, 1899-03-30

oii goinB tne same way, ODDLY enough,
as 1T occurred TO her after a moment
There were go many Of them that pres
emily the carriage was blocked and
obliged to go slowly. She beat her little
bands on the seat in her impatience
and looked out again.
A policeman appeared, shouting in.
audible directions, and pressing forward
through the crowd, which gave way
reluctantly on either side. In her IN
governable Impotence she let down the
window and beckoned him to come
nearer.
Cant we get on?' she cried. II am
in a hurry. What is the meaning of
this crowd?"
"They have come to see the fire,
ma am" the policeman answered civil
ly. "I'm afraid you will have to go
round"
But we are almost there-the Ran.
gun club" she cried.
Its the club that is on fire. ma'am,' >
the policeman answered. Then, as she
turned white, be added kindly, Don't
be frightened, ma'am; they've got the
fire we'll in hand by this time and every
one is out"
Gan safe?" Mrs. Trelawney gasped.
We'll, q few broken bones and such
like" said the policeman cheerfulIy
Nothing to speak Of. ma'am-oDIy
one gentleman killed. A sad business
that"
. "Who?'
"The gentleman who did such great
things out in Burma a few years ago
Major Trelawney."
My husbandr'
Ii seemed to her that she had known
it all the time. She saw, as If in a
dream. the sudden pity and respect in
the policeman's face, and then che COW
cred her own and sank back in the car
rage.
The long agony of the drive seemed
interminable, and yet when at last the
carriage stopped she sat quite still for a
moment. unable to nerve herself for the
next move. Then the door was opened,
and, as if in a dream, she passed up the
steps, walking firmly, her face white
and her eyes set and bard. Her appar-
eDt heartlessness was silently noted at
the time and afterward freely com
mented on in the servants hall
Had they brought him-it-home?
she wondered with a long shudder. She
wal in the ball now and some one vas
h%urryiDg to meet her-the doctor. She
was not surprised to see him there. In
her dreamlike state nothing seemed
strange any more
II have bad news for you. Mrs Ire
iawpey."
II know kpowr' she answered
petulantly. In her unreasoning misery
she wat annoyed by his bushed tone.
Her own voice was unnaturally sbrill
and strained. and the doctor raised his
hand in protest.
What heartless creatures these pref
II women arei' be was thinking-an
unconscious echo Of the servants opin-
ion.
II must beg of you to control your
self. +" be raid sternly. Everything de-
pends on quiet. His life is hanging On
= thread"
His iifes Oh. Godi Then he is no,
dead?''
She had brushed past the doctor. deaf
to his remonstrnDces- With poiseless,
flying feet, she was up the staircase and
4 moDent later kneeling by her hos.
bands bedside.
The doctor. following rapidly. stood
arrested at the door, looking in Al the
darkened room. the kneeling white fig.
ure. with c2ssped hands and large. fixed
eyes. the ewstbed wreck Of 4 man lying
very still on the bed.
One hand lay outside the oorerlet
Her own stole ont rlowiy. hungrily. to.
ward it. ~ IL her own daring scared
ber. She bowed her bead oyer the band.
aged hand nj last and knelt on motion
less. The doctor. Watching and quite
forgetting his scathins condemnation d
. moment before, thought With . swift
contempt Of certain reports concerning
the Trelawpeys' domestic happiness
which had reached his exrs.
Something came before his shrewd.
keeu eyes which blurred the picture be-
msnt and then Was recalled by = swift.
low cry: "HorAoei oh, Hursoef"
The doctor sprxng forward and then
drew hack The injured mans eyet
had opened and were fixed ON the SHIN.
mering white figure with m expression
Of mingled awe, unbelief, bliss.
"Clarsi" said the faintest whisper in
the world.
The doctor could scarcely hear it. Ht
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