Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-06-01
heart was beating strangely.

l
quickened every pulse.
Something in the girls voice had
reminded him of Lillian Verne.
Sweet Lillian Verne, the one love
of his life, from whom he had
been cruelty parted.
That was three years before,
He had schO0Ied himself to think
of her without bitterness as anO lcr
mans wife. But it made the blood
leap in his veins to hear the sweet,
musical tones, so strangely like
LilIian's.
They paused every few minutes
is take breath, and Jacks cOmpau-
ion would crouch down silently
into the snow with ayerted face.
81 wonder if she has the least
look like Lillian" he said to him.
self, peerlng curOusly through the
whirling snow, IN a vain attempt
to make cut a single feature.
Her long hair had become un-
fastened, and streamed upon the
wind.
Suddenly she luTched fOrH ard
with half artlculate nom, and
her small head rested motiOnleSs
against the deadly coIdness of the
snow.
"POOr little thing! She has faint.
ed from exhaustiOn-and no won.
der" exclaimed Jack, lifting the
senseless figure tcndeTly III bis
arms.
Just then a halo of pale light
ghmmered through the darkness.
Rightly concluding that this was
the beacon referred to, be struggled
toward it with his precious burden,
The front of the house was hall
buried from sight; but he found
a doJr on the solth side, from
which the STOW had 09ea swept
away.
1t flew wide open at the first
sound Of his step upon the porch,
and a woman looked anxiouSly out.
"ls it you, deaI7 have been sc
worried -p
The sentence ended in a cry OF
grief and terror as she caught
sight of stranger bearing an in.
animate form in his arms.
"My niece has peushed in thi:
terrible storm! | tried to keep her
bGt she would 90 for the medicine
Sue is very iOnd CT little Benny,
and could 1Ot bearto see him suffer
1t was like her to risk h.r l.fe 50
braveIy and heroicaly. Bat, Oh
l can never forgive myself"
Jack strobe past the weeping
woman and laid his burden on the
chlniz-covered lounge.
"Bring restOratiyes,' he cried.
"Qulcs! wOmln. every moueOt Is
precious
With his OwD hands he r moved
the snow covered hood.
AS he looked down upon the
white upturued face, hi3 own grew
ghastly pale and he recled like a
drunken man.
"Lilliarw
The word broke from him in a
half conyulsive sob Of anguish, No
wonder that voice hid sounded
strangely familiar. 1t wasthe girl
he ardently loved, but had never
expected tC see again.
What did it all mean. He had
believed she was thous iHds of
miles away.
He snatched the re siOratives
Mrs. West had brought and thrust
into her hand the little package
Lillian bad run such a frightful
risk to procure.
"L1ok to yonr little one, | will
do what is necessary here
The woman gave him a long,
searching look and passed. on TO
an inner room.
Jack pressed a passionate kiss
upon Lilllab's unanswering lips;
then, with a curious gesture of
self restraint, began rubbing her
cold hands and temples.
1t seemed an age before there
came atAint, hutteiing breath, and
her big blue eyes stared bewildcr-
ingly up to him.
"l-I thought you were jack"
she whispered, dreamingIy, push
ing the disheveled hair back from
her face.
$50 | am But | cannot under
stand your being here, Lillian.n
She sat up, and suddenly pat
her hand to her forehead.
81 remember all nOw," she said
at length. 81 had sunk down ex.
hausted in the snow. A stupOr
was creeping over me. l knew it
IN cant death. But l did not seem
a