Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-08-22

and then released her. but she still held
my hands. How had the courage %
say 20 her what did Is q mystery to
ne now.
lyon have helped me 20 bear my loss,
but Of course we must forget all this,
for now III Il am blind
II have eyes for both OF ,us," she
cried.
1T is your woman's pity that speaks
now" I rejoined. lyon will live TO
thank me yet for speaking like this II
| loved You less, might let you sacrifice
yourself. but want You always to
think well Of me. Ii was too bad OF me
70 think il was Jack you meant when
you referred to some one in the cave.
But you remember the part you played
for him on the Macarthur You think
too much Of others
"Did you think that when i saw you
both in trouble on the Macarthur was
going to withhold the little help it was
% easy for me to give! And now per-
haps you forget that 1t was in order to
save us you risked your life. and-and
met with this
"Think OF what blindness means, !
haxarded, "its helplsssness and useless
ness"
"n you were deaf and dumb as well
as blind, il would make no difference, !"
she rejoiped.
And then to justify myself in her
eyes-if any justification were needed
Il told her only what she had right
to know after what she had said.
confessed how Of late / had worked
for her father not from necessity but for
love CT her; how, when had spoken to
her in the cave, it was not only because
my worldly position justified me, but
because could not conceal my real feel
ings any longer.
lyon think it would have made any
difference TO me II You had not possessed
q penny in the worlds" she asked.
.I don't think 1t would-to you. 7"
was my answer, "but II would to me,
because then could not have had the
courage to speak as did"
"Then I'm afraid you are hardly the
man took you for. " she rejoined. with
q forced assumption Of her old manner
I had been more than human II my
resolutions had not wavered then. but
I ground, as it were. my heart under
nv heel and honestly strove TO do the
right. Il was dishonorable to temporize
I would find the squatter and ask his
pardon, and he, being q sensible man.
would look ut the matter in the same
light as myself In the after years she
would be glad that she had been saved
from the blind man. I told her as much.
And now she sstonished me, for she
said:
81 have told him everything al
ready"
There was the sound Of footsteps
which thought might be her fathers
| Instinctively and quickly, ! fear, tried
TO withdraw my hands from hers, but
she would NOT release them. What
would the squstter or any other right
minded man think Of my conduct in
| this mattert The thought filed me with
shame. and now be entered the tent.
Though my eyes ssw him not still BY
some intuitive sense knew is was Mr..
Mackenzie. he greeted me in kindly
| lashion, and his voice betrayed no sus.
3Fise.
lost no time in telling him what
had to az. ! was afraid that be might
think I FAD acted dishonoeahly IN ths
matter. Crtainly appearapcss wsrs
asainst me. Il VS. not too lAts. how
| ever, to rectify mattsrA - bad ~
told Mis Macksusis. WoaA he allow
mo to explain and then pefhaps y
vould b more ready 70 make allow
apcai
sNssh has told mo svwything b
cid In : kindly manner, "and ] can
sot wsll 30 how ! can blame you.
.But df, considss my pNiticn"-
"When married Nosah's mother,
- souattse intsfsuutsd nigtaking ny