Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-05-24

CHAPTER X.-(Continued)
That night she would not consent to
forsake his couch.
A new strength-the strength OF de-
aspair-had come to her, and the doc
tor and nurse alike marveled at the
courage and promptitude with which
she assumed the duties of her position
when the sleepless night was over at
last and the good ship steamed slowly
into Southampton docks.
There she indited kilograms, ar
ranged for Dons removal to the lit
tie steamer for the Isle of Wight, and
gave orders anent their luggage, all
with fortitude and forethought that
had never been called upon till now.
The sympathy of the whole ship went
with her, for the calamity which had
befallen her and her great endurance
beneath it had won her golden opln-
ions from all.
The captain stepped forward and
grasped the little hand she pTofterea
in silent gratitude for his CONFIDENCE
when the moment of farewell came at
last. He had a letter to deliver into
her keeping which, owing to Dons III
ness, he had refrained from doing be-
fore. He explained that the letter had
been found upon the dead body OF the
Indian when recovered from the sea;
and as Captain Gordon's name was
mentioned in it, he thought Captain
Gordons wife should have 1t.
Lille took it and put it in her pock-
ct, with a wan little smile of thanks.
Vivid as was her remembrance still or
that CHASTITY scene the night OF the
storm, her thoughts had seldom dwelt
on the swarthy seaman's dastardly
deed which had added this twofold
agony of Don's illness to her sorrow
laden soul. Indian life had Injured her
to the deep-rooted thirst for revenge
OF the native if he believed himself
wronged; but Don was ever so uni
versal a favorite she could not fathom
the seaman's attack. She had neither
time nor heart to read the letter now.
Yet it was not till the channel pack
ct moored alongside the Cowes pier,
and she saw Roddy and Di, in response
to her telegram, hurrying forward to
greet her. the unnatural strain upon
her endurance and calm gave way, and
she fell on Diana's neck with the bit
ter, broken cry which meant the whole
world to her.
He is dying"
All that night Don's life was de-
SPARED of. His feeble pulse went
down to the lowest ebb; and, as II
that brief period of consciousness had
Slapped the last spark of vitality, his
exhaustion was so great that at times
they scarcely could tell if the breath OF
life had not gone out forever. There
was no question of proceeding to
Shamklin, where Roddy and Di had
fondly expected to welcome bride and
bridegroom to their cottage home.
To the big hotel overlooking the
azure sea they carried Don to die.
True, the fever had left him now, but
it had left him PROSTATE, helpless as
an infant. He slept continuously,
knowing not the difference between
night and day, sometimes dimly con-
scious of loving hand ever ready to
minister to his wants, but too weak
too far out on that limitless gulf that
flows between the worlds to dream of
what awaited him on either shore.
And Lille? She must have suffered
even If she had not loved him, and her
love during those long weeks of nurs-
ing had become to her both life and
food.
She sat by him while night waned
and dawn broke why seek rest
when sleep was impossible?" she ar
gued. And so they let her have her
way, passing in and out of the sick
room, always to find her sitting there,
with her blue eyes fixed upon Don's
face. motionless, almost breathless in
her piteous despair. But just as the
sun was rising and bathing the fair
world without in a blaze of golden
light Diana stole to her with some re-
freshment, to find her sitting up in her
chair, hectic flush on her face, her
eyes aflame with mingled excitement
and grief. A letter lay open on her
lap. 1t was the letter the captain of
the troopship had given her, and which
had lain in her pocket forgotten until
now when a chance thought recalled
ii.
1t was written in Hindostanee, and
bore the struggling signature of one
who had so ruthlessly wrecked the
White Lily's" peace. The signature
was Sing, and was it wonder, as Lille
laboriously waded through it's brief
contents. passion and pain and remorse
overwhelmed her bleeding heart?
Il command you to remove the des-
picable Feringhee (Englishman) Cap
tain Gordon out of my path" ran the
Princes scroll. "Dotard! poltroon!
that you were to take Captain Der
vents life in his stead! Your excuse
that the darkness of the night and
Captain Gordon's conduct led to your
failure avail you nothing. You have
robbed me of friend, and let my foe
go free. Expect neither reward nor
mercy from me-"
" She understood II all now The In