Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1892-10-20
CHAPTER XIII.
THE SHADOW OF DEATH.

CHAPTER XIII.
THE SHADOW OF DEATH.
Two days passed and no change came.
The sun lay warm and bright on the
lawn outside. The birds sang their
Same sweet song. The breath of flowers
perfumed the summer air, and the un-
equal battle between life and death still
went on in the darkened room.
BERTHE sometimes sat up to relieve
Wilson and the nurse, but Margaret
gave way TO none.
ut is only the beginning" she said,
in answer to Wilson's expostulations.
Let me stay now. After awhile will
Sleep" And Wilson, yielding, she
spent three nights in a weary vigil, but
when the fourth came nature would
stand no more.
She could no longer endure the raw
ings of delirium which brought the
past SO sharply and wildly before her.
She could not listen to the eloquent
pleadings for love in such weak and
broken sentences, nor hear her own re-
proach, SO doubly cruel, repeated by his
unthinking lips.
'Oh, for the power to live it over
again, she cried i'll the anguish Of her
heart. ooh, for one moment Of con-
seriousness in which he might under
stand.
The sleep induced by bodily WEAKNESS
was deep and long, and it was quite late
the next morning VIII n Margaret reach
ed Brian's room.
Wilson met her with an encouraging
smile
He has been very quiet" he said,
noting the question in her eyes. Il
managed to snatch several hours
sleep"
The hours passed slowly. The silence
was unbroken except by the hummiEg of
the bees outside the window, for even
Brians complaining5 were stilled for
the time. Once he murmured Margaret's
name and she felt his eyes upon her
face, but there was no intelligence in
them, only the dullness Of delirium.
After little while he began once more
to give expressions to his fevered fan
cieS.
1t was always Margaret and the shad-
ow between them, Margaret approaching
or repulsing him, Or Margaret helpful
and encouraging.
And Margaret could only sit and
listen; though when his sharp cry rang
through the silence of the room, Mar
garet, I can't see you; where are you,
Margaret?" shs placed her head beside
him, and answered in low, wretched ac-
cents:
Here, Brian; close beside you Can It
yours"
Did her voice penetrate that dull
brain? For one second she thought so.
But no. The heavy eyes turned from
Han s! Who said hands? Oh, yes; I
remember now. You said it, Margaret.
Don't you know you said it? Your hand
would be in mine. Do you-think Of
the night? And l said-ah, I-said-
what did I-say?"
His voice sank away in an unintel-
iigible muttering. few seconds of
silence and his mind wandered again.
He was lighting his old battles now
and calling upon Margaretfor sympathy
and help.
And in an anguish that could find no
other expression, she buried her face
in the pillow beside him.
Il can't bear it, I can't bear it," she
cried, passionately.
Bear it,, repeated the weak voice.
Bear it? All, no; l can't bear your
contemp st. You are-so hard; 50 hard
upon me- No right to-reproach you.
No right-at-all" Her head sank
lower She could find no answer to
these bitter complainings.
Suddenly she felt a hand upon her
shoulder, and raising her miserable face
she saw Wilson standing over her.
will you come out in the air for
few moments?" he said, with quiet au-
thority The weather is pleasant.
Thomas will take care Of Brian"
With sort of mechanical obedience
she followed him to the broad piazza,
where the pure air, warm sun and odor
of sweet flowers seemed doubly CRATE
full after the close atmosphere of the
sick room.
He was silent for some seconds. Evil
IDENTIFY he found it difficult to put his
thoughts in suitable language.
She saw and understood his hesita-
ton.
Il know what you would say she
broke in, covering her face with her
hands. I know so we'll. You have
heard Brian. You understand. And
you must realize now what hard, un-
kind, undutiful wife I've been.
Hush" he interrupted. in strange
voice. must not allow even your lips
to say such unkind words about your
self They are not deserved You lay
too much stress upon what he says,
forgetting that it is only the raving OF
delir.um. Brian has made me his con-
fidant and I feel that can Judge.
"You cannot know all, she answered,
pressing her hands together. You
cannot know of the hundred little things
the motions, expressions, words-au
meaning so much You cannot know of
them. but I do They are always be-
fore me, and the last day-the very last
day spoke unkindly. I shall never
forget it-never / saw that it hurt
him. I intended to tell him I was sorry.
r h,I NJ ohapno Tbnv hrouoht hin