her childish days as on
any other, and she had light, beautiful
seat in her boys clothes.
All. yes! 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 q 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 swerved sharply aside. They
had nearly ridden over something that lay
on the ground. Something huddled, and
dark. and small-looking in a 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 tins 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
a great ugly cash all across his cheek, and
he was saying:
''Dick! lOus 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
on
And then it was red as though blood had
been poured into her eyes, and she could
see 1t. And then golden as though with
great sunset. And then came darkness un-
utterable, and the noise as of 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 (for 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
Dicks 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 sobbing, like
one who has run long way.
Boughton stood it as long as he could,
walked up and down the room, forgetful 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.
"Don't-don't, Elder" he said, unsteadily.
HE died 30 gallantly-poor little chap-1
didn't know it was in him" he added, IN .
hushed voice.
Then cried the old man, lifting up his
shaking hands with certain uncouth ma
jesty.
''Fo' Cord, sab, you mus kn0w-yOu mus
know. I 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, OATS Miss Judif herse'f-herse'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 q 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 brown curls.
And when st last the poor, repentant era
ven hadswooned 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 kneeling there
beside her with his face upon her hand
and they thought that re, 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 "hope." 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 Eyes" 1t was all he could
say, the dear old Colonel. And then she
said: "Why. it must be Christmas Dayr'
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 glare..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:
"Dickr'
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