Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-11-23
CHAPTER XXX.
"FoR now THAT l AM BLIND"-

DuIE II OlI OH 1AtAAA NilAiN az ANA
the jolly old premier of New South
Wales, and as sure footed as that old
gentleman himself III attach a lead
ing rein in case of accidents. though. )"
Sitting in the saddle again, l held
myself erect and experienced the old
feeling Of exhilaration which always
possessed me when mounted on good
horse Who could tell but what might
4njoy many a good gallop yet? Then
we rode ON steadily fer about an hour.
and as Sir Henry was as easy to sit
upon as n rocking chair l never had the
slightest difficulty in keeping my seat.
Once only | had to hold ON to the can
tie of the saddle and throw myself
backward, but that was at Clements
caution, when we We're descending a
gully into the great valley again.
Clements directed the black boys to
drive the pack horses some little dis
tance down the river. He then left me
again for some little time while he
helped to round them up and remove
the packs. He then sent one of the
black boys off to acquaint the party re-
garding our whereabouts
l had dismounted, tied my horse to a
tree, and sat down to wait till Clements
came back. when l heard the clatter of
a horses hoofs as it came galloping up.
In another minute the horseman dis
mounted, and something told me it was
Jack. There could be no mistaking him.
He never uttered word, but took both
my hands in his and wSung them till /
81 Il 1 L L.
wondered why he did not speak. Then
something told me | was the cooler of
the two
"All right in the cave. Jack?"
ventured at length.
''Yes, my dear old fellow. thanks TO
you. Dick, | can tell you what feel. ."
His voice was somewhat shaky, but
saved him saying more.
Il know what you feel far better
than if you told me, Jack. My life has
been spared. | ought to be thankful for
that. also that You are with me. You'll
be able to help me good deal now.
And then to change the subject | asked
for Gordon.
He told me that Gordon was wonder
fully well, and that the rest of the par
ty would soon arrive. The squatter and
the surveyors party had come just in
the nick of time to save them. If /
wanted to confer a favor ON him was
to order him about necessarily - it
would be impossible to ask him to do
too much. Then, as if to prove his words.
he went off to find tent
Then there arose the sound as of a
great body of horsemen approaching.
and knew that the entire party had
come back from the cave to camp
was conscious of many hands shaking
mine, and many honest, warm words of
greeting. They, doubtless wisely enough,
feared to indulge too much in sympa-
thy. I was conscious of a pair of giant
hands holding both of mine and knew,
though eno =" e., .ei He tried to sreak,
dfeh effeat r6Ehfaesst tEfas is1 I've $50 L.. A.
wordsstuck in his throat, and he sim
ply wrung my hands again. y pair OF
soft womans hands caught up mine,
and kissed them. | knew that 1t was
Elsie Gordon.
Then Jack led me away to a tent that
had been pitched for me some little dis
tance off and, saying he would be back
in few minutes, left.
stood with one hand resting on the
tent pole for some time, wondering II
the sduatter and his daughter had come
and specializing in my own mind as to
how the news of my blindness would
affect the latter That she would be
heartily sorry for me l had no doubt,
but then, "out of sight out of mind,
she would soon cease to remember me.
| would become simply shadowy
memory, recalled only perhaps with a
vague sense of regret. 1t was as well,
thought bitterly, though with heavy
heart, that she had loved some one else,
for how could she ever cling to a blind
and helpless manl
For minute or two the old original
Adam waged war within me.
But there came the sound of quick,
light footstep just outside the tent and
the rustic of woman's dress l drew
myself together. | would show myself
a man before her at least
How | greeted her in the bitterness
born Of my affiiction and sense of ship
wrecked hopes l care not to remember
now, but this | know-that woman s
arms were round my neck and she had
kissed me once. had kissed me twice.
upon the lips
Despite my surprise, it needed no one
| to tell me who she was OF such are the
supreme moments in our lives, when
earth seems akin TO heaven and the
commonest clay is spiritualized
What if it were her first and last
| kiss? She had still kissed me, and the
| memory of that would linger with me
"sweet as remembered kisses after
| death'-aye, and long after she had
| passed out of my life. But l had still
some measure of reason left and would
be true to myself and to her. l would
not let this impulsive girl in fit OF
pity act in a manner which might cause
after regret. So l disengaged her arm
tenderly.
"You are very, very good to come to
me like this, l said as steadily as
could, "but you must not forget there
is some one else. He mightnt like 1t.
you know. "
She had caught and held both my
hands, and as she spoke her fingers
frightened ON mine.
"Oh, Dick, ! knew you had mistaken
my meaning that morning in the cave.
was speaking of my father. You went
ont before / could explain myself. Will
you let me do it nowr"
Her face was SO near mine that
could feel her warm breath upon my
cheek The hands that held mine trem-
bled, and l could tell, although l behelc
il not, that with her bright eyes sht
was gazing into my slghtless eyeballs.
Her vehemence frightened me, and
temporized, althoughit was like crush
ing my very heart within me TO speal
as / did.
Don't explain what you may b'
sorry for afterward," / ventured
"Then I'll tell you that love you
Dick. and think no shame. she cried
II could have told you this before. bu
things were different then
But she said no more, for l caugh
her in my arms and stopped what sh'
would have said with my lips Had
known there was death in her embrace
| would have clung to her just as fond
ly. If l had said goodby to prudence,
no longer saw things distorted through
a Jealous love | understood now wha
the reference TO her father meant Tha
lH 4. Il. -. l. 4.