Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-02-13

SHE BRINGS IT DOWN UPON THE scoUN.
DREL's PATE.
whilst she was away? What il he be not
dead? Poor, little, t,nder-hearted Duchessi
Let her not be thought unwomaniy If in
this supreme moment she hopes passionately
that she has killed the man who would have
slain her lover, and only fears that she has
not done so.
What II he should rise and finish his
CHASTITY work whilst she ran blindly along
an unknown road to gain that assistance
she might never meet. Moisture rises TO
her brow as she thinks it all out, and then
all at once she abandons that idea of gam
ing help and with one quick indrawn
breath stead.es herself for the work sho is
determined to do this night or die in the at
tempt.
STOPPING, she encircles Denis with her
arms, and presently has drawn him, first
toward the broken gateway, then through
it; through the blessed OF ening that permits
her to drag him out of view of that cruel
figure on the ground into tho safer shelter
OF the woods beyond.
Yard by yard-sobbing, painting, with
her fear and her fatigue pressing sorely on
her, yet never discouraged-sh slowly and
ever more slowly, as tie willing arms grow
so deadly weary, drags him TO the pro-
lection Of that lonely hut close to the fir
tree.
Even when she has got him in and laid
him softly downwards, with the poor broken
arm as comfortably settled as she can manage
it, her zeal for his welfare does not relax.
OF her own tender body she strips her seal
skin coat present from her auntie, to
make pillow for his head, and then, noS
e Afc.l, - ooIr.
of discomfort, nay dead to them-she slipf
Off her flannel petticoat and adds that to
the coat
Not until she has done all this does shs
permit herself to kneel beside him and looA
into his facet
Is it his face, that calm, still motioniess
mask, all streaked and dyed with blood,
blood still flowing? She has been so en-
crossed hitherto with her tcrrible task ot
bringing him here t at the idea that hen
labor might be in vain-th death might
already have robbed her of what she most
values upon earth-has not suggested itgelf,
but now it comes, and very agony oh
despair takes possession OF her. Nearer
she leans over him, still nearer, her misera,
bic eyes cilging to his deathlike face.
What horrible pallor is that upon his
cheek! how sunken are the Dyes within thei
sockets, how cruelty calm the mouth Is
is he dead?
Obi no, no, no, mol Not deadl Hurt,
nigh unto death, if it must be- but oh moi
dead, indeed! Her very soul uplifts itself
in supplicaton. Manned, suffering, broken
let him be-but grant that life still fingers
within his bruised body.
"Ohl Thou loving Lordi by whom all
prayers are heard"
Softly, TREMENDOUSLY, she entreats; and
with nervous fingers shs loosens his coat
and feels for the heart that should beat be-
meath. And after a minute who shall say
what ages lie in it0 faint pulsation re-
wards her. He Hvesi As yet, ut least
the vital spark is in him.
But how TO keep it there? Deity she
tears first her own handkerchief and then
his into strips and binds taem round his
brow. The search for his handkerchief has
brought to light small flask which, TO her
joy, contains brandy; but though she tries,
even with her fingers, to get some between
his lips, she fails to make him swallow it.
And now again terror drives her almost
wild. Can she do nothing viii no one
ever come to her aid? she runs to tho
doorway with vehement determination to
rush through all the binding storm in
search of help. But as she crosses the
Slo iOOkS DdCk anu, seeing DIX
lying there so quiet, to all appearance a.
lfeless, her heart grows weak within her
and her courage fails. Alas too, even IL
she were to venture forth, whittier could
she gof The place is strange to her; she
would not know which way to turn, and IA
she were to wander too far In this gather
ing darkness and fail to make her way
back again, what might not happen TO him
before morn in her absence, alone, unat-
tended, desertedS Oh, no, she cannotleave
him.
A vague hope that they would be res
cued later on by messengers from Ventry
gives her some wavering comfort. bat in
truth her present fears are so many that
comfort in the future is quickly ousted II
is so cold, too--so bitterly chill She looks
longingly at the dry sticks lying or TIE
hearth, but even though she knows that by
the aid OF the vestas she has found in his
pocket when looking for the flask she can.
set fire TO them, she shrinks from doing 30.
a nervous horror lest the smoke shall be-
tray his resting place to the enemy restaiu,
ing her.
She takes one of his hands in hers and
feels IL is cold as ice--his very lips, as she
lays her fingers on them, seem frozen. She
draws Off her sole remaining petticoat and
wraps its around him, with despair fast
gathering at her heart Oh, to light thai
hrei
fro RE CONTINUED.
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