Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-03-06

DO with you or me, my sweet Why, hava
you heard nothing, then? Has the Mater,
that most womanly of all women, actually
kept a secret? You really don't know,
thenp'
''Know WHAT" family
"Of Katherine new matrimonial scheme.
Why, she has thrown me over" q
happy laugh-"s ld is nov engaged 10 Sir
Brandrrm BoilepI. Size IS TO DO married
TO him. / hear, n, xt month"
The lips of TIE Duchess grow n nttis
white.
"Oh, is IL truei" she cries, claspjng her
hands. There is honest hopo in her eager
voice. Her eyes diate.
As true as thai you AMI I are here TO.
gether now, AMI tat we s1all be together
for the rest of ou.' lives, " saws he gently.
''Oh. then may indeed love you now,p
cries she, 50 innocent =, with such a sweet,
glad tremor in hel Gone, that oil his hearb
Loes ont TO her
''If you only wsl, my beloved" hs an
swers, softly, with sahdued but Q rneit pas
sion. He draws her closer TO him, and as
if lit tired she vel Is TO his embrace and
lays her head upon the silken cushion
where his head lies, her little pale cheek
resting contentedly against his
'Are you happy" asks he, presently, in
low VIII ser.
Happy" scornfully 'No, that does
not explain it. Thers is no worl in any
language that can toll you how l feel"
There is the sweetest abandonment in her
manner.
"My darlngn' Then he laughs little
odt of the fitness Of his heart, and pressec
her closer TO him. al 10 think you are the
nest satisfactory litts sweetheart In ths
world, " he says with touch OF reverence
In his tone, born Of tho innocence than
marks each word aid action OF her.
But" regarding intontly her little, wan
face show thin you arc, my Lowell ! don't
like TO SEQ yol look like this. It makes mo
feel as though / had Iii ed you. BY tina
By, Norah," impulsiv4ly, as though the
thought had just returned to him, edo yot
ever think of that nigat when you saved
my life?" {
The moment the words are uttered he re-
grets them-but too lato. She starts hur-
riedly into more upright position, and
hDr white face grows almost CHASTITY. I
"Don't," she says, laying her hand upon
his chest, as though to keep him from her.
"Don't speak of that. / can't bear it. 10
hurts me here, " catching the bosom of her
gown in a convulsive grasp. Rising
abruptly, she moves away little and her
eyeJ grow strangely bright.
''Never mind, darling. Don't think OF
IL, " says Delaney, in low, quick tono;
something in her whole mir has frightened
him.
ooh! that couldn't thinkr' cries she
'But it is always there. Always 10
stands out before me just as it happened.
l see-I hear-everything The ring OF
the bullet--the mans grasp upon your
throat-that murderous weapon uplifted--
the blood trickling down your face, and tho
= en-
She stops Short strong shudder runs
through her frail frame, and her breath
comes in little gasps from between her
parted lips.
"And then that long awful night When
there-living through tit seemed little,
but now l wonder how it was i lived"
'Norahl Come here" says Delaney,
authoritatively.
"No. Let me speak All this time
have felt that l must give voice TO my past
misery, hut there was no one to whom
. could unburden my mind"
''Was there not my MOTHER"
81 tried, but 1 could not. There was NJ
body but you, I suppose" nays she, with
a mournful simplicity. "But what troubles
, me is this" cries she, turning her soft eyes
wildly on him, "why must speak at all
, why it is not permitted to me to forget.
,, Oh! the cruel agony of remembrance.
, Those moments when ] thought you dead
when half feared TO lean o5er you lest
; should find your breath was indeed gone
that you were gone-forever; they remain
, with me, i cannot drive them from me
, They do not come all together, those MD
ments, but one by one, tearing my very
heart from my breast Al night i liz
awake and go over it all, bit by bit, listen
ing to your labored signs, waiting for youl
last breath, until sometimes think it will
kill me-"
81 know" she says, in voice Of deep
est contrition, 81 know I should not agi
tate you. / should DO calm for your sake
but"
"Just So" says he gravely III am nat
urally the one person 10 be considered. II
you agitate me any more l won't answer
for the consequences"
"Then do not talk to me Of that" say
she, with a little plantive sob.
= Certainly not We shall talk of some
thing altogether different, says he, quietly
fixing an observent eye on her. .Therg
are many other subjects, are there not
You can tell me, for example, Of th,
world outside. 1t seems quite an ag
since l saw it, except from the window
which is but poor way of doing things. !
? "You forget have not been out mucl
either. This Troublesome cough has KEEP
me prisoner. But yesterday, and one day
last week. dad took me for little stroll,
just we two, you know, round the inneI
garden"
'Ahl But even so, you are better OF
than am. However, a secret for you!
! am to go out tomorrow, and next week
nm to be shifted off to the south of France
simply, firmly believe, to satisfy thu
Mother, who still thinks me at the point o.
; death; and because the doctor must order
me something. BY the 10y, Duchess,
smiling, while still regarding her keenly
twill yon come there with meY''
"Oh, how can IP am afraid dad woulC
never 20 so far as that
LET us leave him at home, then, and th,
.. Mother too. 1 have reasons for knowing
that she would positively hate TO go abroaf
, at this time of year. What mean'is, will
you marry me in n hurry, darling, and
; come with me to that nice soft climat,
(which they say is sure TO set us both NY
, again in no timel and help TO nurse meSi'
He is growing rather anxious nov
Will she consent? AS for the nursing
it seems TO him that il is he who will bav,
to do the most of that. But will sh,
consent?