Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1895-03-02

as his namesake had accepted him, as
man who inspired trust and might help
her out of IA difficulty. The fact that SO
far he had proved himself more adroit at
complicating difficulties than at fur
nishing solutions for them somehow
failed of its proper impression. John
Royals death, for the time being, APP
peared to nullify all that had preceded it,
Royal now learned that for more than
a year the girl had been under treat
ment for the disease which obscured her
vision; that she had spent months at
Mrs. Harris house in Alexandria during
the previous winter, in order to be near
the celebrated oculist who had charge of
her case, and who divided his time be-
tween New York and Washington. The
case had progressed so favorably that
the great man had appointed day with
in that month-indeed, within the next
fortnight-fOr the final and all important
operation which would restore her sight
or leave her hopeless forever.
Meanwhile, the strictest care had been
enjoined to keep the patient bright and
hopeful, to surround her with cheerful
influences and auguries of promise.
Nature must be induced to cooperate
with science to effect cure Any sud
den or overwhelming emotion, any vio-
lent change of conditions, either mental
or physical, was to be specially guarded
against. That was the reason why she had
not been taken to the hospital to be mar
ried after the accident. Royal had feared
contact with his own pain for her. For
the same reason they had, with one con-
sent, made light of the accident for it
had been necessary to tell her of 1t
guardedly, because of a word or two she
had overheard, and also to account for
the fact of Royals enforced delay.
1t had not seemed worth while to post
pone the marriage. Immediate posses
sion of the money had been a matter of
grave Importance, and both parties were
fully aware that it could be a marriage
only in form until the great question for
Phyllis should be decided. After the
accident, indeed, John Royal had been
more than ever insistent that the ar
rangements should stand. They had
yielded to him and had kept Phyllis
bright and interested about her plans,
and so prevented her from thinking too
much or growing anxious.
She had wonderful self control, poor
child, and knew the paramount impOr-
lance of absence of pronounced emotions;
but what WOman'S self control would be
equal TO the strain which knowledge of
her lovers death must put on hers:
Then. too, she had been sustained in her
efforts by consciousness that happiness
for John, as we'll as for herself, was in
volved in her preservation of equanimity.
And what will not woman do and en-
dure to make herself worthy in the eyes
Of the man who loves her? If this in
centive an. restraint should be removed,
who could tell what disastrous cOnse-
guences might ensue?
Mrs. Hart well nigh wrung her hands
in her sympathetic appreciation of the
difficulty of the situation. To be so near
the goal and then have hope baked OF
fruition! And now when the loss of the
money would make the recovery of
sight more than ever priceless boon!
What could blind woman without
money I've save a dependant all her days?
And what fate was that to contem-
plate from the standpoint of twO-and-
twenty! If only John Royal could have
accomplished his purpose? If only the
broken came could have obeyed the he
roic will. Mrs. Harris tears fell fast
from very pity and swift realization
of human impotence.
Royals words surprised her:
WAS she much attached to her cous
in?" He put the question in d low voice
For attachment in the sense of lovers
Mrs. Hart could not answer, but thought
it improbable that that sort of ardOr
could now be a factor in the engage
ment. The pair had been separated for
six years, and during that time it was
reasonable to suppose that the youthful
emotion which had drawn them together
should have evaporated. That there ex-
listed, however, strong love between the
cousins their conduct toward each other
had proved. John Royal had been a
quiet man, she had always heard, alb
sorbed in his profession and ambitious of
distinction therein; not a man of much
worldly WISDOM, nor muCn ABDUCTED 10
society. Phyllis had doubtless nursed
her romance as much through force Of
circumstances as aught else; she had
been brought up in the knowledge and
belief that her cousin would be her
matrimonial destiny, and during her
most impossible years she had been held
apart from forming any other attach
mont nv tha hi obt whit n had slowly n nd
insidiOusly crept over her.