The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-08-08

know. Yet all the time, some impos-
sible dream-a dream of great happi-
ness-has haunted you. You have
drifted, drifted, like boat bottom up,
with this happiness quite close to you.
You had but to go forth into the world,
and-and win your spurs-and you
didn't go. That's what the carpet
said. Extraordinary bit of Brussels,
wasn't it?"
eyes. Didn't it say anything else ?"
'Lots of things. 1t said must
lose this woman loved because I was
ruined
Ruined ~
eyes, ruined; and all that sort of
thing. l have been living on capital
instead of interest. The only redeem
ing feature about the affair is that the
gallery will have to go. You see, it's
hard lines on a fellow to have nothing
but gallery left to him; he can't live
up to it; and yet he has to do so. None
of those ruffianly old ancestors of mine
ever did days work in their lives.
I'm afraid haven't done much. But
why should bore you with this?"
"You don't bore me, and you-suf-
fer /"
ut is trifle unpleasant.
"You didn't think it would be par
ticularly pleasant"
81 was horribly bored by that gal
lery. Lady Edith of the White Hand
will fetch good price from soap
man. l couldn't have stood that de-
pressing female much longer. She had
way of sticking her hand out at one,
as if fellow couldn't live up to it.
I'm sure didn't want live up to it.
I'm thinking of joining the mounted
police in the Northwest Territory.
They're splendid lot; and there's al
ways the pleasureable excitement of
being scalped by The Man Who Rides.
A-Mule With -His-F -Face-To The Tail,
or some other equally long-named
hero"
"The experience wouldn't be of
much use to you because it could only
happen once.
eyes, I suppose so. There are worse
things than being scalped.
Possibly"
"And SO goodby to the old times
and toto Lady Edith. When a man
is on the brink of ruin it is best for
him to forget-everything."
eyes" she said almost inaudibly.
''It is best for him to forget, but not
everything. II am very sorry for
you"
He pressed her hand lightly to his
lips. She knew that this was his
characteristic farewell to the hopes he
had cherished. Womanlike, she was
angry at his silence. And then his
wretched pride. She had enough
money for both. What did his poverty
matter? Hadn't he that delightful
gallery of ancestors, some of whom, if
report spoke truly, were little better
than the wicked. You couldn't buy
family portraits like that. There
were plenty of dubious old masters in
the market, but few undoubtedly "old
mississes," as Mr.. Eggleston called
them.
And here was this irrational youth,
who loved her, going off to be scalped
by Pawnees, or Comanches, or Sioux,
or Apaches, or any other outlandish
tribe of Indians with whom fate
might confront him. Why not stay
at home and have his hair pulled only
in the family circle? And it was such
beautiful hair
He disappeared in the darkness,
feeling that desperate sorrow which
only comes to a man once in life
time, for the simple reason that he
couldn't possibly live through it
twice. "By Jove," he muttered be-
tween his set teeth, sit would go hard
with any one who crossed me to-
night"
"Har-HarryP' gurgled a choking
voice from the shrubs. "Elp-
'Elp !"
The next moment Harry had jumped
into the bushes. A bullet whizzed by
his ear as he did so, and cowardly
rufisn who had half strangled Mr..
Eggleton fled into the unknown.
MY wife's portrait, cried Mr..
Eggleston. "They knocked me down
as was coming up the walk"
Harry ran swiftly down the avenue,
his pulses tingling with fierce Joy,
and all the savage within him revelling
in the prospect of fight.
just as he reached the gate his foot
tripped against rope, which was
stretched across the drive. There
was another shot-a redhot, soaring,
tearing dart in his shoulder and he
fell forward on his face, whilst the
cracksmen made of across the field,
cursing their own stupidity in begin
ming operations so prematurely.
Perkins disappeared with them.
Harry was carried into the house
and laid on a couch. Doctors were
telegraphed for right and left. For
hours he remained with pallid features
and closed eyes. The doctors shook
their heads and looked wise. The
wound was a serious one; the bullet
hard to find; if certain things didn't
happen the patient would recover; if
they did happen, he wouldn't; that
was all that could be extracted from
them as they nodded with sphinxlike
gravity, and returned to their pa
tient
Sempronia sat beside Harry through
the long night. 1t was useless TO dis
simulate any more. She was quite
fearless and as white as wax. Every
now and then she moistened his lips
or smoothed the pillow, but did not