The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-03-28

month, she appeared palmer and more
commonplace than ever
'If he never saw me perhaps"
The thought had forced itself more
than once in her mind, but she had
beaten it back and prayed that Lewis
Darlington might see again.
Marion went her way home, and
climbed up three flights of stairs to
her room. 1t looked dark and cold
almost as cold rs the streets outside,
where the sleet was falling. She lit
the gas stove and made herself cup
of tea Then she looked out the
nurses clothes which she used to wear.
The aprons wanted stitch here and
there. This occupied her for some
time. By eight o'clock all was fin
ished. The sleet was still beating
against the window Even if she had
had anywhere to go she could not have
gone. But it was having nowhere to go
that made her feel so lonely. There
was nothing to do but sit still and
think. Marion was generally too busy
for this, but tonight she could not
help thinking little bitterly of the
loveless life she led. And then she fell
to wondering what that other one was
like. OF course she was pretty. There
wns n photograph of a girl upon Car
ringtons mantlepiece, with mora
Thurston" scrawled across the foot.
Doubtless that was she.
"Oh, if I might be just little beau
tiful, just for little while" she
sighed to herself. Then, rejecting
that the wish was absurd, she had her
supper--a couple of biscuits and a
glass of milk--and went to bed.
There ore two kinds of women
those who offer sacrifice and those
who demand it. The latter must have
something to lean upon; the former
must have some one to support, some
body to feed or fondle or convert. It
may be husband, it may be curate
or cat or a cannibal. Now Marion
Norman was one of those women who
long vaguely for some one for whose
sake they shall have right to sacri-
fee themselves.
A fortnight had passed, and the
operation was over. For some days
Lewis Darlington had lain upon his
sofa in darkened room with band
age across his eyes and a terrible dread
at his heart. He was waiting for the
removal 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 so happy for years. For Lewis
Darlington depended entirely upon
her. Every day she had been down
stairs to answer the inquiries of fair
haired girl. 1t was the girl whose
photograph stood upon the mantel-
piece. 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.
Marion read aloud to him to keep his
thoughts from the morrow. But she
saw his 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
decided to give him a soothing
draught when his breathing became
more regular, 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 n little while when something
awoke her, and from where she lay
she saw Darlington standing in the
doorway between the sitting room and
his bedroom.
"Mr. Carringtonl What is the mat
ter? Can I get anything for
your" she said, starting up in alarm.
He did not reply, but walked slow
ly, 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 answor. And then
she understood that he was asleep.
For the moment, in her half-awRk-
ened state, she could not think of the
right thing to do. She watched him
pull one of the curtains aside. The
light from a 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
upon tho back of his head. He was
trying to take off the bandage from his
eyes. In another moment, If he sue'
ceeded, the glare of the gas lamp
would meet thom 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 ban.
} dage.
"The lover is always selAsh, espe'
cially il il be woman"
The words broke in fash across
her mind-the last sentence she had
taran down from Carrin oton'a Inns