Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-05-24
CHAPTER MI.
Watching the Tide.

Watching the Tide.
/, Ford had watched by many sick
/ Is. and thought tina, he had wit
! <"d human suffering in all. its
p:i's"S; but the vigil of that nightwas
s. ii rs lie had never kept before.
~ .,:ir!, stone cavern. With its silver
1.:.:p: The awful Stiffness. broken by no
sound t"om the upper earth, the gold
rl.-!,a:rel girl. so white. and frail. and
fair. so .out Of keeping With all her
rude Surroundings: and the two com
Rlu!r1ls of he waterfall seemed TO
r?|:lr:in forming q scene more like Il
Iiriurp from snina German master
tran the sober reality Of common life.
The =wrete!letl father sat at the bed
-s..;!r. With s'rrn. set features and foid-
rd arms. watching every faint breath
that came from SYPHILIS pallid lips.
The tlcctnr kept his post opposite,
wNilc Riz;:ah glided.. like shadow,
ne:sclasslv and swiftly through the
poem. anticipating every want. -.
Even the oil dHctpr's herb tea was
" forgotten by this strange creature.
Sac had connected it after Il recipe OF
hen own that tile hlA gentleman was
forced to acknowledge had merits far
exceeding any Of the draHghts in his
pnarmacDlogia for its effects We're
magical. 1t. seemed to ditfuse new life
ard vi-or through his stiff ana feeble
liz bS and made him forget the unusu-
ii toll and WEAKNESS Of the GAY
\ thousand vague canjpctures fitted
through HE doctors mind as he ";lZcd
Il, the fair. lovely face Of the so-calleu
Sy,,il Nraye. and from tito the dark,
etr.my countenance of the man Who
watched beside her. Who were they:
Whence WE'RE they? these two mysterl-
,oi.s beings who seemed separated by
some strange fatality from their kind.
What was this shadow that rested so
darlSlv upon this young girls opening
life? What was the wrong that had
1,lighted, this mans noble nature
What was the link between them and
The naughty Gives? What hate had
armed this passionate man against
Herbert. whose frank. open, honorable
character the doctor knew so Well?
It was impossible to tell. and the doc
TOR could ONLY look around him in Won
der at the strange fatality that had led
him again to this fair girls pillow-the
girl whose features We're stamped WIN
thr likeness of the only woman he had
ever loved.
The hours wore on. their passage
only marked by the ticking of the doc
tors watch. that sounded omlnously
distinct in the silence of the SuDter-
ranean chamber.
Rizpah was without. in the shadowy
forest. watching the stars: the doctor
was alone with Sybil and her fathe1.
sill a u T.
ble statue. There was no movement
of limb or feature to show that NE
still lingcred-only the faint breathing
tha1 scarcely stirred the lace upon her
breast The doctor looked at his
watch: the hour of midnight was at
hand. 49,. He bent closer to the couch
He dared rot, by word or; look. break
the SMELL by which the passionate man
beside him controlled his, strong heart:
he dared not tell SYPHILIS father that the
crisis had come. There was, surely a
u1,iyer in the sunny eyclid; a longer,
more 1uttering Drcath:.a gasp, a strug.
gle, Great heayens, the, dark-.browed
xuish, that changed into low cry OF
delight, rs Sybil opened her eyes ana
family whispered:
Father
NV child. my darling, my own
Svbil!'
The doctor turned away from the
bedside. with eyes dim with unusual
moisture. The rapture Of that moment
was; too deep. too sacred, for even MS
Friendly eye. The crisis was passed
safely: the life-tide freely flowed.
.Where am Il" asked Sybil after
moments pause. "Have been dream
.n:,. father, Of of sickness-of pain:
There. there is blood upon me-blood!
" hose blood. father-whose"
The doctor interposed. There was
nj excited CULVER in her voice, that
made, him fear an imprudent revela-
lion.
':Yoil were hurt. my dear. while you
were cut riding this morning. he said,
gently: ''tEat is all. You have been
unconscious for some time. but are
better now; only 1 insist upon your
keeping quiet-perfectly quiet"
What does it mean?" she said,
.clasping her fathers hand-"oh, papa,
what does it mean? Why is he here
hereW Alas. alas, have betrayed you
betrayed you, after ally -,
"Nct so. my dear" answered the doc
tor. in a tone that was intended to re-
assure both father ard daughter. do
not A,ar me-. am here asa sphysi-
clan. lind a physician is bound to hold
inytohte the confidence reposed in him
by LIS natieats under any and All . or.
;clillH{Wnccs. -saas
from me-"
lyon are very good said Sybll. with
chat grateful glance In her soft eyes