Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-07-05
SAVED BY HER VOICE.

! SAVED BY HER VOICE. 4
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1t was springtime and MONDAY il
England, and the soft breath Of III,
} year seemed laden with fragran
promises of bloom and color, Will,
over the woods was stealing a fairy
like mantle of green.
On such day, and in such a seen,
as this, Evengeline Rohan felt a.
though the world should hold moth
ing OF strife or pain or ugliness; in
deed, the particular world in which
she moved and breathed and had heI
being held little but the surface
knowledge that such things existed
for fate had favored Evangeline, and
not content with bestowng on her
beauty of person and mind, had dow,
cred her with the great gift of song in
its divine perfection.
Now she sauntered down the wind.
ing pathway that led from her castle
terrace to the copse beneath.
A man followed her with hesitatinp
steps, as though he feared a repulss
II he presented himself too suddenly,
took courage to approach when the
trees yelled them from the castle win.
dows, and, though she made him
welcome by neither word nor sign,
walked at her side until the within
sliced her to seat herself on a bank
and search for desultory flowers that
she knew were hidden away here and
there.
1t was at this moment that a visitor
who had driven up to the castle in Q
dogcart descended and asked for Mile.
Rohan.
VI am afraid she is unable to see
anyone this morning" said the butler;
"she is resting for tonight"
DR.. Harrowden knit his brows in
perplexily. lie remembered that the
singer had generously offered to
throw open her castle to the public
on that night and to give the first
entertainment in her new theatre for
the benefit Of fund for wounded
soldiers.
All the country were clamoring for
tickets Fabulous prices had bt u
paid even for standing room, and re.
port said the diva, having spared no
pains nor expense 10 make the occas.
ion success, was about TO eclipse
herself In new part, especially writ.
ten and composed for her, in an
operate adaptation of "0thello."
The matter is a very urgent one,"
said DR.. Harrowden, after pause.
VI have a request to make of Mile.
Rohan that can only be made person.
ally. If you will risk her dispIeasure
and allow me to make my way to her
! will take all the blame. may say
1t is a question almost OF life and
DEATH"
The man, who knew DR.. Harrowden
as one whose reputation even in a vii.
lage practice, gave weight to his
words, yielded, and, telling him that
mademoisele had taken the path to.
ward the copse, led him through the
conservatory and directed hime 10 the
shortest way.
He came SO suddenly upon the little
clearing where Evangeline was that
neither she nor her companion per.
ceived him. She was standing up, a
singular look on her beautiful face
which was bereft OF its usual color,
and both her hands were stretched
out before her as though TO ward I
that she dreaded, and that yet fascin.
ated her
His face, dark-eyed, brown-skinned
one, with something in its Southern
intensity that marred its handsome.
ness, must have worn threatening
expression, for she recoiled with a
little cry of alarm, and, turning saw
DR.. Harrowden as he stepped toward
her.
"Ah, doctor!" she said, little
shaken still, but smiling, "it is q long |
time since | have seen you, which |
speaks well for my health though not
for my hospitality. But you are com.
ing tonight, hope2'
You have asked me TO the castle
most kindly" he answered quietly,
but | am busy man, as you know,
mademoiselle, and have 10 deny my.
self many pleasures. | have ventnred
to lntrude on you, for which you must
lay the blame solely on me, because I
have a little patient down there In the
village whose recovery seems to de.
pend entirely on YOU"
ION mel"
my patient Is little child who has
been at deaths door through fever
and whose one desire, night and day,
has been to hear you sing. We
thought it delirious fancy that would
pass, but 1t seems that, had she been
well, she was TO have come up to the
castle one day when you sang to the
villagers, and that she lost her chance
through this illness. She raves and
weeps alternately and will not sleep,
begging always to be taken to you so
that she might ask you to sing one
little song to her"
where is she2 Take me to her,
doctor, and will sing 10 her at once"
Half an hour later, with all her
soul in her exquisite voice, she was
standing in the cottage singing a song
)f life and love to the bewidered vii