The Western news., 1901-10-30

what 1t hurt him most to remember.
He looked at his left hand. with the
plain but solid gold circlet, set with
tiny diamond. and the words, invisible
to his eve, but pressing his finger. For
ever and forever!'
That was Mary's voucher to him for
her lifelong love.
His finger-nails closed on his palms
tightly. his jaws locked as IL they
meant never again to part, and he
drew two or three terrible breaths of
the kind that mark crises In the life Of
a man.
At length he moved again. ''Yes,
that's what I'll do" he murmured.
Poor girl! one can't blame her. She
shall marry with q free conscience, at
all events"
Then once again he whispered:
''As for me-
But he did not. even shrug his shoul-
ders this time. His despair was too
profound. It needed no emphasis.
At the Kings Arm Inn. of Nellerton.
that evening, Dick took pen and paper.
and wrote the letter to Mary which
was to accompany the returned ring.
1t was short and to the point:
Dear Mary-Somehow, though
would like to keep this, can't do it,
and SO bring it back to you; and you
mustn't think | mean to be nasty by
making 1t come to you on your birth
day. quite understand that things
are changed between us. Wishing you
all the happiness life can give you, be-
lieve me. sincerely yours always,
"RICHARD JERRAM."
mo drivel in that, think" he said,
with pang OF pride when he had read
it and folded it up. The ring was in
little box. and the letter was now
wrapped round the box. The whole was
addressed to Miss Mary Dudley, Dew
onshire road.
In the darkness he tottered out Dew.
onshire road way. He gazed at the
house and the lighted window of
Mary's bedroom-gazed and gazed till
he felt silly. He lay restlessly, now
wishing wildly, now dumbly resigned
to all things. Once 1t occurred to him
to wonder what the maid Of the inn
meant by smiling IKE that when she
gave him his candle, and said gay
Goodnight" But he had far intenser
stimulants to thought than that and
the damsel soon drifted away from
him.
His most strenuous moments follow
ed the realization that he had been cas-
ual enough to leave Mary's packet
downstairs on the mantelpiece In the
little parlor.
SHOWS what l amr' he said fercely,
as he made an attempt to get up. light
a candle and go down for it.
But he found the effort quite appal-
lingly severe, and gave It up
He dozed deliriously, played with
Mary in boy-and-girl fashion, danced
with her, had her all to himself in the
Bradshaw Woods, woeed and won her
all over again. on and on he woke
to gasp and groan and utter exclama-
tions. The Pretoria nurses would have
| Interpreted those exclamations Alright,
but he was alone now, and had worse
| times after each bout Of them.
IL.
For the second time the girl knocked
at his door.
| "Your hot water, sir" she cried, and
set her ear to listen.
She did not listen long, but hurried
downstairs. with word for the master
that the gentleman in No. was shout
ing in the queerest way.
II think he's i'll, SIR" she said. HE
looked bad last night"
The landlord made no bones abou,
entering Dicks room when he, too, had
raped to no purpose. He gazed a
Dick for a few moments, and felt hit
blood chill little at Dicks furious cry
II tell you you are dead. Mary, so dom
deny itw touched Dicks burning fore
head, and left him.
"He's in fever-that's what's tn,
matter with him." he said. "You JUS
go for Mr.. Barker, Jane, right away
Poor young fellow!' said Jane ca
gerly. ''That will, SIR
Moreover, being In love herself, sh
determined to kill two birds with on
4 stone.
tits maybe a present for Miss Dud
ley" she said to herself. And, puttin
on her hat, carried OF Dicks littl
packet for No. Devonshire road.
''Nurse!
The darkness had passed from Dick
brain, and. having opened his eyes an
seen things as they were. though wit
an imperfect grasp Of the facts. b
whispered the monosyllable.
The quick rustic Of dress answere
him and the words:
Eyes, my dear boy!'
"You, motherY said Dick, looking u
: at the face that was the best and truee
object in life for him.
She clasped his hand-a bony shap.
loosely laced with skin.
. Suddenly the cloud fell upon him.
1t all came back-wound, fever, th
, lonO uyooka In hOonifa1 tho VOW a