The Chipley banner. (Chipley, Washington County, Fla.) 1893-1943, 1897-07-24
CHAPTER XIII.
THE SHADOW OF DEATH.

|
THE SHADOW OF DEATH.
Two days passed and no change came.
The sun lay warm and bright on the
lawn outside. Ths birds sang their
same sweet song. The breath OF flowers
perfumed the summer air. and the un-
equal battle between life and death still
went on in the darkened room.
BERTHE sometimes sat up to relieve
Wilson and the nurse, but Margaret
gave way 10 none.
at is only the beginning" she said,
in answer to Wilson'S expostulations.
Let me stay now. After awhile will
sleep" And Wilson, yielding, she
spent three nights in weary vigil, but
when the fosrth came nature would
stand no more.
She could no longer endure the raw
ngs OF delirium which brought the
past so sharply and wildly before her.
She could not listen to the eloquent
pleadngs for love in such weak and
broken sentences, nor hear her own re.
proich, so doubly cruel, repeated by his
minimizing lips.
"Oh, for the power to live It over
again." she cried In the anguish OF her
heart. "Oh, for ono moment OF con-
sclousness in which he might UNDER
stand.
Tho sleep induced by bodily WEAKNESS
was deep and long, and 1t was quite late
the next morning VIII Margaret reach
ed Brian's room.
Wilson met her with on encouraging
smile.
"He has tesn very quiet" he said,
noting the question In her eyes. Il
managed to snatch several hours
sleep"
The hours passed slowly. The silence
was unbroken except by the humming 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 tho 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-
owbetween them, Margaret reproaching
or repulsing him, or Margaret helpful
and encouraging.
And Margaret could only cit and
listen; though when his sharp cry rang
through the silence of the room, Mar
garet, / can't see you; where are you,
Margaret?" shs placed her head beside
him, and answered in low, wretched ao-
cents:
Here, Brian; close beside you. Can't
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.
@Han1sl Who said hands2 Oh, yes;
remember now. You said it, Margaret.
Don't you know you said 1t? Your hand
would be in mine. Do you-think Of
the night And I said-ah, I-said-
what did I-sayi"
His voice sank away in an unintel-
liglble muttering. few seconds OF
silence and his mind wandered again.
He was fighting his old battles now
and calling upon Margaret for sympathy
and help.
And in an anguish that could find no
other expression, she buried her face
In the pillow beside him.
Il can't bear it, can't bear i'll" she
cried, pass!onately.
Bear 1t, :" repeated the weak voice.
Bear It? All, no; can't bear your
contempt. You are-so hard; 80 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 a hand upon her
shoulder, and raising her miserable face
she saw Wilson standing over her.
| will you come out In the air for a
few momentsa" he said, with quiet au-
.thority. 1Tbe weather IL 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. Evi.
IDENTIFY he found it difficult to put his
thoughts In suitable language.
i She saw and understood his heslta-
ton.
Il know what you would say" she
broke In, covering her face with her
hands. Il know 80 well. You have
heard Brian. You understand. And
you must realize now what q hard, un.
/ kind. undutiful wife I've been.
"Hush," he interrupted, In q strange
A voice. 4 must not allow even your lips
T to say such unkind words about your.
self They are not deserved. You Icy
, too much stress upon what he says
4 forgetting that IL is only the raving O
d delirlum. Brian has made me his con,
d fdant end feel that can Judge.
II ~You cannot know ALL" she answered
pressing her hands together. .Yo,
AZ cannot know OF the hundred little thin q
lie the motions, expressions, words-al
10 meaning 30 much. You cannot know 0
them, but ] do. They are always be
az fore me, and the last day-the very lAa
IN day. spoke unkindly. I shall neve
forget it-never. saw that Il hui
ng him. intended 70 tell him ives corr
had no chance. They brouaht hi