Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-05-01

'lthph, nm ! rpur to die?r asked
Nofmnn Bedford IN weak voice.
Or. Adalr's keen black oyes snldoplv
pl'hmed' "a he looked down into the
face Of his ficud His voice was husky
and he tried to answer checrfuny.
IN, MY dear fellow while there is life
kalph' Your reply is evnslve. must
Know the truth Can liveP"
For a moment the physlcinn's firm
llps auvcrcd. His heart was touched
tremulouslyi
numbered"
thought 90" calmly returned the
ylvk mum can Bessie then kindly
leave ny together FOR awhile"
The doctor left the room. and soon
pretty girl with large blue eyes en-,
tered.
DO you wnnt me, Guardy7" she ask
cd, IN low sweet tones
..,,' -. Bessie. Close the door, please,
She ohcycd When she had reached
hlH beside Norman took her hand IN his
feeble clasp
"1cwio, The doctor aays I am diving
You are poor and when ! die WIN be
illendloss, l want YOU to inherit my
wealth. There h. but ono way I'm which
you can de- that without repronch.
'g gi ,u|SN tsomc my vito"
Ihr Nltl ma y held her breath
n9W was she ~ answer him? once.
twice ahc csapycd to speak, hut though
the llra moved no words came
Ut viii ho few hours at most, Bes-
Sle,' the weak voice went ON. and 1t
VIII comfort me muNprcsslbly to know
that ] leave you wen provided for"
There was not word about love
besalo looked searchlugly into the pale
inro, aud her own color faded.
# cunuot," she said. "But-oh. dear
lcHc you
So Bessie Graham kuelt by the sun.
posed death bed OF her guardian, while
the minister, who had been quickly
summoned, spoke the words that mnde
them man and wife.
Bessie WAS an orphan. Whom nor
father died he left her-then a child
10 the care OF Norman Rrnd.
ford HIS esteemed and trusted friend
ana most faithfully had that friend
discharged the obligation. ncssie'a
Heanty fortune had been surtcIent 10
eaueate her; hut now the last dollar
was spent and she was dopendent an
her guardian Tor support
AZ child and maiden she had locked
w 70 MN M her denrcst friend Now
that nc was dying and wished her 10
be hts wife, she never dreamed nf an.
posing him; his wish was nor caro- IIsr
t4ara ton fast as she lnelt there. WITH
we last words OF the ceremony the
close clasp or his hand relaxed. and she
thought he was gone. hut he MAS NOT
dead--only sleeping
pr' Adair shook HIS head as he TX
amined his patients pulse ana snfa n,
could not possibly survive the nlehf
but he was mistaken. the mornins
brought n decided change Tor the bet,
'op ~ was eNeen possible he might live,
hesaie watched over her Husband
faithfully, She could not have been
more watchful for his cnmfort.-mnre
sollcitous Tor his recovery.
But AZ the weeks passed and Norman
slowly struggled back to life. she beran
to avoid being left alone with him
greatly.
"shc doca not love me. ana r.rre,.
our unfortunate marriage" he thourht
sorrowfully. ut Is more than / can
eearl Why did l not dies Death would
have been preferable to this torture
! cannot endure It'll cannot I must
go away
SO the next mornng before Bessie
nsde her appearance, Norman left the
old nome and went 10 the city some
twenly miles distant. for the purpose
OF making arrangements with his law
yer who resided there, for his wlfc,s
SUPPORT A Yet he was undecided
what his next step would he.
When Bessio went to breakfast she
was surprised TO iind note beside her
Plst~ she hastily tore Il open aud
Dear Bessie-l am goiag away. For
give me that I did not say iareweN
dared not meet you again. Fcrgive me
TOO, Tor the wrong ! die YOU Ia asking
You 20 marry me- had dreamed that
my NE would have been spared mover
would have fettered YOU 20 ant
Ralph said / had bur q Few hours "a
i've, and before heaven. believed rim.
You have Borne It all paushtly, but