Middletown transcript., 1903-05-16
IcoNTrNUED FROM LAST WEEK.

IL -
Death is slow to come to the
few who seek it. Weeks passed.
Miss March lay in q darkened
chamber. tossing on hot, sitting
pillows, talking to shadoWy
shapes that fitted about her, and
to her fathers pictured face
above the chimney piece.
0 papa. she would moan, why
do you frown upon me always!
Why do you call upon me to
avenge you? See how weak
how powerless I am! Last night
I went seeking you in your old
camp on the North Fork. I saw
the spot where you were mur-
dered-your grave, too, under a
rock of the lonely canon.
The face Of a gray-haired nurse
bent over her; then another, pale,
with silky, golden hair smoothly
laid on the womanish forehead,
and brows knitted above tigerish
hazel eyes. She stared at the
latter in strange fascination.
Are you always here?she cried.
Go away. Why do you bear with
me so long?
He smiled down upon her like
q god, but did not 60.
Convalescence followed. One
day, in her quiet chamber, still
carefully darkened by the sur
geon's orders, Agnes March was
lying alone as Doctor Brandt en-
tered. He paused on the thres-
hold to gaze in upon her. Over
her white wrapper-over the pill
low which softened the horse hair
sofa to her head, flowed the rip
Piles and clusters of her purple
black hair, down, down to the
very floor below. Paler than
ever she was, and larger and
darker than ever in her severe
Greek face shone the magnificent
eyes whose failing power no un-
professional observer could have
detected. Her exquisite arms,
with their draperies falling back,
were flung above her head. A
book of plays had slipped to the
floor beside her. She lay buried
in some sad, sad reverie.
Doctor Brandt advanced to the
sofa, and picked up her book.
I have forbidden you. so much
as to open this, he said, sternly.
Why do you not obey me?
My eyes are growing strong
again, she answered. was to
have had an engagement this
winter-do you know that? I
may yet be able to make up for
the time I have lost.
Leaning against the wall by
her side, the surgeon looked
down on her.
You will do nothing of the kind,
unless you wish to bring upon
yourself the fate I am trying to
avert from you.
Something in his tone con-
strained her to look up for the
first time.
I ought to be very grateful to
you, she said. You seem to have
put yourself to SO much trouble
because of me. Why do people
call you pitiless-cruel?
Because am both, he answer
ed.
She let her uplifted arms sink
listlessly down to her side.
I should not have suspected it.
You do not yet know me. No
man ever had an established rep
utation for particular quality
unless he was guilty Of it in some
degree. Abandon all further
thought of the stage. Years
may pass before you are again
able to study for it.
My one talent! she cried, bit
terly. o nay God! how hard this
is!
The passionate anguish Of her
words seemed to agitate him
strangely. He advanced to the
couch whereupon she lay.
And will nothing satisfy you
bnt that life Of rant and tinsel?
he cried, angrily, breatblessly.
Have you no dreams Of home and
love, like rational woman? AS
God hears me, you shall never be
an actress! Therei is another and
widely different future for you.
Agnes, Agnes, i love you!
She started up from her pillow.
Till her dying day would she re-
member the way he stood and
looked at her, with his pale face
and fierce, overmastering eyes?
The man without pity or sympa-
thv seemed hanging now for very |
life on the caprice OF a girl.
You love me-you? she re-
1nnH, n1.d Il