The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1897-10-13

gave Margaret messages OF eympathy
from the friends whose hearts were
never more truly. hers than in this hour
of her trouble.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE SHADOW OF DEATH.
Two days passed and no change came.
The sun lay warm and bright on tho
lawn outside. The birds sang their
same sweet song. The breath OF flowers
perfumed the summer air, and the IN
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 to none.
" 1T is only the beginning" she said.
in answer to Wilson's expostulatlons.
Let me stay now. After awhile I will
Sleep" 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 a dellrium which brought the
past go sharply and wildly 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.
aOh, for the power to live 1t over
again." she cried In the anguish OF her
heart. "Oh, for ono moment OF con-
ec!ousness In which he might under
stand"
The 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 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 hummlng OF
the bees outside the window, for even
Brians complainings were stilled for
the time. Once he murmured Marguerite
name and she felt his eyes upon her
. face, but there was no intelligence in
them. only the dullness of deltrium.
/ After little while he began once more
to give expressions to his fevered fan
} cies.
It 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 cant see you; where are you
y Margaret?" she placed her head beside
. him. and answered in low, wretched ao
q cents: :,
4 Here, Brian; close beside you. Can
n you feel my hands? They arc holdin!
Y yours. 49,,
Did her voice penetrate that dull
a brain? For one second she thought SO
But no. The heavy eyes turned from
!. her face.
t. Hands! Who said hands2 Oh, yes;
W remember now. You said it, Margaret
r. Don't you know you said 1t? Your han
II would be in mine. Do you-think Of
n the night And I said-ah, I-said-
Id what did I-say?"
1T His voice sank away in an uninte
8. liglble muttering. few seconds {
IT. silence and his mind wandered agar
He was fighting his old battles no
and calling upon Margaretfor sympath
Y: and help. :.
/. And in an anguish that could find
m other expression, she buried her fac
ed in the pillow beside him.
f. Il cant bear 1t, can't bear It'll" 81
;ic cried, passionately.
Bear it," repeated the weak volc
g. Bear it? All, no; I can't bear yo'
st contempt, You are-so hard; SO hard
We upon me- No right to-reproach yo
as No right-at-all." Her head SAL
lower She could find no answer
he these bitter complainings.
tie Suddenly she felt hand upon h
nd shoulder, and raising her miserable ia
lid she saw Wilson standing over her.
,is will you come out in the air for
few moments?" he said, with quiet a
id. thority, THE weather is pleasal
|ch Thomas will take care Of Brian"
Ike With sort OF mechanical obedien
nd abe followed him to the broad piazi
Ter where the pure air, warm sun and cd
Of sweet flowers seemed doubly graz
aid full after the close atmosphere OF
to sick room.
Via He was silent for some seconds. E
civ IDENTIFY he found it difficult to put
ian thoughts in suitable language.
zen Sn6 saw duu uliuCloVoou hA" ASSA
,le- ton.
of Il know what you would say"
broke in, covering her face with
me, hands. Il know SO we'll. You h;
and heard Brian. You understand. A
YOU must realize now what hard,
me. kind, undutiful wife I've be
and What a.
} in "Hush," he interrupted, in stral
voice. Il must not allow even your
AXE to say such unkind words about 20
our self. They are not deserved. You
too much stress upon what he So
the forgetting that it is only the ravine
had delirium. Brian has made me his
and fidant and l feel that can judge.
tied "You cannot know all, +" she answer
felt pressing her hands together.
cannot know of the hundred little thi
but the motions. expressions, words
btle meaning 80 much. You cannot kno'
; he them, but I Go. They are always
al. fore me, and the last day-the very
wing day. spoke unkinily. l shall NJ
from forget it-never. ! saw that 1t
him. I intended to tell him was sc
sing I had no chance. They brought