The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-08-19
CHAPTER XIII.
, SHADOW OF DEATH

EQUAL battle between life and death Still
went on in the darkened room.
| Bertie sometimes sat up 10 reheVe
| Wilson and the nurse, but margaret
gave way to none.
1T is only the beginning" she said,
in answer to Wilson's e1postulatlons.
LET me stay now. After awhile will
sIeep." And Wilson, yielding, she
spent three nights in weary vigil, but
| when the fourth came nature would
stand no more.
She could no longer endure the raw
ings of delirium which brought the
past so sharply and vividly before her.
She could not listen to the eloquent
pleadings for love in such weak and
broken sentences, nor hear her own re-
proach, so doubly cruel, repeated by his
unthinking lips.
"Oh, for the power to live it over
again, she cried in the anguish of her
heart. 4Oh, for one moment Of con-
sciousness in which he might under
stand"
The sleep induced by bodily weariness
was deep and long, and it was quite late
the next morning whsn Margaret reach
ed Brian's room.
Wilson met her with an encouraging
smile.
He has been very quiet" he said,
noting the question in her eyes. /
managed to snatch several hours
sleep"
The hours passed slowly. The silence
was unbroken except by the hummiEg Of
the bees outside the window, for even
Brian's complainings were stilled for
the time. Once he murmured Margaret's
name and she felt his eyes upon her
face, but there was no intelligence in
them, only the dullness Of delirium.
After little while he began once more
to give expressions to his fevered fan
cies.
1t was always Margaret and the shad-
ow between them, Margaret reproaching
or repulsing him, or Margaret helpful
and encouraging.
And Margaret could only sit and
listen; though when his sharp cry rang
through the silence of the room, Mar
garet, I can't see you; where are you,
Margaret" she placed her head beside
him, and answered in low, wretched ac-
cents:
Here, Brian; close beside you. Cant
you feel my hands? They are holding
yours" !
Did her voice penetrate that dull
brain? For one second she thought so.
But no. The heavy eyes turned from
her face.
"Han4s! Who said hands? Oh, yes;
remember now. You said it, Margaret.
Don't YOU know you said it? Your hand
would be in mine. Do you-think Of
ArI coiI-oh T-caiH-
what did I-say?"
His voice sank away in an unintel-
iigible muttering. A few seconds of
silence and his mind wandered again.
He was fighting his old battles now
and calling upon Marguerite for sympathy
and help.
And in an anguish that could. find no
other expression, she buried her face
in the pillow beside him.
Il cant bear it, can't bear it," SIZE
cried, passionately.
Bear it, repeated the weak voice.
Bear it? All, no; I can't bear your
contempt. You are-so hard; so hard
upon me. No right to-reproach you.
No right-at-all." Her head sank.
lower. She could find no answer to
these bitter complainings.
Suddenly she felt hand upon her
shoulder, and raising her miserable face
she saw Wilson standing over her.
will you come out in the air for o
few moments?" he said, with quiet au-
thority. The weather is pleasant.
Thomas will take care of Brian"
With a sort Of mechanical obedience
she followed him to the broad piazza,
where the pure air, warm sun and odor
of sweet flowers seemed doubly CRATE
full after the close atmosphere Of the
sick room.
He was silent for some seconds. Evil,
dently he found it difficult to put his
thoughts in suitable language.
She saw and understood his hesita-
tion.
Il know what you would say" she
broke in, covering her face with her
hands. i know 80 we'll. You have
heard Brian. You understand. And
YOU must realize now what hard, un-
kind, undutiful wife I've been.
What g.
Hush" he interrupted, in strange
voice. Il must not allow even your lips
to say such unkind words about your
self. They are not deserved. You lay
too much stress upon what ne says,
forgetting that it is only the ravlng OF
delirium. Brian has made me his con-
fdant and feel that can judge.
you cannot know all, she answered,
pressing her hands together. You
cannot know of the hundred little things
the motions, expressions, words-all
meaning so much. You cannot know OF
them, but l do. They are always be-
fore me, and the last day-the very last
day-I spoke unkindly. / shall never
forget :t-never. l saw that it hurt
MIN. intended to tell him was sorry.
had no chance. They brought him
back so. Now he cannot know; he can.
not understand that would suffer any
pain for moment OF consciousness to
tell him I am sorry. God will not grant
me even that-not even that.
why will you think Of all these
thingsf" he asked, presently. 'Is 1t not
human to be a little unklnd sometimes?
Then look at the other side also.
What you have done for Brian. We
must not bewail the past, but go on
bravely to meet the future, promising
ourselves always to do better and bet
ter. You want TO go In now?"
yes, Doctor, feel stronger. and
| thank you.
The days passed, bringing but little
perceptible change in Brian's condi-
ton. But the crisis came at last.
Gradually the fever spent itself, and
the tired frame, wearied with its long
struggle, sank into stupor 80 death
like that only the faint heart beats
told that life was still there.
Margaret knew that he would either
waken with new lease Of life or pass