Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-11-08


The ncTt moment she irdS trrdppcd in
his big arms.
ing away with last nod to me. We looked
after him i'll silent speculation, but little
thinking that we were to see our friend no
more. We found fly ut Working station
that carried us to Betterford Taras was
standing ut the gate with Judith by his
side. As Gordon stood up in the carriage
waving his hat she ran to meet us leaving
Taras. Gordon leaped out OF the fly before it
stopped, and the next moment she was
wrapped in his big arms, standing on tip
toe TO reach his lips.
Taras took my hands in silence-we wore
both greatly moved-but as he led me
through the open gate he murmured
Brave, dear friend-my unchanged, I'M
changing Aura. You have come back not
to go away AGAIN.
Never, never" l answered fervently
"Oh, ii l may stay with you till the end of
my life! That Is the wish of my heart, and
have no secrets from You now.
All, You have guarded your secret WELL
and l was poor seer not to guess the
truth. l could only tell that there was
something hidden; hat none of us had the
true clew to the mystery. But in one thing
l was not at fault l said that you would
come back to me, and even you could not
shake my faith in that. When Judith told
me she must leave me, they would have
had me advertise for companion-a
stranger TO fill Your place Think of it.
They thought me mad when l told them
you would come back in time. But you
have come, dear, brave, self sacrificing
friend The luck has turned"
Il should think it had, cried Gordon,
ovcrtaking lis, and not a bit too SOON"
Then the two friends grasped hands like
II couple OF giants and stood smiling in
each other faceS-tiordun with tremu-
lous movement of the lips as he looked at
the closed eyes which used to shine upon
him and could shine no more
Something like IL jolly meeting this,
he said stoutly as he mastered his emo
tion. Worth going to Siberia to feel like
this when one comes back. but hang me if
90 again
You have no friend To slvc-that's
why" said Taras. The car is satisfied
They'll leave me alone now
Aye old chap. but we march out with
flying colorS and can hang up our. swords
with pride"
That was the only reference made to the
past.
BY Jupiter, what n jolly old place."
Gordon exclaimed as we came in sight of
the house. But what's the meaning of
all those shattered windows"
That is the part we have not yet found
use for. Eight or nine rooms are about as
many rs Mere Lucas can comfortably man
age
The best part of the house is unoccu-
pied" added Judith.
The best part, do You say? That sounds
rs if it might be good enough for us. What
do you think, partner mine-shall we build
our nest here
Like the swallows, without asking
whctherwe are welcome or not" suggested
Judith.
Yes, said Taras, and, like them, bring
ing happiness TO the house.
Judith and went up stairs together. We
had a great deal to tell each other. Looking
from the window. we SAW Taras and Gordon
on the lawn. Oh, it was good to see them fill
ing their pipes from the same pouch. stroll
ing across the smooth grass with their
arms linked, putting out clouds Of blue
smoke, and still better TO- bear them Join
ing in L hearty laugh.
lit is the first time l have heard him
laugh" said Judith. His patience has
sometimes panied me. His endeavor to find
a cheerful outlook in the future only proved
how persistentiy memories of the past
haunted him, how tedious the present mo-
ment was, Now you have changed all that"
u
Yes, you were more to him than sight
The loss of Yo0 was the real grief, not the
loss Of his eyes That he looked upon al
ll4OsI Is - 4OEGSCSll N~tIsl+-lll Inc
war Us lie says. He has always main
tanned that you would como back. The
next room is yours. 1t was furnished ex-
preS~ly for Won, and all that belonged to
YOU in Lambeth is in there. Nothing vet
from my little fricnd:' he has asked some
lines after l have read his letters to him
NOu have always been present here to him.
l felt that. 1t hurt me sometimes to feel
that l could never be so much to him rs
NX,rt I that my in
ritated him sometimes, and that he was
glad To be left alone. In those moments he
was thinking of you. Something in my
manner compared uutavorably with his
recollection of you. can afford to tell you
all this now, dear. At one time it wounded
my pride tc suspect it, and would not have
confessed ne fact to myself, hut it gives me
Joy to tell you all now"
She left me as :Iere Lucas tapped at the
door and humbly begged to speak to her
dear madenoiselle | wished | could es-
cape also. thought the poor old woman
would never be comforted or cease to beat
her ample breast and call herself hard
names
To think of the indignities the atfronts,
he insults l offered you, my dear my most
| respected mademoselle. What Il brute
was, what an animal, what an imbecile! To
offer you place as domestic servant in
this house; to take you into my own room
when ought to have led you into The best
drawing room; to permit myself to c,ss at
the same table with you, and to offer you
the little wine and the remains of food that
are only good enough for a fool and a dolt
such as l am-though certainly they are
better than l deserve. And to think that
you had behaved unworthily at the very
time when you We're riSking your life to
| save my dear master, and, what is more, to
believe ill of that dear NJ. Gordon. who
could do no wrong to save his life, God
! bless him-as droll as ever and as kind!
But am richly punished for it, look you,
/ for broke three things since lunch and let
my milk boil over for the first time in my
| life. All, mon Dieu, that it should come
/ to this at my age!'
! Happily the fear of some further Gull
nary disaster put an end to her sobs and
/ self reproaches, but for long while after
! / never passed her without hearing her ad-
| dress herself as Il camel, pig or some
! other object of contempt.
| George Gordon, going to the window
after dinner, exclaimed:
| "A glorious night, by Jove! How would
it be if we went out for half an hourt''
Very agreeable, l should say" replied
! Taras
The idea was equally acceptable to Ju-
dith and me, and when we had put on our
wraps we Joined Gordon and Taras in the
garden. Chatting and laughing we strolled
down the broad walk in a row, but passing
through the gate Taras and Judith took
the lead, and In that order we sauntered
u -