The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1903-06-26

His orders had been to shoot Don, but
in the gathering dusk Of the nullah he
had mistaken Captain Derwent for his
intended victim. He had t%hereupon
graphically reported Don's every word
and action to try to account for the ex.
element which led to the misdirection
OF his own rifle; but the excuse had
weighed not at all with the naughty
potentate, whose imperious will had
thus been frustrated.
And the sepoy, with that blind devo-
ton to his master which is the In
dams truest point, had willingly faced
death, disguised as a seaman, again to
make attempt to carry out the Princes
desire.
She realized with a shudder the aw-
full strength OF her royal lovers deep
rooted jealousy. She felt anew the
agony of emorse doublefold. ,
In vain Diana. with her larger faith
and greater endurance, tried to solace
her. She knew intuitively that Di. in
her noble abandonment OF self, would
have sacrificed her grief for the father
who was dead in order to teach the
comfort Of repentance at the foot of
the cross to the living husbands suf-
ferlng soul.
And now Don wa dying-dying!
and that supreme privilege would new
er be hers. She might never hold his
hand and say: "If we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness." She had told Don
she forgave him, yet she had hidden
him go and work out his own re-
p%entance and salvation, bereft Of
earthly comfort and companionship-
Don, whose nature she knew was so
weak to resist temptation or endure
hardship, who knew nothing Of the
strength Of self-reliance or the trust in
a redeemer.
All! what was her forgiveness
worth?
Colonel Gordon from Gadie arrived
at West Cowes on the second day fol-
lowing Roddy's message of Don's con-
dition. Though his son undoubtedly
held the first place in the old laird's
heart, his nephew Don had ever re-
ceived a large share of his affectionate
s~ollcitude. and he was profoundly
moved by the young officers illness.
Yet it was he who resolutely drew
Lille from the sick room. leaving
Roddy and Diana to watch with the
nurse through that time of dread crisis.
He saw the strength of the girl wife
was all but sapping beneath the aw-
full strain, both physical and mental:
and it was in those short, calm on
verses by the wide seashore at the
brave old soldiers side that Lille
learned the greatest of faiths secrets
He doeth all things we'll"
And it was then-then, when her
heavy-laden heart had found relief in
submission to that Higher Will thar
her own, the vital wave Of Don's life
having ebbed to it's furthest limit, be.
gan to flow back. The Doctors verdic'
went forth that It was possible Dor
might live.
Oh. the agony then of those night.
and days! those alternate hours whe1
life and death struggled for supremacy
and each hung In the balance!
Once more Lille lowered almost In
~cessantly by Don's pillow. living onl,
in that hope of the first look. the frs
word OF recognition. She hungered 70
1t with an eager intensity that had n,
thought OF self In 1t now.
She longed to pour out In his ear
the comfort OF that proof OF tn
Princes guilt and his own innocence
She told herself not even death coul,
appal her now IL but that brief com
munion OF souls might be theirs. 70
suffering had taught her even resigna
tons wondrous hope.
II shall go to him. but he shall no
return to me-"
.
The sun was setting over the green
sloping hills and glinted on the fleet
Of yachts and little boats in the har
Dor and on the castle at it's mouth
Away beyond the dividing River Medi
ma rose Norris castle. with it's fai
parks extending to the shore, and still
further were just visible the tw
square turrets of the little island HON
of the sovereign lady, Queen Victoria
1t was a fair, fair scene, and as LII
lie stood at Don's window looking GU
upon 1t, her heart swelled with min
gled patriotism and emotion. All
surely God, who was so merciful
would grant that Don, too, might ye
r0vel in the fairness she now locke,
on?
Then suddenly, as she turned, sh
saw Don's eyes were open. and he wa
gazing upon her with the rapture o
full consciousness which once befor
lit his face on board the great steam
er. She went to him and fell on he
knees beside his bed.
my darling" he said family, an,
his weak arms went out to her AM
gathered her nearer and drew her hea,
down to her breast. Where are we?'
he asked then, after a moment OF al
~r~ IA>A -~- 49, A.Hy