Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-08-12

y
Suddenly, when Burleigh had al
most reached the fower-was, in fact,
stretching out his hand to pluck it
a stone, on which one foot rested for
a moment, gave way; he slipped,
vainly tried to recover himself. and
then fell-fell--fell.
Nan saw it all. She beheld him
shoot down the cliff; heard the stones
rafting after; and above it all, recog-
nized the horror-struck tones of Tom 5
voice shouting:
"Great heaven, he is killed
Then the vast amphitheatre of
mountains seemed to swim around her,
the sky, the road, her companions
whirled past, in ever-eddying circles |;
she felt herself sinking to the earth /;
she lost consciousness.
Her first sensation, after this, was a
feeling of dizziness, involved with an
idea as if she was in some disembodied
world; but, through the vagueness of
it all, came a voice that she seemed to
know, and which said:
"Aren't you going to speak to me ?
will you forgive me for my folly?"
Was she dead, also? Had she and
Burleigh met in the world of spirits I?
Oh, what had she to forgive? Was it
not rather she-who had driven him
to his mad exploit, and so murdered him
who ought to beg forgiveness?
"You see, was not killed, said the
voice speaking again. 81 struck on
ledge, just below where made that
slip-not much of place, but enough
to give me footing-and, ifyou hadn't
tainted so quickly, you'd have seen it.
1t did not take five minutes for me to
get down safely-not as much time as
it took Miss Dell to revive you-it
was nothing to think of, after all, you
know"
Then Nan-who, by this time, had
fully recovered her consciousness
did very odd thing she burst out
crying.
Burlelgh stood aghast.
ooh, how could YOU" she sobbed,
when you knew how terribly felt 7?
IF you had really been killed." sudden
ly covering her face with her hands,
81 should have always believed l MUIR
dered you
Murdered mep"
eyes, by my foolish speech. 1t was
that which drove you to it, incohe-
rently "which-which-"
Miss Dell, meanwhile, had put her
hand on Toms arm and drawn him
away, saying:
"They are better alone for awhile,
dear"
Burleigh stopped down, took a seat
beside Nan, as she sat there, and put
his arm around her.
Darling" he said, "you know now
how much care for you. Do those
tears mean-mean-"
Nan made no answer but. burying
her face on his shoulder, sobbed afresh.
The action was significant-at least,
go Burleigh thought-for he began to
shower kisses and terms of endear-
ment on her. Nor did she draw away.
"But am so sorry did not get the
eidelweiss," he said, after awhile
I've halfa notion to try again. hate
to be baked"
"Oh-oh," cried Nan, clasping him
for the first time, and actually clasp
ing so tightly that he almost choked,
"don't think of tit would kill me.
IF / had it, / should hate it; for
for"
"What, dear ?"
ut would always remind me-"
But what further she might have
said was prevented by rapturous
kiss from Burleigh and the moment
after, Tom and his fiancee were seen
returning, around the corner of the
road /; and the carriage followed close
after.
That autumn, at St. Thomas, New
York, there were two weddings at the
same time: they were those of Nan to
Burleigh, and Miss Dell to Tom and
all Fifth Avenue was there, with lines
of carriages extending for several
blocks.
81 wish, however, / bad got the
eidelweiss," said Burleigb, as he and
his bride drove off together. "I'm a
fellow-as you know, dear---that hates
to be baked"
"You got me, which was thousand