Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-11-21
HE MISTOOK HER.

is hope"
Ralph, ycur reply is evasive. I must
know the truth. Can / livep
For a moment the physicians firm lips
ouivered. His heart was touched. He
took his patients hand as he said. tremu-
lousy;
mo, my poor fellow, your hours are
numbered"
II thought So" calmly returned the sick
man. "Call Bessie, then kindly Leave us
together for "A while"
The doctor left the room, and soon Q
pretty girl with large blue eyes entered.
do you want me, guardyi" she asked
In low, sweet tones.
"Yes. Bessie, Close the door. please, and
come To me-"
She obeyed. When she had reached his
bedside, Norman took her hands in his fee
BILE clasp.
Bessie, the doctor says am dying. You
are poor, and when die will be friendless.
want you To iuherit my wealth. There IL
but one way In which you can do that
without reproach, dear-you must become
my wife"
The girl literally held her breath. How
was she to answer himi Once, twice, she
essayed to speak, but though the lips
moved no words came
ut will only be for few hours at most,
Bessie" the weak voice went on, "and IL
will comfort me mex xpressibly TO know that
l leave you provided for"
There was not word about love. Bessie
looked searcbinRly into the pale face. and
her own color faded.
Bessie WAS an orphan. When her father
died he left her-then child-to the care
- aata
trusted friend, and most faithfully had that
friend discharged the obligation. Bessie's
scanty fortune had been sufficient TO edu'
cate her, but now the last dollar was spent,
and she was dependent on her guardian for
support.
As child and maiden she had looked up
to him az her dearest friend. Now that he
was dying and wished her 10 be his wife,
she never dreamed Of opposing him; his
wish WAS her care. Her tears fell fast as
she knelt there. With the last words OF
the ceremony the close clasp Of his hand
relaxed, and she thought he was gone But
he was not dead only sleeping.
DR.. Adair shook his head AZ he examined
his patients pulse aud said he could not
possibly survive the night, but he was mis-
taken. The morning brought a decided
change for the better. 1t was even possible
he might live.
Bessie watched over her husband faith
fully She could not have been more watch
full for his comfort-more solicitous for bis
recovery.
But as the weeks passed and Norman
slowly struggled back TO life she began to
avoid being left alone with him. He mo-
ticed the change, and 1t troubled him
greatly.
"She does not love me, and regrets our
unfort anate marriage" lac thought sorrow
fully "It is more than / can bearl Why
did not diei Death would have been pre-
ferable 10 this torture. / cannot endure 1t
II cannot. / must 60 away"
When Bessie went to breakfast the next
morning, she was surprised to find note
beside her plate She hastily tore 1t open
and read:
DEAR BFssIE-I am going away. Forgive me
that did not say farewell dared not meet
you again. Forgive me. TOO, for the wrong ]
dld you in asking you TO marry me. Had ]
dreamed that my life would be spared never
would have fettered you 50. But Ralph said
had bdt a few hours TO live, and, before heaven.
| believed him. wish you TO stay in the old
home with our aiLhful servants until other ar
rangements can be made. Just now am too
mentally shattered to think of the future. IL
| will be- best for you not TO write to me. What
comfort would your letters he to either7 You
cannot love NJ, and must have your love or
nothing. Yours ever,
| NORMAN BRADFORD.
For several minutes Bessie sat staring at
the W words before her, her breath coming in
short, quick gasps. Then she sprang 10 her
| feet, exclaiming:
| III will write; no, will follow himi Oh,
why was ! so blindp
She rushed down the stairs and almost
into the arms of kind Mrs. Powell, the
housekeeper. who had been a mother TO the
| orphan since her guardian home had been
her abiding place.
"Auntie, please tell me where Norman
| is!' she pleaded. II must go to himp'
But. dearest, why the needf He has only
gone TO see his lawyer, Mr.. Latimer."
"Oh, you don't understand; he has left
me forever" said Bessie, with glowing
| cheeks and sparkling eyes II love my hus-
band with all my heart and strength, and
| he must know i'll l must go--it would Kill
| me to stay here"
| In an incredibly short time the excited
girl was ready for her journey, and the day
| was not far advanced when she found her
| self at the law office, where she learned that
| Norman had been too i'll on his arrival ia
transact any business and Mr.. Latimer had
taken him home with him.
Bessie entered cab and was rapidly
driven to the lawyers residence. She was
soon shown to the room which had been
prepared for Norman's exclusive use. Here,
on a sofa, she found him stretched motion
less, with closed eyes Us though asleep.
She quietly advanced until she stood be
side him. Tears coursed down her cheeks
as she looked on the loved face and saw the
lines Of mental and physical suffering writ
ten there.
Suddenly the gray eyes opened, and Bes
sic, with broken sob, flung herself by bel
husbands side and was gathered TO hii
breast in an ecstacy Of passionate Joy.
"Am ! dreaming" be said huskily, ''ol
Il this indeed Bessie GrahamW
"Not Beside Graham. dearest Norman
but Bessie Bradford, who has come TO tel
you that she loves you with all her heart
Oh, Norman, we have both suffered unnec
essarily. thought you married me from
pity, not for love, while l-well. i must
have loved you always, thinkw
my darling" said Norman. my pre-
sous wife You have given me back my
iifel" cried her husband, clasping her closel
uill And Bessie, meeting the gaze OF hi,
I a A