The Elbert County tribune., 1900-05-24
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I; KING DON: s
s STORY OF MIIIARY LIFE IN INDIA s:
: "..RY MAYOR ALLaN


- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Xxx
i will gol will go." he cried. But
you will believe me?"
She sprang up and threw her arms
ABOUT his neck, u;tering incoherent
words OF love and passion. but he had
fallen back on his pillow. painfully
flushed now, and his breath came in
hot gasps.
She will not kiss mel My darling
viii not kiss mel Never againl" he
moaned. What was It she said? 'All
that is over now. How can l ever for
get what has broken my hearth"
The words died away in a sobbing
whisper, and the doctor, coming back
at that moment. found him thus, toss
ing restlessly from side TO side, uncon-
scious still, but actively unconscious,
with the frenzy racking his brain.
CHAPTER X.
Days. many days, went by. and still
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
fshed together in Gadie's sllvery
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 II at
those times Lille CHANGED to be his
nurse he would lie and gaze upon her
with look of dog-llke 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 jeal-
Gus steadfastness that scarce could
brook to share her viglls with his 9TH
er nurses-they who could minister to
the sufferers wants perhaps more eff
ciently than Lilies self. but could ex-
perience none of the young wlfe's 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 hisswanderings
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
nityl 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 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. II was ap-
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 curis
about his temples.
Lille" he spoke wlstfully.
1t was barely above a whisper, but
she heard 1t 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-
glnes; as If 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 Ia
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.
we will go over to the Isle OF
Wight to them. Wouldn't that be bet
ter, Don?"
'.If YOU will not mind the trouble
he said, with all the trustful depend
ence of a little child. And then sud
denly. with iuttering 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, ana nung her-
self upon his breast
"oh. Don. Don Don't you under
stand? l will never leave you-never'
never!" she cried.
His fingers closed upon hers with
feeble pressure and look almost OF
rapture swept his face. Then. stiii
holding her hand. he fell asleep.
ITO be continued)
Moving the Great Obeiisk.
The work of moving the great
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