Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-06-15

giri nxs yoas imposes bier
Why should / not" sad Constance
simply "ln tiIae If war Woman es.a
often pass where man cannot. and no
American woman has any harm ~ fear
when she goes among Americas n4ea.
whether northern OF southern
As she spoke her fair young face hight
ed up with glow Of heroic daring that
quite traasIigured II for the moment,
and made the sick mans heavy eyes
turn 10 her with look Of wondering I'D
miration.
You are indeed worthy Of him.
said be. seeming 70 eaten spark of her
enthusiasm, land If thanks or blessings
are worth anything from ne you have
them both. Bat il you take up this
search, how do You mean 10 set about it,
Il have had plenty Of practice in
nursing. Us you know; and just now
nurses with any experience are very
much wanted everywhere. shall make
my way south. and volunteer Ia help IN
the hospitals; and ! have no fear but
what shall be accepted"
The old man seemed To mediate for q
few moments. and then be drew long
breath. as if bracing himself for some
final effort, and said more firmly;
Yes. that viii doubtless be- the best
plan; bat, In any case, you must not go
alone. Take my man Dawson with you;
hes sharp fellow, with plenty of cour-
age; be may be useful TO you in case Of
need. Now, hand me that cordial on the
table: | must keep up my strength, for
have much TO do yet. and little enough
time left TO do it in"
The peasants of Munster were won't
to say that the bad Fortescues," as they
expressively called the wild race TO
which the viscount belonged. had "al-
ways the most life in thin jist whin
they wor goin' 10 de-" and this saying
was * trae OF the last Lord Doneraile
as Of his terrible forefathers. Propped
up with pillows, he wrote rapidly for
nearly half ~ hour without once raus-
ing to rest, while the sick room was a
scene of incessant though perfectly noise
less bustle-people coming and going.
servants gliding off on errands or re-
turning from them. and Constance Leigh
herself standing ready TO give TO the in
valid the various things for which he
asked from time 10 time.
AT length all seemed to be done, and
the old man. sinking back exhausted On
his pillow. said family:
81 have done rs you asked mo, Con-
stance; are you satistiedy'
The girls only answer was to bend
over him and kiss his forehead; but that
simple. childlike caress said more than
any words.
Then followed long silence, broken
at length by the now low and feeble
voice OF the dying man:
You look tired, my poor child; viii
you not go and restY
81 won't leave you," she answered
simply; and another long pause ensued,
in the dead hush of which was heard the
| ghostly tick of the clock, marking of
the last moments of that wasted life.
In the subdued light the strongly marked
face that lay powerlessly back on the
pillow began to assume a weird likeness
to the flesh!ess outline of skull, and
| Constance Leigh, though as brave as any
soldier who had fought that day at Get
tysburg, felt herself shrinking instinct
lively from what seemed like the visible
presence of death.
AT last the sick man spoke again. in q
voice which was now barely above a
whisper:
will you pray for me, Constance, l
cannot. for it would be like coward to
| cry for mercy, now that | am helpless,
after having laughed at such things all
my life when was strong and full of
health, but If there is a God, he will
surely hear such prayers as yours"
And Constance did pray for him with
all her heart and soul. She forgot the
countless insults hurled at her by this
mans bitter tongue-his mean suspi-
ciOns Of her, the cruel wrong that she
and her lover had suffered at his hands,
and remembered only that he was dying.
and that he had no one to care for him
or to love him.
Another drauSht Of the cordial re-
vived the failing man once more, and be
spoke with all his wonted irmness:
when you find him-for find him
you will-tell him l forgive him. and
ask him to forgive me; and when you
are happy together"-
He broke of suddenly. and the girl,
looking at him, saw that he had lifted
his head and seemed TO be gazing in
tently, not at her, but Mt something be-
hind her. Then she remembered that
the bad Fortescues' were credited with
the gift of Second sight. ard though sho
put 10 faith in tho weird superstition. it
awed her in spite of herself.
II see him." cried the visoount; "he Is
alone among them all. but they cannot
kill him--he lives still! The frst peril is
past, but the second is still to come II
comes! be has escaped it, but the third
peril-the third
And with that bitter cry on his lipe
the wild Lord Donerails" sank back
and died