The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-10-26

Go away" said the girl, drowsily;
II am all right now l thank
you.''
"Mademoiselle! he cried angrily.
Get up and open the door. or l will
burst it I'M" He reflected for. mo-
ment, and then added, "Think-the
whole house will know!"
He heard movement as of some
one slowly rising, and groans, My
head! my head" Then a heavy fall
to the floor.
At that, exerting all his strength, he
struck the lock with his foot, the door
flew open and thick, white smoke, as
from wood fire, curled out toward
him, sitting him.
From the clearness of some part of
the room he believed the fire had not
been long burning.
Quickly lifting the girl from beside
the bed, he bore her into his own
room, where, placing her on couch
near the open window, he douched her
head and throat with cold water. He
was on the point of running for help,
when her bosom fluttered, the lips
twitched, and the eyelids slowly
opened.
She gazed into his tender eyes for
a moment as if she did not recognize
him; then, turning, she burst into pas
sionate tears. AS her hands leaped to
cover her face he noticed a wedding
ring upon her finger. 1t had never
been there before.
When he had helped her into her
room, which was now cleared of smoke,
| he said, little brusquely: "Mademoi-
selle, you will promise to do nothing
rash again?"
Il will promise you, yes" she said,
almost humbly, her eyes dropping be-
fore his.
Whatever may be troubling you,' .
he went on, you can always depend
on me to help you"
/ AS they sat at tea, he tried by cheer
full talk to bring her mind away from
brooding, and after the meal she was
betrayed into some brightness on see
ing him wash up the tea-things, and
wished, against his laughing protesta-
tions, to do it for him.
| Suddenly, in the midst of their al
most gay talk, she became silent, the
face clouded, and shining drops started
from her eyes.
| II never dreamed you were so kind"
she said, looking at him, the tears
falling down her face. II always
thought you were so stern and cold.
l called you in my mind the man with
the hard eyes,
20, but you mustn't trust to ap-
pearances" he replied, cheerfully.
1--WE often thought you were in trouble
-and-and hadn't many friends, per-
haps."
II have no friends since my poor
father died, year ago." she said,
sadly, when she had wiped her eyes
and could speak quietly. "He had a
concession which he thought some
rich men here would pay him for,
but they took it and gave him worth
less papers. When he died, disap-
pointed, tried to keep myself. All
our friends seemed to have hidden
themselves. have suffered many
things, but l cannot starve. 1t is sc
base. Oh, monsieur, know you de-
spise me for being a coward today
but
Don't say that replied Stephen.
"None of us know how weak we may
be when the time comes. But now
listen! You must begin again. You
must let me lend you some money tc
go on with, and we must look abou,
and see what work you can get. Will
you do that?"
She shook her head, putting his offel
from her with a quick forward ges.
ture of her hands, which seemed to him
both pretty and pitiable.
co." she said with trembling voice
II almost wish you had not-not founc
me to-day!" Then, with sudde1
quickness in look and tone, she said
How, monsieur, did you come to sus
pect SO soon what l was doing?
thought you had gone out"
Never mind that now" he saic
brusquely. "You must take my offer
1t will only be loan which you cal
repay when you have work"
Thank you, monsieur" she replied
in cold tones II will take the money
as loan."
He passed some gold to her acros.
the table and her face went proud ant
pallid as she murmured thanks. Then
hot at the thought of what might b,
in her mind. he tore leaf from hi
note book, made out an 81. o. u" ant
handed it to her. with his pen.
She signed the paper in silence. Tt
him the fimsy page seemed a wall O
ice between them that, for his part
he swore to himself he would never
break down.
Next evening she came to tell hin
Of the efforts she had made that da,
to obtain work. Her manner was some
what distant, with, at the end o
their talk, checked flash Of warmth
He noticed there was now no rim.
upon her finger, and wondered wha
was her story.
Three weeks passed. He could no
but confess the quiet perseverance,