The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-27
lr vengeance into his hand it is fearful

our vengeance into his hand it is a fearful
thing!
"How was it ?" she gasped.
Mrs. Tremenheere is nearly out of her
mind; she says it is her fault. Her horse
bolted. She is not a good horsewoman.
The Colonel dashed after her. l presume
his horse caught his foot in a rabbit hole and
flung him over his head He must have been
riding at full speed, and have fallen heavily.
1t was mercy he WAS not killed outright"
said the god doctor, much relieved to find
that TriX had recovered enough to ask the
why and wherefore OF the accident He
had been so much afraid of telling her; her
devotion to her father was we'll known
to all.
But she had not heard anything save
"Mrs. Tfemenheere." That was enough for
her. 1t brought back to her the reason OF it
all. She did not say to herself that this was
Gods justice, but deep in her heart she felt
it was so.
"Can l see him?" she asked. Perhaps
the sight of him might cause her to feel
grief, might melt the dreadful hardness of
her heart of stone. She felt nothing just
now, only dazed horror at herself for not
feeling.
lot now" said the doctor quickly; ''he
is still unconscious. 1t is an ugly cash, he
added
II should like to see him." said Trix. II
am not made of the stuff that faints.''
They crept upstairs after this to the sick
room. There were two doctors with the
Colonel and his wife. She, too, was very
pale. but neither had she tainted nor
screamed when she heard the news. She
was sitting by the bedside holding one life
less hand in hers, her face full of the
divinest pity and love. The sight of her
smote Trix with sudden grief She ran to
her mother, threw herself on her knees be-
side her, and, s0bbIng bitterly, buried her
face in her mothers dress.
Hush, my dear, hush," said her mother,
stroking the bowed head. A few tears
weled over and rolled down her pale cheeks.
She let them fall unheeded and kept her
eyes fixed on her husbands lifeless form.
so that the slightest stir would be noticed
by her.
1t was her mothers face that finally drove
out all the bitter thoughts from TriX's heart.
If her mother-sinned against for years
could forgive, surely she, whose wrong
dated but from yesterday, had no right to
withhold forgiveness.
lou are good woman," she whispered
to her mother, who I'm erst0Od.
Gle is my husband" she rejOined, as if
that were explanation enough. zone for
gives much when one loves much"
II was au anxious night for the two
women. 1t was many hours before the Col
onel opened his eyes. His broken limbs had
been set, his wounds dressed, and still he
lay on without one flicker Of the eyeiids to
show that he was living. His heart beat
very family. bat when they least expected
it lie Enclosed his eyes. His look fell upon
his wife. " Beatrice" he murmured with
an attempt at a smile, and that poor curving
OF The lips drove away the memory of many
an hour of bitterness
There were still many days of careful
watching before them. Mrs. Danvers, the
invalid, constituted herself chief nurse. and
nobody seemed TO wonder at it. Her in
validism fell from her like heavy cloak
that had been suddenly loosened, but Trx
went about as in a dream. She had gone
through too many phases OF feeling in too
short a time to be fully conscious of her
idrndity through each. There now seemed
to her nothing stable, nothing real; only she
knew that her father i'll or well, had fallen
from his high estate. and would never again
be the same to her. and that her mother
must needs be the most forgiving of women.
1t was the fourth day after the Coloneps
accident that maid brought message to
Trix to the effect that Mr.. Ormiston was be-
low and wanted to know if Trix would see
him. it was the first thing that brought
back to 1riX the reality of all things. The
one good, faithful heart that no amount of
him waiting a momenf, but ran down, a
very penitent and humble TriX; she had
never cOQuetted with Ralph, and was now
too honestly happy ut his having come to
ieign reluctance TO sea him.
He had EVIDENTLY been watching the
door. perhaps listening for her footsteps.
At the sight OF her his face grew crims on,
he dropped his stick In his nervousness, but
Irlx saw none OF these things, but only the
dear, we'll beloved eyes, brimful of SYM
patty.
Il only heard his morning." he said as he
greeted her. II came up at once, knowing
what you felt for him. L guessed how terri
bly, you must be suffering"
She said nothing, but held out her hand 70