Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-05-17
From Sin to COntritiionI
LHCy VaTringhan'S Sacrifice.
Tho Story Of a HsSty Marriage and
Its Tragic Sequel.
BY ERNST BRUNCKEN,
.Altthor Of ''The BtbliOnedntdc's Crime"
ed Terrible Secret, )" etc., etc.
CHAPTER VII.-COntinued.
THE TAND OF DEATH.

treme by the behavior OF Vne GIl, WIZ
seemed at the same time to attract ana
repel him. She had not said no. he
Thought, even if she would not say yes
But Jack was determined now to have
definite answer. Upon what he hao
called his cowardcc had followed an al
most reckless pertipacity. .,
Poor Hattie was in q truly pitlaDle
Dlioht Sho felt that she was lncurrln9
the Just reproach of coquettishneSS py
her behavior, yet nothing was further
from her heart than that contemptlDIo
display of cgOtiSm. She really nked
Jack very much-rcgarded him as one
of Eer very best friends, but marrying
him was entirely out Of the question.
But how could she tell him so? what
would she answer him If he asked a
reason for her refusal? Coul / she tell
him that her heart belonged to another
man who was married and never had
thought of hor?
"Pleace, dear Mr.. Spofford," she said
at last. edo let US speak of so nethng
else! | cannot say yes, but please do
not ask me any more questions.
Jack had to deSist. But he vowed In
wardlv that he would return to the
attack and that be would yet win this
pretty little obstinate girl, cost whatever
It might.
After having ragged for three hours
during which Hattie and Jack had Oeeh
imprisoned in the grottO, the rain hnally
ceased. and it became possible to venture
forth on their hOmeward journey Inc
clouds, which still covered the SKY,
caused premature darkness, although
the sun could not yet be bc.Ow the horl-
zon. and before they had completed hall
their Journey it was night. Hattie was
very anxious to get home. Tho company
of Jack Spofford could not now be but
embarrassing TO hc-, and she fastened
onward as fast as she could ConvcrSa-
ton Jagged still more than it had done
on the upward trip, but for different
reasons. Hattie gave but brief though
never unkindly answers to the young
mans remarks, and Jack himself was
too much vexcd too much Naclllatlng
between hopc and despOndency, TO DC
very entertaining talker.
So they reached home. Jack TO X
leave from her at the cato OF tha war
bingham cottage, and she did not invite
him to have supper with. them, as she
had ALWAYS done before on similar &C.
casions. nor did she shake hands with
him.
When she entered the house she was
met in the hallway by Jeanette, the
French maid, who told her, with ter
rifed expression OF conntenahce' tiia'
madame was very ILL.,
Hurricdly she entered Mrs. Warning
hams bed chamber Her aunt was III a
violent parOxysm of fever. A physician
was present -.
,'I hope it is nothing serious, Miss
Beckford," he said. "But | cannot con-
ceal from you that it may be very BAL.
After the long ailment Of Mrs Warning
ham, it is doubtful whether her cOnstl-
tuition is strong enough to resist such an
attack. Yet there is no necessity Tor
despair as long as there is life
Terrible words! Hattie knew that
tbev meant even more than they pro
Cisely stated.
The words of the Doctor were spoken
in an undertOne, but even II he had
raised his voice to higher key tho
paticnt would not have cOmprebcnded
them.
Her mind was wandering in the mad
ness of feverSh dreams.
Ever and anon she would nttcr tie
name of her eldest son, sometimes with
q low wall, sometimes reproachable, then
again in a pleading voice, as if she asked
him to come back to her. Long sem
tenceS she would mutter in scarcely
audible voice, but at intervals break
forth into a loud and violent maledictOn
of her who had lurcd him away from his
A q cho xUnnlH
rise from her couch into sitting pos
ture, look around with glar ng eyes, but
apparently not seeing anything but the
wild fantasms of her ONerhcated brain,
and madly gesticulat'ng, as she poured
forth the terri bic excavations. The ply
sician would calm her for few moments
by gently laying q moist cloth upon her
head, but soon the vagarics OF her imag-
ination would be renewed.
1t was a terrible spectacle for tho
young girl.
When the patient seemed q little
ouieter the Doctor took his leave. Be-
fore he went away he gave Hattie some
instructions I'm regard to the treatment
of her aunt and direct d that he should
be sent for as soon as she should seem
to grow worse.
Hattie remained in the sick-room.
Jeanette covered on chair in the re-
motest corner of the room. She was
completely overcome by terror and fear,
and Hattie soon saw that the servant
could be of very little assistance to her
in the nursing of her sick aunt
When the rainstOrm had come up so
Jeanette told her young mistress, Mrs
Warringham had become nervous about
the safety of the two prOmenaders. She
had repeatedly gone on the piazza to
look up the valley, whether she could
not see them come back Thus she must
have caught an acute cold, Jeannctta
thought, for suddenly she had felt very
IN and almost ia ntc1 The fOotman
was at once dispatchol for tie Doctor,
but before the latter arrived Mrs. War
ringham was already in the condition in
which she was now.
Hattie told the maid to go to bed, and
Jcannette obeycd with never seen a'ac-
rty.
The Young girl remained alone by the
bet side of Ter sick aunt How slowly
the fng RS crept forward on the dial OF
the clork that stood on the mantel shell!
Nothing was heard but the slow, meas
urcd ticxing OF that clock, ana the TER
rifyng rav.ngs of the patient, or IN heI
ouieter moment, the iltiuI, laooreo
breathing OF the latter