The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-12-16

east and the road would be clear. for
three hours, the little widow prepared
more food. took along candle and
matches, and quarter of an hour later
stood in the door Of the old hut. The
man sat with his back to the logs, his
food untasted, and listening for her
footsteps. As her shadow darkened
the door he hoarsely called out:
/ For Gods sake, keep away from me
don't come nearer!"
"Are you ill?" she asked.
"Ayel and a doomed man! I es-
capped the plague on ship-board, but it
has come to me now. am burning as
if sat above hot fire. Keep away
go back-let me die alonel"
She had brought food in a tin dish,
She threw the food away and filled the
dish with water at nearby spring,
and then walked straight into the hut
and knelt beside the man and held the
dish to his lips. He drank its contents
to the last drop. Then she spread the
blanket on the earth, pulled him down
upon it, and fetching more water, she
bathed his hot face and hands. he
seemed to be on fire. and now and then
his body shook and shivered as il an
icy chill had passed over 1t.
God bless you-God bless you!" he
whispered. peering up at her through
eyes which were growing dim. 1T is
the plague. Before midnight I shall
be dead. Why did you come here? You
will die, tool"
"Hush-hush! You will be better, by
and BY" she answered.
God. but how my heart ached when
l found her dead!" he whispered. 1T
aehed and panied and throbbed till l
was choked. Then the fire got into my
blood and cried out for revenge, and
would have strangled that villain If
a thousand men had stood between VI
aye! if God Himself had sought to
hold me back! She is dead-he is dead
Il am dying!"
She left him. to return after a couple
Of hours, and he was raving. At mid
night she crept up the rough way to
the old hut, and the full moon was
shining into the open door and making
the interior as light as day. The sill
very light was bathing the face of a
dead man!
When morning came, the little widow
sat down to the telegraph instrument
and called up Pleasant Valley.
"Well, what is it?" was asked by the
other operator.
ITO Sheriff Thompson: You will find
Tom Manners in the old hut back OF
this station"
"Bully for the little widow on the
hill!" exclaimed the sheriff, half an
hour later. "She said she'd keep he,
eyes open and she has. Well have on,
man before midnight
The big white moon looked into the
old hut again as half a dozen men
crept forward and peered into the door
A man lay with his legs drawn up anl
his hands clasped over his head.
"He is dead!" they whispered to each
other, as they noted the pallor OF his
face and the stiffness of his limbs. A
quarter of an hour later the sheriff
knocked at the door of the station
house. No answer. Then he opened il
and walked in and struck light. The
woman sat with her elbows on the tele
graph table and her face in her hands
and as the officer touched her arm shs
looked up in dazed and puzzled way
and queried:
Have you found him-Tom Man
ners?"
"Aye! up there. but he is dead! Why
didn't you let me know sooner?'
IL waited for God to deal with
him." she whispered, as she motioned
for them to go out and leave her alone