The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1895-10-26

| Dene stretched on the ground senseless,
his shirt torn and the blood flowing from
| his breast"
Mrs. Dene shuddered and hid her face.
| How soon will he be hereT' the Col
| onel heard her murmuT.
In another ten minutes. The men are
walking very slowly, TO spare him pain"
They were indeed coming with a meas
/ ured tread that added solemnity 10 q
scene already sad. To Jane it looked like
q funeral, and she prepared herself for
1 the worst
When they reached the wounded man,
! his wife was comparatively calm. She
! only glanced once at his pale, uncon-
! sclous face, and after that did not ven
/ ture to look again. His hand was hang
ing over the side of the rough charpoy
they had utilized as a stretcher, and
/ clasping it closely in her own, she walked
beside him.
Colonel Prinsep met them 10 say he had
/ procured room in the hotel. and there
/ they carried him, and almost at the same
moment the doctor arrived
Then followed nearly an hour of expec-
/ tation, mingled with involuntary fear.
/ during which time no sound issued
4 through the closed DOORS. and Mrs. Dene
/ chung convulsiyely To Jane, moaning ev-
/ cry now and then in irrcpressible pain,
+ but with the tears still very far from her
burning. aching eyes.
/ Then the door opened very gently, and
! the doctor came out
Mrs. Dene looked n him agitatedly. but
could frame no form of speech. 1t was
Jane who asked hastily if there was ANY
hope"
Every hope. Indeed after very
: careful examination ! g.,
/ fear he answered, with a grave smile
full of kindness. There is a great
/ weakness from loss of blood, and | dare
I say he will have bad bout of the inev-
liable fever. but from the actual wounds
he has received | apprehend no danger"
THANK heayen!' cried Jane. impul-
sively; bur his wife remained speechless
still.
lie only requires plenty of nourish-
/ ment and very careful nursing and that
/ --gallantly-"I am sure he Will not lack"
! He took up his hat. and with a bow IN
! Guiding both ladies, and Il promise to look
+ in again that evening. he went OUT. Then
. only did Mrs. Dene make a sign that she
had heard and understood all
/ "Oh, Jane. Jane" she gasped tremu-
/ lousy; and her JOY being more than she
could bear. she burst into n food of pas
sionately happy tears. Jane. too. was
very helpful, and tried 10 save her friend
what she could.
Colonel Prinsep admired her more than
ever in this chastened mood and told her
once, as together they were busy over
something Mrs. Dene had given them 70
do, that if he ever We're in trouble he
should 20 to her for comfort
The following morning Jane drDarted
under Colonel Prinsep's care and Mrs.
Drne was left alone with her husband at
Cawnpore-
No man could have had more devoted
care than had Captain Dcnc during the
days that followed. He was not allowed
to talk, nor would his strength have per
mitted il had the doctor been less strict:
but his eyes followed his wife gratefully
as she moved about the room. and some
times as she stood beside the bed he
would lay his hand gently upon hers.
After a week the improvement in his
condition was decided. The doctor now
came only once a day, and after one If
his visits made a sign to Mrs. Dcne to
accompany him from the room.
Your husband is certainly better. Mrs.
Dene. he said, turning to her with con
gratulatory smile. Il consider him out
Of danger now
She looked ut him blankly.
DO You mean that he was in danger
before"
Il don't know-frankly | confess that I
didn't know | feared some internal in
jury, for the prostration was greater than
the acute wounds seemed 10 justify. But
| must have been mistaken. Doctors are
anything but infallible though il does not
do for their patients to suppose SO"
She had been very pale as the knowl-
edge of the past danger was borne upon
her. Then sweet solemn Joy grew into
her fac" as she realized that it was sur
mounted now-that she need fear moth
ing, and might hope much
Directly the doctor had left she ran
back into her husbands room. radiant
with happiness which she could not con
ceal from him. although she busted her
self with a thousand things to distract
his attention
At length he said in the feeble voice
that had often brought tears into her
eyes, but that now. fortified by this new
consciousness of safety, had no power to
Sadden her: If you had loved me.
Nora" he added.
Il do love yoU-I do love You! Oh. Ger
aid, don't you know? Can't YOU guess
what | have suffered all this time think
ing might lose you: You are weak. yet,
darling" she murmurcd. fondly.
''Strong-in Your love" he managed 10
articulatc, as She bent lovingly over him.
No thought of Barry Larron disturbed
his reverie. Without staying 10 anaIyze
his reasoning. he knew he had no cause
for jealousy; he knew she had loved him
all the time-him alone, although she had
not known it.
Presently before she could remou- 7
strate with him-he spoke By an effort
he had steadied his voice. 1t sounded
wonderfully strong and clear
Wife, wife, How happy you have
made me. You have given me new life I
with new hope | think | must have
loved you although then | did not call il /
loyc-cyon before we married: and latter. /
y 1.-THE love, Nora-has grown deeper /
and deeper every day. Now a paradise /
seems to have opened before us-a para /
disc in which YOU and l. Nora-wife-lova !
is thS-dcath: :"
She thought he had only tainted from /
exhaustion, and threw her arms around /
him 10 support him. but Is his head fell I
heavily against her shoulder she knew ut /
once that it was something more. The /
one pitiful gasp for breath, the marble 1
pallor that crept across his face and then
the dead weight upon her breast, all com /
bined to tell the terrible truth
He had died-died so. in her arms. nj /
the very moment when life had become .
precious and full of beautiful possihili- /
ties. Just she had entered into real /
wifehood she was bereaved. She was .
widow.
CHAPTER MI.
The trust that Mrs. Dene had put in I
Colonel Prinsep was fully justified His
conduct to Jane during their journey was
A. coldiy courteous as she would haze .
wished. Most Of his time was spent in I
the adjoining compartment on the plea
Of wishing TO smoke; but he came To the .
door Of her carriage at every stopping .