The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1900-11-13


the world but Tom, Tom who had fol-
lowed his lifelong friend and sweet
heart to Chicago and who had refused
to be estranged or put at distance.
so she ate out her heart In loneliness
ana misery by day and by night, and
wore her nerves to pieces trying to
be gay and cheerful during the even
ing hours which were spent with Der
lover. And she was undoubtedly and
undisguisedly thankful, dearly as she
loved him, and greatly as she longed
10 pass every possible remaining mo-
ment of life at his side, when an i'm
perative business call took him away
from Chicago for a couple of months.
Just when her distress was greatest
and left her to face her misery and
her desolation alone-alone, but free
from the necessity of seeming glad,
nightly, for his sake, or OF making
such strenuous efforts to retain her Sc
cret. But when Tom returned at the
the end OF the two months, to find her
so changed and unhappy looking that
he was shocked and startled, he sur
prised from her, somehow or other,
the mournful story which she had in
tended to keep to herself still longer.
DO you know, dearie," he told her
when the first greetings were over,
that l am conceited enough 20 think
that you will be better when we are
married and can take better care OF
you than I can do now"
-rbao ,,,o..od - .
liable impulse, she told him all-that
they would never be married, that she
was doomed to death shortly, and was
even now slipping out of existence
with every hour. And Tom met the
miserable announcement with an in
credulity so utter and complete that
it comforted even while it annoyed
her.
Why Your cough has almost left
ou,darling," he told her (sure enough,
1t had. although she had been too
nervous and preoccupied to notice this
before), land you don't look so much
Ill to me as worried and over-anxious
Then, too, the doctor didn't tell you
all this directly; you only overheard
that he was not speaking of some one
else?"
Which was just what the doctor.
once they succeeded in obtaining an
interview with him, was fain to admit
that he must have done.
II never said 1t about you. my dear
Miss Bentley" he most emphatically
declared. ''for nothing of the kind was.
or is, true. You were little run down
and nervous when you consulted me,
that was all, and the cough which trou-
bled you so sorely was but lingering
touch of the influenza which had pros
trated you. Will YOU" to his assist
ant, look up the date of Miss Mar
garet Bentley's visit, if you please? 1t
occurred about three months ago. Let
me see the book when you have found
the entry"
"Ahi Here we have IT," he exclaim-
ed a little later. Miss Julia Larsen
was the visitor who preceded you, and
it must have been of her that was
speaking when you stole march up
on me in more senses than one. And
she, poor girl. slipped away just as
expected her to do, and in spite of all
the efforts which were made in her
behalf She died" with a reverent
gravity. lust a week ago tomorrow,
and you" nodding encouragingly to-
ward the thankful and trembling Mar
garet, will live to laugh at your re-
cent fears for many year longer I'M
less some disease, as powerful as un-
expected, should succeed in putting
you to rout."
They went out into the summer. sun
shine, the two lovers, hand in hand,
and silent from sheer gratitude and
happiness. And that night Margaret,
who had never before believed in the
efficacy or desirability of prayers for
the dead-and who had found it al
most impossible to pray at all while
the senss of impending dissolution
hung over her-passed half an hour
upon her knees by her bedside, pray
ing-praying for that other girl in re-
lief of whose death sentence had
come no blessed eprieve.-Chicago
Tribune
Author for YSosfmastar