The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1894-10-31
Smith and
Brigham.

not have gone. But it is having no.
where to go that made her feel so lone
ly. 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 one was like.
OF course she was pretty. There was a
photograph of girl upon Carrington's
mante1piece, with Mora Thurston"
scrawled acros the foot. Doubtless that
was she.
"Oh, if might be just little beauti-
full, just for little while!" she sighed to
herself. Then rejecting that the wish
was absurd, she had her supper-a
couple of biscuits and glass of milk
and went to bed.
There are two kinds of women-those
who offer sacrifices and those who de-
mand it. The latter must have some
thing to lean upon; the former must
have something to support, somebody
to feed or fondle or convert. 1t may
be husband. it may be curate OF a
cat or cannibal. Now. Marion Nor
man was one of those women who long
vaguely for someone for whose sake
they shall have right to sacrifice them
selves.
A fortnight had passed, and the op-
Grafton was over. For some days Lew
is Carrin gton had lain upon his sofa in
darkened room with bandage 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 entire
ly upon her. Every day she had been
downstairs to answer to the inquiries of
a fair-haired girl. It was the girl
whose photograph stood upon the man
telpiece. Every day she had 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 n which
the question was to be decided Caring
ton was restless and nervous. Marion
read aloud to keep his thoughts from
the morrow. But she saw his fingers
twitch upon the arm of his chairand
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 listening 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 Sittin p-rOOm
She had been asleep, as it seemed, but
little while when something awoke
her, and from where she lay she saw
Darlington standing in the doorway
between the sittin groom and his bed
room.
"Mr. Darlington! What is the mat
ter? Can 1 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 a
heavy pair of curtains hung.
"Mr. Carrin gton," she said again.
But he did no answer. And then she
understood that he was asleep.
For the moment, in her haif-awaken-
ed 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 below fell full
upon his face. And by the light she
saw that his hands were pulling and
tugging at something upon the back Of
his head. He was trying to take off the
bandage from his eyes. In another
moment, if he succeeded, the glare o1
the gas lamp would meet them and ex.
tingnish forever the feeble glimmer OF
sight. Her senses, half dazed with ia
tigue and sleep, Marion in that instant
of startled comprehension, saw but one
thing, that Lewis Carrin gton would be
blind, and being blind
Her heart gave great leap of exulta
ton. Motionless she sat, watching hin
as he still fumbled with the bandage.
: "The lover is always selfish, especial
ly if it be woman"
t The words broke in flash across he
mind-the last sentence she had takel
down from Carrington's lips.
In an instant she was by his side
l wide awake, every nerve tins Cling wit
shame.
"Come-come with me-" she whis
7 pered in his ear, drawing him ava.
from the window.
: With a sigh he turned and suffere
4 himself to be led back to his room. Fo
a minute or two Marion watched hlr
= as he settled again into a peaceful sleep
r Then she bent down and hastily touch
Y ed his forehead with her lips and re
t turned to her sofa. But not to sleep
She was crying. first because she wa'
: wicked enough to be tempted and the
because she was not wicked enoug t
yield TO temptation.
d The next morning Lewis Carringtor
knowing nothing of his ma rrow escap
Y during the night, was waiting for hi
it eyes to be uncovered. The doctor hat
just arrived when the servant opene
the door and whispered something t
Marion. Without saying anythin
IL Marion left the room and ran down
d STAIR Nora Thurston was there.
: "Come up" said Marion. you ar
just in time. think he can see you.
1 They went up the stairs together.
: "Go in there, dear-quietly. On
e moment" Marion took the girls fac
o between her hands and kissed her.
"Oh, is my hat straight? Do loo
e all right? L want to look nice if
n does see mel"
n Marion stood by the door listening
= There was silence for some moments
Then she heard the doctors voice. "No1
d -ah, it is good to see you!"
r A few minutes afterward the docto
It came into the sitting-room.
Q "What, nurse! Broken down, ehF
9 For Marion was lying upon the sof
n her face hidden in the cushions.
IS "Oh, l am glad! l am glad!" she so
IS bed. "Oh, God, make me glad"