The Press., 1892-11-24

"we are going. she said. ..Take me to himl"
 Did she love him?
 braved Dr. Pathie's displeasure and led her to the bedside of her lover.
 Brent was still in a stnpor. We were alone.
 She stood looking at him moment. He was breathing, mtnnconscious; dead to the outer world and her presence. She stood looking at him and seeming with her large, solemn eyes to review those scenes of terror and of relief since she had known him. Tears gathered in the brave, quiet eyes.
 Suddenly she stopped and kissed his forehead. Then she passionately kissed his lips. She grew to him as if she would interfuse anew thatichor of love into his being.
 She turned to me, all crimsoned, but self possessed.
 ''I meant you should see me prove my love-" she said. Il am proud of myself for it-proud of my heart that it can know and love this noblest and tenderest nature. Tell him so. Tell him it is not gratitude, but love. He will know that could not stay. My life belongs to my father. Where he goes must go. What other friend has he than me? go with Tell him so. Please let me write to you You will not forget your comrade. owe more than life to you. Do let me: keep myself in your memory. dread my life before me- will keep you in formed of my fathers plans And when this dearest one is well again, if he re- members me, tell him love him and that parted from him-so." |. She bent again and kissed him passion lately, then departed. and her tears were on his cheek
 Brent's stupor lasted many days. Life had been strained to its utmost. Body. brain, heart, all had had exhausting taxes to pay. The realm must rest. While his mind slept nature was gently renewing him. Quiet is cure to an un- tainted life. There was no old fever of discontent in his brain. He had regrets, but no remorses. Others had harmed him; his life had been sad one; he had hever harmed himself. No ugly visions could visit the uncontrolled hours of a brain so stored. His trance was peace. More than peace, for as watched his quiet face knew that his spirit was con scious of spiritual presence, and love 1 was lowering over him, a healing ele- ment.
 At last he walked. He threw volition into the scale of recovery. He was well in trice.
 Captain Ruby and Dr. Pathie were dis posed to growl at the rapidity of Brent's cure.
 "I have half mind to turn military despot, and arrest you,' said Ruby. "A pair of nuffs. even, would be welcome in the winter at Laramie. You have made wretched bungle of it, Pathie Why didn't you mend your man delib- erately, muscle a week, q nerve al month. and so make it a six months jobT'
 | He took the matter out of my hands and lnended himself. There's cool, pa tient, determined Vitality ill him, enough to set mp legion of. father race. Which is 1t, MT. Wade, words to say or duties to do, that has made him condense his being on recoveryY'
 ''Both, believe. He is mature now, and wants, no doubt, to be at his busi. ness of saying and doing"
 "And loving" said Ruby.
 "Aye," said Pathie. ''That has had more to do with it. hope he will over. take and win, for Hove the boy. keer | my oldish heart pretty we'll locked against strangers; but there is warm cell in it, and in that cell he has, sleep ing and waking, made himself a home. , ] .sAh, doctor,"' said Ruby. you and l, l for want of women to love, have to con- tent ourselves with poetic rovers like Brent. He and 'Biddulph were balls, operas, champagne on tap, new novels fiirtations and cigars to me last winter.
 We were smoking our pipes on the veranda one warm November day when this conversation happened.
 had not quite forgotten the barrow night, as Jake Chamberlain pronounced him, nor quite forgotten, in grave cares my fancy that his stay in Utah was fol Miss Clitheroe's sake.
 was hardly surprised when, that very evening, bronzed traveller, face many shades darker than hair and beard, rode mp to the post with. 8 Delaware Indian and was hailed by Ruby as Biddulph.
 "We were talking of you not an hou1 ago." said Ruby, greeting him. ''Wish ing you would come to make last win ter's party complete. Brent is here wounded" l "Has he lady with him?" said the newcomer. His voice and manner were manly and frank-a chivalrous fellow one of us, one of the comradery of knightl errant.
 "Mr. Wade will give an account o1 her." ..
 "Come in to Brent," said l, ''and we will talk matters oyer."
 l Ruby, model host, cleared he way fol barley whose interest he divined.
 ''I will see after your horses. Don't lose your appetite for supper. We have l potatoes!"
 "Potatoes!" cried Biddulph. Mot IT
 "Yes, and hapjacks and molasses ready in half an hour"
 "Flapjacks and molasses! Potatoes and dapjacks!-Yes and molassesl" Bid dulph again exclaimed. "Jewel of 8 Rubyl This is the ossa on pelion Q; gourmandise. How underdone and over. done all the banquets of civilization seem! charge thee, Ruby, when the potatoes and the fapjacks and molasses are ready, that thou peal jubilee upon the bell. Now, MT. Wade, let me sec this wounded friend, and hear and tell. 7
 The two gentlemen met with cor. diality. Brent, I believe, had never iden. tifed Miss Clitheroe with the lady Bid dulph fled from, and had never men. tioned my suspicious.
 ssNot one word, John!'' said the Briton "until know what you have done with Ellen Citheroe Is she safer" l Brent comprehended the baronet's heart and mind at the word. The other, think. saw as plainly on Brent's face