The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-02-15

shining moon. they reached their own
door she Ind no other sensation than
that she must walk on forever.
She lighted the lamp mechanically
: The fire in the stove was moi all gone,
and the broth she had left in the oven
was still warm. The doctor had said,
she repeated to herself again, that he
must be made to eat; she poured him out
. a Dowlfull. and he took II ruvenously.
while she drank II cupful herself. And
he ate the custard-pic she put before
him. with no idea what Il was he ate,
his wide and burning eyes red, II seem
ed. with the fire in his brain. If only
she could make him sleep! The doctor
said sleep would be his salvation. But
| when she had offered him any OF the
anodynes 1t had simply aroused fury.
She had hated to deceive him. but there
| WAS no help for IL: she slipped Il dose
into the cocoa whose own slightly Bit
ter taste disguised IT, But just as he
had taken the last of the cocoa he saw
her putting the vial out Of sight. Don't
| You come near me with that poison
stuff" he shouted. "1'Il pour it down
your own throat eff you do. Here! by
| king. | will anyway" And with Il
stride he had seized the Vial in one hand
and his wifc's chin in the other, and In
a minute the whole bottleful. and death
with it, would have been her portion.
for she could not escape the terrific
grasp. she could only lift her hand ana
lay it on his shoulder in the way OF
an old caress. y shiver ram through
him; he tremhcd at the touch: the vial
slipped to- the floor "Ilere!' he cried
Amt you the woman sold to Tom
l3rier once? What in nation you here
for anyway? Git out y this. neck and
CROP and he lifted her as If she had
been Il leaf and sent her living through
the door. Then he shot the bolt home
and stalked into the bedroom, and tum-
blcd as he WAS upon the bed
Sally Lavender lay on the grass
where she had fallen, too tired TO pick
herself up too wretched to know that
she was tired. 1t was under this bhc
,hick-leavcd shade OF the apple tree.
gnthcr what had happened she was
asleep
She woke with start when she had
slept perhaps an hour. full OF terror
of something unknown which resolved
| itself almost Instantly into somcthinc
| 100 well known She was Icy cold for
half 4 moment, and then she was burn
| ing In glow OF Indignation from head
| to foot. But as she wrung her hands
the touch OF her wedding ring con
| trolled her like a talsmnn. 1T isn't
| him. it isn't himl' she sobbeu. He'd
never do il in The world It's the
strings all janglins which way. And
I", ~ upeS seem crue''-l'ut mustn l.
| -. nc 90 Soou anu Sch'le
| -, W ne , an 'hete' Ah We
| ."'u .o"S" ne sias ms YET VIII
e,usl III n''iian peri"ps IL my lrlal-
~ ~ "e.i i-p' u, 'Slp me 70 pea the Dur
nEn' an hoiu' Lo'u' ne i'erciiul to
| ''''
She rose after while, and went tip
| toeing round the house: the lamplight
| streamed from the bedroom window
and climbing on the trellis she looked
| in Her heart gave a great plunge oil
| joy-there he was on the bed in n dcel
sleep. She longed TO get in. to loosen his
necktic, TO get his clothes OFF and make
him comfortable but the window was
fast, and even IL she could II would
| waken him, and the sleep was too pre-
| as he had done before nj
tremity. Her heart yearncd over him
| as n mothers heart yenrnS ovel II sui
| fcring child She crept round TO thu
doorstep. and sat there keeping guard
| Ponto had gone on IL sheep-ruid Will
| Prince NIather. The cat came and curl
ed up on n corner OF her gown
! While she sat there tho NOM won
/ down rcd az :, huruinr brand uuanchn,
| in The river. The. shadow fol1ed nho,,
| her like :, garment All The little hone,
| was still ms death The. cool and dew,
air was soft with .he frnrrancr of IN,
Il flowers, that came IN her IN faint mn,
honcyed watts: a drowsv mist of stnr
hardly disturbed tho darkness or nh
night. There was no sound but IN