Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1901-04-03

forsnke his couch.
A new strength-the strength of de-
spair-had come to her, and the doc
tor and nurse alike marveed at the
courage and prompttude 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 Don's removal to the lit
tie steamer for the Isle of Wight, and
gave orders anent their luggage, all
with a 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 1t had won her golden opin-
ions from all.
The captain stepped forward and
CRASHED the little hand she proffered
in silent gratitude for his coincidence
when the moment of farewell came at
last He had letter to deliver into
her keeping which, owing to Don's ILL
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 Gordons name was
mentioned in it. he thought Captain
Gordons wife should have it.
Lille took it and put it in her pock
ct, with a wan little smile of thanks
Vivid as was her remembrance still Of
that CHASTITY scene the night of the
storm her thoughts had seldom dwelt
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 il he believed himself
wronged; but Don was ever so uni
versal 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
st u10ored alongside the Cowes pier,
and she saw Roddy and Dl, in response
TO her telegram, hurrying forward to
6lNEN iltls lllS llAictlul III oIloih uPOh
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 If
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
fondiy 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-
scions 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 hiI' 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, q hectic flush on her face, her
eyes afame with mingled excitement
and grief A letter lay open on her
Ian. II was the letter the captain of
the troopship had given her, and which
had lain in her pocket forgotten until
now, when chance thought recalled
It.
II was written in Hindostanee, and
bore the struggling signature of one
who had so ruthlessly wrecked "the
White Iily's" peace The signature
was Sing, and was it wonder, as Lille
iaboriously waded through It's brief
contents, passion and pain and remorse
overwnelmed her bleeding heartR