The Washington times., 1901-08-25


of his lost Marjory. Turning quickly to
me again. he said. Dye hear, Geore?
Never you part with it. Sooner nor that,
samsh it-smash 1t, An Here the
pain took him again. and he fell back in
his chair. with a screwed-up faces as
white as milk
Brandy. lad, bandy-quiCk X.
shot downstairs three s>eps Mt time,
and with my startled sister ssa'th, then
nearly a woman grown, fastened up with
the spirits. half fearing. from what | had
SEEN to find the old man in some dire eN-
tremity. if not in the grip of death itself
He was lying as l had left him, gasping
hard for breath, his features all distort-
ed. and his eyes fixed with a stare as OF
death on the impressive face of Minerva.
Edith put the brandy to his lips. and he
took a hearty pull. Then he came slowly
round, and blew off at last n big sign OF
relief Yet so battered and broken did he
seem, so unlike his usual hale and rudy
self. that poor Ediths eyes filled with
tears and she turned away to hide them
Nay. don't take on, lass: don't take
on. said he in quavering voice: lit were
but a sudden turn-a twist o the heart
like-an' I'm all right now, though you
may as well leave the brandy. There,
all right nowi''
So we left him; and twice during the
next two hours went softly up. to find
him deep in a peaceful slumber.
Early in the afternoon my father return
ed from Warstone. and told us of his visit
to the county police and of the measures
taken to recover the stolen money. OF
which nothing at all had so far been
heard. Nor was it likely we ever should
hear of it. The numbers of the notes had
not been taken and they were as untrace-
able now as the odd gold itself. 1t was
heartrending.
Troubles. like rocks, rarely come singly.
Even while my fat her was talking to us.
and before we had time to tell him of
what we had seen that morning. we heard
a heavy thud above us. and rushing up
stairs. we found the poor victim of the
robbery stretched prone and apparently
lfeless on the floor. It was a stroke of
paralysis and though he came quickly
round, and was conscious of all going on
about him, he was unable to move lime
or speak a word. He died at eleven next
morning without having uttered a sound.
though he tried to do so in a way almost
desperate The look in his dying eyes
shall never forget; but toward the last a
turned slowly TO me and then to the Min
erva bust: and fondly gazing at that he
died.
With Dr. Maitland that morning Ruth
had come, having always been a pet of
my grandfather and it was while we
were standing in the room together. her
little hand in mine because of the SYM
pathy moving her, that. after the final
moments she turned impulsively and gave
me her first kiss / don't know why, but
my heart went out to her then g it had
never done before. and from that day on
we were friends inseparable, she with the
years growing only too fond of me. re-
manning just as a brother to her-that and
no more. All, II L could only have return
ed her passion, how much might have
been saved to all three Of us! But it is
all well now, SO let me not think un<indiy
of one whose great love led captive her
conscience. and urged her to doings which
in days after brought the red Of shame to
her cheeks.
Time went on and ! shot up into long
stalky youth. loose of limb and awkward
of movement. as all half-growths are; but
promising, 4as my father said. to fill out
in fine fellow enough when the sap Of
me was become less active, and not 50
much inclined to run to wood. l looked
at his six feet of sturdy manhood and
hoped heartily that L might some day
gorw into as fine a figure. People tell
me it has come to pass; but that is
neither here nor there. Yet it was while
! was still in the lathy stage, and there
fore little likely in shape or manner to
woo the eyes Of a gentle maid that l
first exchanged words with my Lois.
l,a har hal
mothers recent coming to Holly Cot
tage, on the margin of Copston Wood;
and my eyes had taken in her fresh young
comeiness, till, working in my conscience.
it made a ferment there the like of which
had never known. II could only be
love which had transformed her pretty
cottage home. making it a thing sacred
to my eyes; which took me so often up to
Fir-tree Knoll to gaze ardently across It.
with hopes belize of a sight of her; which
made the humping inside of me almost
painful whenever / passed 1t by; and my
sick heart, which knew what the matter
was now, because | had told it, could TO
more stop its hammering whatsoever |
took it whereabouts than IL could leap
from out my breast. And on that very
day of June, as l was tramping the road
through the wood. after the Beckley
| coursing, / was trying to keep il quiet
without avail, when. all at once 1t almost
stopped dead with fright. a sudden and
piercing scream had run through all the
wood. Pulling myself together / ran as
| hard as / could cut in the direction of the
trouble. and came quickly upon it. First
of all my stick broke the back of snake.
and by its markings and the fiattened
head of it knew l had killed full-grown
viper Three yards away she stood, with
pain and terror in her face, and with one
| foot lifting and falling. as though a giant
| had trodden upon it.
The snake-it bit me- she cried. And
! oh, it is so painful. What shall | do?
The right foot just above the ankle. Yes
/ there But what are you doing? You
mustn't"
I had kneIt down and having whipped
out my pocket knife, was callously cut
ting open her beautiful silk stocking. /,
| was no time for ceremony.
Lean against that tree" I said pretty
! sharply land keep your balance. I'm GO
! ing to draw the poison"
| | looked at the little red spot standing
! out against the white of the skim and
without more to-io bent and drew what
I could OF the poison In Natures simplest
way. Then rearranged the damaged
stocking as well as | was able and rose &c
| my feet. H's face and neck were as red
as sunset, bat light there was OF graft
tnde in the grey Of her eyes and without
a word, because she couldn't say one
she obeyed my request to take my arm
and hasten homo for the benefits OF salad
! oil.
That was how it began; and how / weni
so coolly through 1t, and could speak 81
| sirrni,, Ia hnr niIzzles me To think IinleS,