St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-03-01

he lay restlessly, now wishing Wild
y. now dumbly resigned to all
things.
Once it occurred to him to wonder
what the maid of the inn meant by
smiling like that when she gave him
his candle and said a gay good
night" But he had far intenser
stimulants to thought than that, and
the damsel soon drifted away from
him.
His most strenuous moments fol-
lowed the realization that he had
been careless enough to leave Mary's
packet downstairs on the mantel.
piece in the little parlor.
Shows what ami" he said, fiercely,
as he made an attempt to get up, light
candle and go down for it.
But he found the effort quite appal-
hngly 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, wooed and won her
all over again. Off and on he woke, to
gasp and groan and utter exclama-
tons.
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 about
entering Dicks room when he, too, had
raped to no purpose. He gazed at
Dick for few moments, and felt his
blood chill little at Dicks furious
cry: II tell you you are dead, Mary, SO
don't deny it," touched Dicks burning
forehead, and left him.
Hes in a fever-that's what's the
matter with him." he said. "You just
go for Mr.. Barker, Jane, right away
"Poor young fellow!" said Jane,
eagerly. "That will, sir"
Moreover, being in love herself, she
determined to kill two birds with one
stone.
ITS maybe present for Miss Dud-
ley," she said to herself, and, putting
on her hat, carried off Dicks little
packet for No. 2 Devonshire road.
"Nurse!"
The darkness had passed from Dicks
brain, and having opened his eyes and
seen things as they were, though with
an imperfect grasp of the facts. he
whispered the monosyllable.
The quick rustic of dress answered
him, and the words:
eyes, my dear boy!"
"You, mother?" said Dick, looking
up at the face that was the best and
truest object in life for him.
She clasped his hand-a bony shape,
loosely laced with skin.
Suddenly the cloud fell from him.
It all came back-wound, fever, the
long weeks in hospital, the voyage
home in weakness and anxiety as well
| as hope, the news of Mary's fortune
and Sir Tarver Brown, his rebuff in st.
Paul's churchyard and his journey to
Nellerton.
He groaned in spite of himself, and
| turned his face to the wall.
"Now, then, dear, let me raise your
head"
"What's the use?" he murmured.
| It was his one and only flash OF
peevishness. The next instant he
i obeyed orders with smile. 1t was a
dreary smile, yet smile.
GLOW I must have worried you,
mother!" he said, quietly, as he settled
| after the tonic. II suppose this is Nell
| lerton?"
She kissed him as mothers do kiss
their grown sons of whom they are
very proud.
"Try and sleep again, dear" she said,
rather TREMENDOUSLY.
But Mary Dudley and her infidelity-
her excusable infidelity-were vivid in
his mind. How could he sleep amid
such realizations?
"All right" he said, shutting his
eyes.
! Then sunny gray mist settled upon
his brain, and his surroundings were
to him as if they were not. It was not
SO much sleep as translation of spirit
20, Mary, Mary, what shall I do with
out you?" his lips cried aloud, even
while his mind was active in some
remoter atmosphere.
"Nothing, dear Dick; you shall not
do without me as long as we live, fol
we will be always together" A hand
was laid on his forehead-a little
| satiny hand, with love warm in all its
pores. And instantly Dick opened his
eyes.
"Mary!" he gasped.
This time Mary Dudley laid her face
by his on the pillow, smiling, and whis'
pered. with her mouth close to hi.
mouth: .s
"Of course, Dick, who else should
it be?''
But it was not until the evening that
she was allowed to give him in full
measure the only tonic that could be
warranted able to make him himself
again in spirit and in truth. Then she
did not spare him.
II ought to feel ashamed of you
Dick" she explained; "for, supposing
if only for one second, that I could care
anything for my money apart from
YOU? Sir Tarver Brown, indeed! Why
I was just waiting for a sign from
i YOU. And got tiny own ring! O
D;ck!"-London Answers.