The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-05-08
The REcToR,s wIEE


The rectory Of Ashcombe stood almost
under the shadow OF the graceful stone
church, a tasteful cottage. with pictur-
eSque gables and bay windows shaded
with evergreens. and from the curtained
easements OF the sitting-room a blood-red
light streamed out taking its hue from
the crimson draperies, through whose
folds il shown.
Herbert Byington and his wefe 1ere
there alone, enjoying TIE rudy light Of
the coal FIRE, and the warmth and COIL
ness OF the room so entirely at variance
with the scene without.
Just opposite him. on low footstool.
Jessie sat, with the bright freight fash
ing in her lovely face, the scarlet. dewy
her eye-lashes sparkling with suspicious
moisture.
'-Jessica, my love-" pleaded the rector.
with a countenance Of sore bewilderment,
I thought that you would look at the
matter reasonably
80 I do" said Jessica. raising the love
ly hazel eyes with a sparkle of indigna-
ton 70 her husbands face. I'm not g
statue of ice nor a dried-up old fossil,
never TO want any change Of relaxation,
and I've made up my mind 70 go TO this
ball Everybody in Ashcombe is going
and don't see why I should be penned
UP at home. I'm only II, and haven't
worn the pink and silver dress since we
were married"
But, Jessie" gravely interrupted her
husband, "a masquerade ball is not ex-
actly the place for a clergyman's wife"
II don't see where the harm is" per-
sisted Jessica-
Jessica burst into tears.
It's to bad" sobbed JesSica, ''I might
as Wen be a prisoner in a stone cell at
once. I wish I were single again. l wish
7 SadrfT al minister
"Jessica,'' he began sadly, 'if you
But a knock at the door interrupted his
sentence.
IF ye please. sir" said the round-eyed
and staring Irish girl, its John Mooney
from the mountains, and his fathers just
goin entirely with the fever an he says
would the minister please to come quick,
or it'll be dead he'll be. I tould him the
master couldn't likely come, being twas
three miles of and the river all swollen
with the freshet, and the night as dark
as a VOLTS mouth. and"
Tell him to wait one instant, arah,
said Mr.. Byington, rising at once and
putting his papers hurriedly into their
portfolio. "Of course l shall go with him.
Poor Mooney; I did not think he would
have lasted as long as this"
And as Sarah closed the door he bent
caressingly over his wife.
Goodbye, Jessica," he said, 'it viii
probably be some hours before return.
Try and not be lonesome, my dear"
But Jessica only turned her head away.
win you not tell me goodbye, my
lover" he pleaded, trying to look into her
averted eyes. But she never looked up
nor answered his apepaling words.
He waited an instant as il for her to
speak and then left the room. As the
door closed behind him, Jessica half rose
from her seat, as If to call him back, but
~ =
becomee defined.
She opened the door and crept softly
into the kitchen. Even the companion
ship Of the rough, untutored Irish girl
was better than none at all Here she
again was disappointed. Sarah had long
since gone 10 bed and to sleep, and Jes-
sica stole back again, shrinking from the
sound of her own footsteps and sat down
by the fire. From brief reverie she was
reused by the sound of the little bronze
mantel clock striking Il
Twelve o'clock-sureIy he should have
been home ere this. It was barely
when he went away. A new terror took
possession of Jessica's mind. Suppose
anything should have happened to Her
bert? The river, she knew. was swollen
to its utmost height by the spring rains.
The road was intricate, the night dark,
the bridges were none the best. As she
remembered these things feeling came
over her as If she had been grasped by
a hand Of ice.
Wearied and worn out by the conflicting
emotions that racked her mind, Jessica
dropped of into a sort Of doze, half slum-
bering, half fevered unrest, through
which the sharp, bell-like tone Of the
clock striking / sounded like the tolling
of a knell.
She was reused by the sound of hoarse
voices and the tramp Of fet, and spring
ing wildly up she rushed to the door and
threw it open.
'Herbertl Merciful heavens who is
there?"
Don't be skeered, ma'an.'' answered
the rough voice Of Farmer Althorpe, soft
ened as much as its raspy nature would
admit Maybe he amt hurt so much
arter ALL"
But Jessica had rushed past him out
into the night and tempest, for the keen
eyes Of the wife had discerned the mo-
tionless burden carried by two or three
men in the background.
Herbert, my husbands he dead?' she
gasped with a face whittier than the white
snow on the mountain sides beyond.
I'VE hope not, Mrs. Byington,' said a
soothing voice-that of Mr.. Daleson-' but
the fail was a serious one"
'How-where?
The choked voice refused to give utter
ance to the incoherent words, but the
kind hearted physician comprehended her
meaning.
we were crossing the bridge near the
old hoee factory on our return from John
Moneys when the timbers at the uper
end gave way-I always thought they
were insuf1ciently stayed 10 resist our
heavy spring freshets. caught AZ the
rail where it ran up on the bank and
saved myself. but poor Byington was not
quick enough"
That half hour by the side Of the in
jared man. when death stood opposite
claiming its prey. and the flame OF life
aickered as II every second must see its
total eextinction-the young wife never
forgot iti-and when AT last DR.. Dales0n
whispered TO her that their Efforts had
prevailed. and that the sweet sleep into
which he had fallen would be the precur-
ser of eventual recovering. she wept ike
a child. Heaven had indeed given him
back TO her. through trial anu terror, and
the rush of happiness TO her heart was
almost overwhelming.
h-L-I of Lar L-fr