The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1898-12-10

of some coming sorrow at his heart.
What is it, Hewson?" he asked. us
anything w"ong:'
My lord said the man, turning
abruptly, Il do not know how to tell you.
| cannot find words"
Il do not like suspense" said Lord Sci
wyn.
| My lady went out this morning. my
| lord said the man; Il cannot say whose
| fault it was, but she took the chestnut
| ponies-and-'
"Oh, heaven cried the unhappy hus-
band. What has happened:- tell me the
| worst
There has been an accident, and my
lady has been brought home in DIR. Ar
gents carriage from Shlton.'
rs she-is she" then Lord Selwyn
stopped short. his white lips could not
| form the word
No" was the reply; "the groom was
killed on the spot; my lady still lives"
Where have they laid herr he asked,
| in low. hoarse tones
In her own room. Let me tell you the
| worst. my lord she will never leave il
| again
With a cry that resembcd no human
sound, Lord Selwyn FASTENED away He
| met strange men and weeping servants in
| the corridor and on the broad staircase:
they made way in silence for him.
lie entered the room where she Lay
| proud, beautiful, imperial Beatrice. proud
no lOnger-the color and flush of health
and strength all gone. They had laid her
upon the sImptuous bed, and the two doe
tors stood on either side. They made way
for him as he entered. He knew by the
expression on both grave faces that for
the hapless lady lying there hope had van
| ished.
He went up to her, but for the first time
her lips were mute when he called her
name
1T is useless. Lord Selwyn." said DR..
Danvers. Lady Beatrice Will never see
you or hear you again"
rs there no hopeT he asked.
''None," was the grave reply "Her
| ladyship has sustained two injuries. either
Of which would be fatal. Her spine is ter
| ribly injured. and there is conclusion of
the brain. L is merely matter of a few
| minutes: but she will never know YOU
| q gain. She may continue in this state one
hour or two-no longer; nor can we render
any assistance by remaining"
His distress was terrible to witness He
knelt down by her side. and took the
white, helpless hands in his. 1t was not
that he loved her so dearly; but the man
ner, the suddennoSs Of her death bcwil-
dcred him. He had been so happy Il few
minutes since. because Rupert was better,
and now he stood by his wife's deathbed
The shock seemed too much for him
One by one the servants came. all anxious
TO render some assistance, but he waved
them away. Nothing could be done for
the doomed lady whose life was so nearly
over.
"Wi!l she not know me? VIII she new
or be able to speak to me AGAIN. he cried:
and the reply was, Never IN this world
never again"
Some onc-he never knew who it was
brought in little Lance, the beautiful.
blooming hoy, who cried with JOY at the
sight of his mother, then cried again, be
cause he was frightened at the stiffness
of her white, dcatb-likC face. But Meth
OF JOY. nor sorrow-not even the voice Of
the child she loved so dearly, and for
whom she had sinncd so terribly-had
power TO move her.
They laid the child by her side Its lit
lie warm hands touched her; but never
again would a mothers kiss soothe il. r2d
Lord Selwyn. unable to bear the sight,
motioned the child away
few minutes more, and the solemn 81
lence of that deatll chamber was broken
by the entrance of Mrs. Rivers She made
no apology, but went up to Lord Selwyn.
'Is there anything I can doE' she ask
ed gently: and when lie shook his head
for all words failed him-instead Of leav-
Ing the room, she went round to the other
side of the bed. and looked earnestly at
the changed face.
Then DR.. Danvcrs came up 10 the bed
and looked at the white face. He laid
his hand gently on Mrs. Rivers.
You can pray no longer for the living"
he said: she is dead
She was dead When the soul passed to
its judgment none of the three kncciInc
there ever knew, There was little change
in the face. save that the gray shades
decpened Lord Selwyn's grief was pitt
ful TO witness.
Il could almost believe" lie said, that
curse rests on me and mine My first
wife died a terrible death. What have
done that | am 50 terribly puuished:'
A gentle voice whispered in his car:
"Heaven's decrees are not always or
daned in punishment; they are always
wise, and always merciful."
tro be continuedl