Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-05-17
CHAPTER X.

~~--~
Don lay in the same state. Sometimes
shivering. sometimes burning with
fiery heat, sometimes slumbering in
the deepest torpor; often wakefully
alert with the activity Of distraught
mind, wandering back to scenes and
times of which his watchers knew
nothing-even back to days of early
boyhood, when he and Roddy had
fished together in Gadie's silvery
stream, and never dreamed of jealousy
or severance in years to come.
By and by, as the days heightened
into weeks, there came lucid intervals,
and when he awoke weak and we'll
nigh speechless, but perfectly con-
scious OF his surroundings. And il at
those times Lille CHANGED to be his
nurse he you'd lie and gaze upon her
with look of dog-like devotion in his
great brown eyes, often even try to ut
ter some feeble words of gratitude or
contrition for her being there. Whilst
even as he strove to speak that deadly
oblivion would return and blot out past
and present alike.
And meanwhile Lille watched by
him and waited upon him with a jeal-
Gus steadfastness that scarce could
brook to share her vigils with his 9TH
er nurses--they who could minister to
the sufferers wants perhaps more eff
GENTLY than Lilies self, but could ex-
perience none of the young wifes Bit
ter Joy which made every little duty an
act of devotion.
For she saw his strength ebbing
hour by hour as the fever worked out
its course. She saw his wanderings
become more frequent, those fatal tor
pors more prolonged, and those mo-
ments of weak consciousness grow few
er and fewer. And gradually but all
too surely. the awful fear began to
dawn upon her that Don and she were
to be called upon to part by decree
more relentless than hers. Yet, oh, 1t
could not be that he should die-die
and leave her thus, without knowing
she had come to realize her life was
bound up in his for time and for eter-
nifty! That his sin must be her sin,
and its atonement hers also as well as
his,
Who shall gauge the bitterness of
those pleadings which burst from her
aching heart through those long vigils
Of waiting? For it was known to her
God alone. There came a night at last,
as they neared the white cliffs of Eng
land. that after continuous hours OF
fitful slumber Don opened his eyes and
fixed them upon her face. 1t was APP
preaching the hour when she usually
relinquished her post to the nurse, and
she was kneeling by his side in silent
prayer, her cheek resting upon his pill
low. her locked hands leaning gently
on his breast.
A strange reluctance to leave him
had fallen upon her, and more than
once she had passionately pressed her
lips to the short. silky brown curls
about his temples.
Lille" he spoke wistfully.
1t was barely above whisper, but
she heard it with a great bound of her
beating heart. for she knew this was
real consciousness at last.
Lille" he repeated family, so
family that she had to stoop close to
his lips to catch the words, where are
we now"
I'VE are very nearly home. In few
hours we shall be in the Solent."
She was astonished that he mani
tested no surprise. 1t was as II his
active brain had been speeding on
ward with the ships throbbing en-
gines; as II he. too, while his fragile
barque drifted towards the unknown
shore. had been dimly conscious Of the
great sea of time and space.
Lille" he spoke again, with la
bored difficulty, when we reach
Southampton will you wire to Roddy
and Di to come to me?"
Hot tears welled up into her eyes
and fell upon the wasted hand he
strove to lift and lay on hers.
I'VE will go over to the Isle of
Wight to them. Wouldn't that be bet
ter, DOM"
IF you will not mind the trouble"
he said. with all the trustful depend
ence Of a little child. And then sud
denly, with fiuttering breath. he spoke
again, SO family she could scarcely
hear. Il dreamt just now you kissed
me. Lille, would you promise not to
leave till the end?"
She broke down then, and flung her.
self upon his breast.