Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-02-16
MATED BY MRS. JOCK.
A LOVE STORY. MERELY.
BY JOHN STRANGE wMTEn. 1891. by the Authors Alliance
OHAPTER u.

and coquetry were all oecloedly lmpo- tent.
 "why, even Miss Nugent has not been allowed to look into the room yet" he said bluntly. "You know the poor old chap has had the very nearestshavei in the whole world-in fact, we can scarcely say he's out of the woods yet. Ruth is sim ply worn out and dead asleep at this moment, and I'm not much better"
 But surely could be of some use," she pleaded.
 Well, candidly, don't think you could," he said bluntly, land of course every extra one in the house makes it. harder to keep going. But it's awfully kind of you to have come; I'll let him know as soon as he's fit to hear of out side interests. By the by are you driv- ing or shall call you a cab?" :.
 ''Oh, no; I'm driving, thanks" she replied.
 She was boiling over with passion as she crossed the hall and went down the steps to her carriage.
 And poor We're, who had gone slowly and drearily up to her room face tor face with a new and terrible trouble even before the weight of the first aw- ful one had lifted from her heart. Could it really be true that he had gone straightway and engaged himself to Mrs. Hope, of all women in the world? If so he must have gone to her. and asked her at once on arriving in Lon7 don, at least during the course of that day.
 From Blackwood they had learned that Mir. Lumley had returned about three o'clock, having sent his luggage up to the studio in a cab three hours earlier, that he had dressed and gone out, telling Blackwood that he might possibly not return till late at night.
 II have to see lady in Queens Gate about sitting" he said. land if I'm coming home to dinner I'll send you wire about half-past six" He had, however, been brought home about six o'clock in cab by police man and strange gentleman, who told Blackwood of the accident, and that the only conscious words he had spok. | en were-"Tal1e me home-not hos pital-home," and accordingly they had done so.
 She remembered now so we'll Mrs. Jocks comment on hearing Black woods story. "Ah, I wonder if he had been to see Mrs. Hope. She lives in | Queens Gate, you know" We'll, it was evident that he had been there, and from what Mrs. Hope had said it was equally evident that he had gone there in anger and despair and had asked her to take possession of the l heart which he believed that she, We're, | had rejcctedl But oh-no, no, not the heart; of the life, the name, the fate, if you will, but the heart was hers-all l hers even yet. Had he not asked for her in his first conscious moment, had he not wished for her presence? An, yes whatever happened in the time to com, ] she was sure that his heart was and would be hers forever! And oh! how unutterably wretched 1 sue was! She had no tears left! Her anxiety, her sleeplessness, her grief at the mistakes of the past had taken | all her tears-in this, the most crushing blow of all, her eyes were quite dry, but her heart seemed like a lump of lead. Her future looked black and blank, her flower of hope was withered and dead.
 She was still there when a light knock sounded on the door.
 Come in," she said, when it sounded a second time.
 The door was opened a couple of inches. "Vere, can you come?" Itwas Jocks voice.
 She ran to the dCor, her heart in her mouth, and flung it wide open. Jock Airlie was standing on the landing. Gould you come2" he said. He's ask ing for you and is quiet and sensible. Ruth's asleep still"
 "Oh, yes" she said, nervously, "I will come"
 And you will remember how miser- ably i'll and weak he is still? You'll be quite steady and calm?" he said, anX- iously.
 CT will be perfectly calm," she said, unhesitatingly. But tell me, how did he know l was here?"
 'T don't know. He asked for you, and asked him what made him think you were here. He says he's known all along"
 The girl reeled a little and stopped short. ''Is anything up?" Jock asked.
 "Oh, no-Im all right" she replied, steadily, but in that one moment the iron of anguish had entered yet deeper and more bitterly into her soul.
 The room in which Lumley lay was a little less dark than it had been during the days that had just gone by We're walked quietly in and as quietly to the side of the bed wherein Lumley, gaunt and white and weak as a child, was lying.
 "Mr. Lumley," she said, softly. Jock drew the nurse to the window and asked her if she had ever seen such for gct-me-nots In town before. Lumley opened his eyes-and smiled We're shivered.
 "How good of you to be here, " he said in a strange weak voice, voice very unlike his own pleasant, mellow accents and then he lay looking at her as il the very sight of her was all sufficient for his contentment.
 We're bent down over the bed. "Yor