The Van Buren press., 1894-09-08

across the foot. Doubtless that was
she.
Oh IT might be just little beau.
tiful, just for little while!. she
sighed to herself. Then, rejecting
ehat the wish was absurd, she had her
suPper-a couple of biscuits and q
glass OF milk-and went to bed.
There are two kinds of women-
those who offer sacrifice and those who
demand it. The latter must have some
.ling to lean upon; the former must
nave some one to support, somebody to
iced or fondle or convert. It may be
husband, 1t may be curate or cal
or cannibal. Now, Marion Norman
was one of those women who long
vaguely for some one for whose sake
they shall have right to sacrifice
themselves.
A fortnight had passed, and the op
Grafton was over. For some days Lewis
harrington had lain upon his sofa in q
darkened room with a baDdage across
his eyes and terrible dread at his
heart. He was waiting for the remov
al of the bandage to know whether he
was to see or be blind for the rest OF
his life. Marion had been with him
all the time, waiting upon him and
reading to him. She had not been SC
happy for years, for Lewis Darlington
depended entirely upon her. Every
day she had been downstairs to answer
the inquiries Of fair-haired girl. l,
was the girl whose photograph stood
upon the mantelpiece. Every day she
had been able to tell her that Lewis
was going on well, and that there was
every hope that he would see as soon
as his eyes were strong enough to bear
the light
The evening before the day on which
the question was to be decided, Car
rington was restless and nervous, Ma
rion read aloud to him to keep his
thoughts from the morrow. But she
saw lns fingers twitch upon the arm OF
his chair and knew of what he was
thinking At 10 o'clock she insisted
on his going to bed. But for more
than an hour Marion, who was listen
ing by his half-open door, heard him
tossing from side to side. She had de-
cided to give him soothing draught
when his breathing became more regn.
lar, and at last settled down into the
rhythmic respiration of the sleeper.
So Marion lay down on the sofa in the
sitting room.
She had been asleep, as it seemed,
but little while when something
awolse her, and from where she lay
she saw Darlington standing in the
doorway between the sitting room and
| his bed room.
"Mr. Darlington! What is the mat
ter? Can get anything for your she
said, starting up in alarm.
He did not reply, but walked slowly,
without turning his head, straight
across the room to the window, over
which heavy pair of curtains hung.
"Mr. Darlington" she said again.
But he did not answer. And then
she understood that he was asleep.
For the moment, in her half-awak-
ened state, she could not think Of the
right thing to do. She watched him
pull one of the curtains aside. The
light from gas lamp in the street be-
low fell full upon his face. And by
the light she saw that his hands were
pulling and tugging at something up
on the back of his head. He was try
ing to take off the bandage from his
Dyes. In another moment II he sue
ceeded, the glare of the gas lamp
would meet them and extinguish for
ever the feeble glimmer of sight. Her
senses, half dazed with fatigue and
sleep, Marion, in that instant OF
startled comprehension, saw but one
thing, that Lewis Darlington would be
blind, and being blind
Her heart gave great leap OF exul-
tation. Motionless she sat, watching
| him as he still fumbled with the band
age.
"The lover is always selfish, espe-
cially if it be a woman."
The words broke in flash across
| her mnd-the last sentence she had
taken down from Carringtou's lips.
In an Instant she was by his side,
wide awake, every nerve tingling with
shame.
"Come-comc with me-" she whis-
pered in his ear, laying her hand upon
his arm and gently drawing him away
| from the window.
With sigh he turned, and suffered
himself to be led back to his room.
For n minute or two Marion watched
him as be settled again into peaceful
sleep. Then she bent down and hast
ilv touched his forehead with her lips,
and returned to her sofa. But not to
sleep. She was crying, first because
she was wicked enough to be tempted,
and then because she was not wicked
enough to yield to temptation.
The next morning Lewis Darlington,
knowing nothing Of his narrow escape
duriug the night, was waiting for ms
ewes to be uncovered. The doctor had
lust arrived when the servant opened
the door and whispered something TO
Marion. without saying anything
Marion left the room and ran down
stairs. Nora Thurston was there.
Come ur." said Marion. "You are
lust In time. ! think he can sec you.
They went up the stairs together.
$50 in there, dear-quietly. Ono
moment" Marion took the girls face
between her hands and kissed her.
"oh. is my hat on straight9 Do L look
nil right? I want to look nice If he
does see me-"
Marion stood by the door listening.
There was silence for some moments.
Then she heard the doctors voice.
"Nora-ah, it is good to see you!
A few minutes afterward the doctor
came into the sitting-room.
"What, nurse! Broken down, eh?''