The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-03-23

Tho gay company, laughing and JoE'
| ing, and bantering each other IN re-
| gard to their fear, followed me in. The
lady in blue walked quietly by my side,
saying very little, barely replying to the
| lively sallies of her companions-per
haps she thought it i'll timed nirth;
don't know.
We had been all the rounds and had
returned to the reception room, next to
the drying room, at one end of the main
building. This apartment overhung the
pond, from whence came our supply OF
water, the basin of which was formed OF
large dark gorge in the hollow of the
wooded hills. There was large swing.
ing door opening from the room directly
over the pond for the convenience OF
casting out rubbish, and this door
threw open for the visitors to obtain
view of the prospect beyond. They SOON
tired of this, all but the lady IN blue, who
still stood looking out over the dreary
scene, lighted by the departing rays OF
the lurid sun.
Suddenly l heard low, ominous hiss
from the adjoining apartment, a sound
my blood turned to ice in my veins.
recognized my fate-in another sec.
ond's time we should be in eternity.
| snatched the woman by my side and
plunged through the gaping doorway.
simultaneously deafening roar burst
upon my head-a crash, as If the globe
was rent-ten thousand cannons were
discharged in my ears-the blood flowed
from my eyes and nose-the air was
black with missiles, which reached the
water only little later than we did.
Down, down we went, it seemed, to all
interminable depth, but that plunge
saved US.
When we came up everything was
still. A deathly silence had fallen on
all nature-the place reeked with
suffocating smoke, rolling up from the
ruins, dumb as the vapor of death.
| swan to the shore with my COM
panion and supported her up the bank.
She was not unconscious. Her dress
was drenched with blood. | lifted my
arm to seek the wound, and saw that
the crimson tide flowed not from he1
viens, but from the mutilated stump
where once belonged my own right hand.
1t had been blown off.
| went home as one in a walking
dream. remember very.little of it ex-
cept that the lady in blue was with me,
that she talked soothingly to me in
sweet voice, and that afterward, when |
suffered untold agonies from some sharp
instrument, she stood by me with words
of gentle rest and peace; after that, all
was blank.
There was little snow on the hills
that l could see from the window.
When / awoke to consciousness l spoke
nv first thought, Where is Marion?'
Mother tried to put me off with an
evasive answer, but | would know the
whole truth. She told it to me with
great reluctance. Marion had not been
TO see me since the day of the accident,
and then at the sight of me she uttered
| shrek of horror and fled from the
| room.
But has she sent no message"
There is a note, but you must not
read it till you are better. You have
been eight weeks delirious, and the ex-
citement may be fatal"
GIVE me the letter." said, with all
my stern self will in my voice. IF not,
will get up and seek it myself"
She brought it to me, the delicate,
rose perfumed thing. no more heartless
than she who dictated it. 1t was ele-
| gantly got up altogether.
Miss Ware sympathized with me
deeply-hoped and trusted would be
! restored to health, etc, and ended in
releasing me from my engagement.
! She prayed | might be granted resigna-
| ton, and closed i'll saying she was my
! most sincere and attached friend.
/ crushed this scroll in my hand.
would have ground it to powder-anni-
/ hilated its very dust from the face of
| the earth if l could. | didn't mean to
curse Marion Ware, but am not sure
that did. 1t would not be strange.
Every day there was fresh bouquet
! of dollhouse flowers on the little stand
by the bedside. After awhile l began
to feel curious about them. asked my
mother where they came from.
Miss G. ord sent them"
Miss Gaylord? l know no such per
SON."
The young lady you saved from the
explosion with you. She is Miss Adele
| Gaylord, of Trenton, and TO her you owe
an everlasting debt OF gratitude, Ed
ward. l often think she saved your life,
for when you raved in delirium and
would have torn off the bandages from
your head when the surgeon had ire
PANIED your wound, she alone had the
power TO quiet you. Why, when you
were at the worst she stood over you
three days and nights without sleeping,
never complaining, never getting out of
patience with your moods. She is an
angeli'
Miss Gaylord called in several times
during the next three weeks. How
beautiful she was TO me now.
By the LIST of December | was able to
sit up most Of the time and go out some.
One clear starlight night my mother
left me alone for the first time during
my illness; she and my little sister Efhe
went to a Sabbath school concert in the
village. | frightened the fire on the
hearth, drew up great armchair and
sat down 10 a quiet hour of dreaming.
The music of sleigh bells aroused me-
The music ceased for a moment, then
passed down the road. The door opened
softly and Adele Gaylord came IN.
Blushing and hesitating at seeing me
4 alone, Urapped ND N rich furs and Grim