Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-12-12

heard the scream of whistle. shouts
ond shriolkn. The car stopped.
"A man n killedr' said an old gentle
man who had thrust bis head out Of
the window. 'Good heavensl he h
cut to pieces. believe"
Passengers rushed to the platform.
Margaret with them. They had lifted
Christopher-from the first she knew
| that II waAb from the ground. They
were carrying 1iini into tavern hard
by. Margaret followed.
II am an old friend" she said. and
they let her In, while others were shut
out. Christopher lay upon the bed
and surgeon bent over him.
lie has no chance, Think" said
this man, looking ut the others; best
not torture him. Nothing could save
his life. i am glad he has friend
here"
And then Margaret sat down beside
the bed and said:
II will stay until the last. VIII he
know me?"
No one could tell her that After all
that could be done was over, they left
her alone, for she asked them to do so.
She bent over him looking at his
face as though she were reading it on
to remember for eternity. The coun..
try sounds came In through the win.
dow. The perfume of hay--the scent
of flowers reached her. Within all
kept still because of the wounded
man. Once or twice the landlady
looked In and asked:
''Is he quiet?'
And Margaret said:
Eyes, thank you"
At last, In the stiffness, she dared to
take his cold hand and hold it in one
Of hers. The touch seemed to arouse
him. His eyes looked at her.
''Who are your he asked.
She answered.:
margaret"
II remember YOU" he said, "were
the wedding. She Tilted me. 1 hate
her. hadn't money enough, you see
money-money-mone and he NUT
tered away again.
Ten minutes afterward he looked up
again.
I'm badly hurt. / shan't get well.
Miss Margaret, when you 60 back to
Fernley, tell them the truth. They'll
think killed myself, because Victoria
Tilted me. 1t was an accident My
foot slipped. / was not so much cut
up as that. / should have got over 1t.
/ made fool of myself by going to
the wedding though. You'll tell them"
YES" said Margaret, and then as
she looked, the face, the pleasant boy
ish face that she had loved so, changed
under her eyes with the awful change
Of death. She had no power over her
self then.
Christopher" she sobbed. "Chris-
TOPPER, have loved you so long, so
well. Give me one kiss before you go.
Call me Margaret promise to love me
in Heaven. Oh, my darling, darling
Christopher"
Did he hear? Did he comprehend?
A sort of startled look came into his
eyes. He gave her his cold lips. Mar
garet kissed him wildly. Then she
sat down beside him-beside what had
been him an instant beforehand hid
her face upon the pillow!
"It is very still in there" said the
landlady, an hour afterward.
Then she opened the door, peeped
in, and gave cry that brought others
to her side in a moment.
Christopher lay dead upon his pillow!
and on the floor, at the bedside, Mar
garet had fallen, face downwards!
"She has tainted" said the landlady.
"She is dead" said the surgeon
''Heart disease. i saw it in her face
when first spoke to her"
"He must have been her lover" said
the landlady, weeping, land it's killed
her."
mot likely" said the doctor. "Such
splendid woman! and he-no-any
agitation might have done it,"