Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-21
CHAPTER III.

somewhat better. Helena. hearing that he was
homo again, came at once to his residence.
Her pity for him was characteristic of her gen
tie soul. Il insist upon still treating you as an
invalid" she said, "and coming to see You
while these raw spring days last. You have not
quite the same look that you had when you
went away. Evidently you are mending."
BE careful not to forget me-" came his
warning, as she was about to depart. IF you
do shall breast icy blasts in seeking your fire.
side
''Oh, I'll not forget you," replied Helena.
And she kept her word. This kinsman of hers
was about the only living person just now for
whom she cared with any real depth and ten
derness. For years she had believed him the
soul OF honor: always she had personally liked
him; and the menace of death which at present
! seemed to overshadow him woke in her heart
thrills OF feeling full of dreamy self amaze
ment.
You must not talk so much about me and
the posslbilitieS of my getting well. Z" Talmadge
said to her during the next visit she paid him.
speak more of yourself, Helena. Are you
happier than you were!'
DO You moan moro peaceful in spiritY' she
| asked.
Yes; for those who are peaceful in spirit
are surely happy"
well she slowly answered. Il do feel ms if
n certain refreshing calm had descended upon
me-"
Then that desire of yours has passed." he
quickly questioned.
What desire?" she asked. And then. as if
remembering, "Ah, the wish to punish him
| who wrote that vile letter. A smile full of
pain fiickered across her lips. Il try not to be
yengeful. she said. Il pray not to be. Often
think the praying helps me. That is all.
Then. after slight pause, she added. But it
| IS hard
What is hard?' he inquired suddenly.
That this creature should be living in Sc
curity, perhaps in exultation, somewhere not
far away. But there's worse thought than
even that
.'well. What is it?"
That among the few people I meet nova
days he or she may be one Of those with
wlom l innocently converse, whose hand /
| take. on whom smile and who smiles back
me-oh. no. no.! she cried in agitated self
Interruption. Il won't think of it, Tellmadge.
It's too distressing. I've promised myself to
tear all these ideas and imaginings from my
mind and heart. It's SO much better simply
to tell ones self that what's done is done and
that thirsting for vengeance is just as futile as
unwise"
Tallmadge made no direct answer; he had
not the courage to make one. and it occurred
to him, after Helena fitted away. that he ha..
permitted the whole priced interview to end il
weightless trivialities.
That night he slept horribly. and or the fol-
lowing day felt so i'll chat he sent for his ply
stefan.
There is some mental trouble worrying on
you, said the practitioner, who was also his
friend.
NO. none,'' replied Tallmadge, feeling the
force of his lie while he spoke l.. That night
he was obliged to take to his bed. and the OLD
fever. whose seeds were i'll his system, gave
strcng sounds Of return.
The next afternoon Helena came to him. She
was visible worried by his new overthrow. The
fever made Tallmadge bold. Il shall never get
thoroughly well. he said to her. until you
consent to be my wife She started painfully
and drew backward several steps from his bed
side.
Il see.'' he persisted. You think me out of
my head. Helena
NO. no, she murmured.
Your father wanted to marry each
other" he pursued. You remember that"
Yes. yes, Iallmadge remember
Helena" he exclaimed. lifting himself on
the pillow. Il loved you before Justin Wor-
cester ever saw you. Is there no hope for me?
My whole life, if recovered and you marrie:t
me. would be one devout and intense expia-
tom
..Expiation:" she said. wonderingly. And
then the thought came TO her that he was
really out of mis- head-which may have been
partially true, since his malady was now grow
ing apace.
Moved by sudden impulse she bent down
and kissed him on the forehead. I'm very
fond of you, she said-and meant it, She
could never love any man again she had
loved her dead husband; but the magnitude of
her pity for this man blent with the regard
which she had already felt for him and made
her abruptly yet firmly confident that some
future day might unite them in marriage.
sense OF absolute ecstacy beset Tallmadge
He closed his eyes unde-' the stress of it and
let his head sink backward. When he rose and
looked about him again the room was void.
He sank back once more He was very
happy. And yet he realized that his viens had
begun to burn with an increase OF the dread
dlstempor which had never yet been driven
from them-half malarial, the doctors de-
cared. and half cerebral. His lips now moved
and he heard his own voice, ~ though it Was
the voice OF some one else addressing him in dis
jointed fragments: "She has really forgotten
She thinks she has nO:-nO brain fever-vou
should never have gone to Florida, of all places
those devilish doctors kept you there be-
cause they thought only of their fees-you'l II
get well and you'll marry her-she'll never
know, never dream-in time she'll love YOU in
time-in time And then his murmurs ended
Meanwhile Helena had not left him. The
physician whom she, had met just before EN-
tering Tallmadge room had requested her not
to remain there long. She now waited in the
adjoining room and instructed her cousins
valet. who also waited there. not to breathe a
word Of her having thus remained.
1t was then nearly o'clock in the evening
The valet, al her request. brought her some
sort OF repast IN lieu OF dining, and she seated
herself afterward with a book taken from one
of the shelves. Her mind could not fix ITSELF
however. upon the printed page. 1t al
ways wandering to him whom she had left
within the adjacent chamber. She recalled her
dead father 8 wish that she should become his
wife. Her heart began to beat excitedly as she
Thoughts, why should not consent. once and
for all, if it would bring him back to health?
Justin surely would forgive me if his spirit
were watching us now!
The valet suddenly startled her bv gliding to
her side and whispering. Hes got out of his
bed. Mrs. Worcester, and he's writing ma am
Very well, she whispered back, let him do
as he plcascs. But you must wrap something
warm about him. John. It's even colder than
it Was.
No need OF that, ma'am; he's put on his
wooden wrapper and his slippers"
All And how does he seem, John, like
himsef?'
He, ma'am He's queer as possible?"
Queer
''les. ma'ain. His ewes are famin' like. and
he don appear as if he were in his own right
senses"
A portiere hung between the two rooms
Helena stole to it and parted its folds t; little
She had clear view of the sick man as he sat
before his desk. though only his profile was
visible to her. That served TO decide her. how
ever. She went lack to John and spoke thus:
go at once for DR.. Meredith. think Mr.
Van Dyke is out Of his mind. think so be-
cause his face is twitching strangely and he
holds his pen in such an odd way. Besides he
Is muttering to himself all the while Go ut
once. will wait here"
John promptly obeyed Perhaps five minutes
later Helena went again to the portiere Still
clad Ill the WOODEN wrapper Iallma,lye had