The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-11-14
face on the ground! That is blood!'

saw the swelling pool of bright scarlet
blood under the black face of the negro
now lying at full length. Still he did not
move. He had crown deadly pale and
cold and limp.
Il can't go. Dora. I am not well. !
faint at the sight of blood" and
he staggered back, dragging her with him
until he leaned against the blank wall of
bakery. His legs suddenly bent
under him, and he slipped from her grasp.
At that moment Oscar Leigh stepped
back from his post on the curb, and UNI
covered his head, bowed lowly to Dora,
and said: II beg your pardon. Will You
allow me to assist you:'
In her haste. confusion, anxiety, Dora
glanced but casually at the speaker. say
ing: ut is not | who want assistance, but
he.'
IL would assist even my rival for your
sake" he said humbly, bowling low and
remaining bent before her. Il did not
hope to meet you again so soon. l did not
think it would be my good luck to meet
you once more to-day until | called at
Grimsby street. Miss Grace"
The girl looked at Hanbury's recum-
bent form with anxiety and dread. and
e III ~ pCl PlCAltS at lIN
who had just raised his uncovered head:
"You are mistaken" she said. 81 never
saw you before. My name is not Grace.
My name is Ashton. and this is Mr.. John
Hamburg. Oh! will no one help me?'
Leigh seized Hanbury and drew him
away from the wall. The best thing
we can do is 70 lay him fiat. so! Pray.
forgive and forget what | said, Miss Ash
an V-nc sy,rn n u-nrn Misc ( a 70 a
lady l know, whom l met yesterday and
this morning. such a likeness never was
before. but l can see a little difference
now: Il difference now that YOU look at me
speak" He had placed the young man
fiat on his back. and was gazing up into
the face of the girl with a look half of
worship, half of fear.
In a few seconds Hamburg showed
signs Of life. His eyclids fickcred. his
chest heaved, his color began to return.
he sighed and raised his hand. Gradu-
ally he came to himself. and with the
| joint aid of Leigh and Dora tottcred to
his feet.
I Leigh had no thought of serving Han
bury. If the young man had been alone
he would hava left him where he stood
until the convalescent was strong enough
" Slllli loI ullllStll. hul III WIS ullueI II
double spell. the spell of the eXtraordi-
nary likeness between this girl Miss Ash
ton, and that ether girl. Miss Grace. and
the spell of Miss .Ashton's beauty. As
a rule, his thought WAS clean. and sharp,
and particular; now it was misty. dim.
glorious. vague. Edith Grace had, at
first sight. wrought a charm upon him
such as he had never known before: Dora
| A ,I%,r n,r, and lA:14e,aJ Al.
charm and carried it to an intolerablc
yearning and rapture. He was beside
himself as he hurried away to get Il cab
he had promised to bring.
Dora" salo Hamburg. after a little
while and much thought, will you prom
Use me one thing: Say nothing to Il soul
about my fainting. You will not tell
your father or mother or my mother: !
will be able to keep the other occasions
quiet. If this got about I should nave tc
clear out of Chicago. ia be the laugh.
ing stock of the clubs. That man need
not know more than he has SEEM
But he will return with the cab. You
can ask him not to say ANYTHING abOu,
it."
Come. Dora. he said with sudden ana
fevcrish energy. ''let us go. | feel a hor
IlDlc ItIuSllillCt ~ tAlh Ilitte..
She took his proffered arm with a view
to giving. not receiving. ard, and he hur
ried her along Chetwynd street Until he
met the first cross road leading north
into this he fastened. casting "A quicl
glance behind, and finding to his grca
relief hat he was not followed.
Il wonder, said the girl. looking III
quietly at him. chow my name would lool
-, ,,,;,+ no,,o,+,j with TIT. ,,,,,, ~. 80
fair and place. and that negro and you =
He stopped short. dropped her srm anC
looked at her with an expression of alarm
and apology. Dora. Dora. l beg you
pardon. l most sincerely beg your par
don. There is something wrong with M
to-day. | never thought of that. You
would not. Dora. be very much put @dt j
you saw our name connected with hain'
in print: Our Engagement is not public
but there is no reason it should not be-"
1t was in accordance with Dors'
wishes the engagement between them haC
not been announced. She was intensely
Independent. Why should the world know
they were pledged to one another: 1t WA
no affair of the worlds. But to hay,
her name bracketed with his in news
papers and then their engagement an
nOunced would be hideous, unbearab!e I.
her.
There's 4 cab at the end of the street.
she said.
80 there is He started at her voice
and then called the cab. ~ cannot tel
you how much / am ashamed of myself
for the third time to-day he said to heg
"Of faintins?' she asked. co.dly, chilli
".
Il could not help it then, but | shoul,
have taken precautions against anythin:
Of the kind by familiarizing myself witt
unpleasant and trying sights. No ma
ought to be a.
woman" she said. finishing the sen
tence for him with an icy laugh. HI
want of consideration had exasperatc
her.
Yes he said ~gravely. mo man ough
!. 10 be IA woman
At this moment the cab i"nw nm. Han