The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-04-02

l. Els voice rose shrilly; he was labor |
ing under an excitement that was very |
soothe h1nn at any cost, gently stroked !
back the hair from his forehead. and in |
! voice that trembled whispered:
| "F'elix--ny dear bay!''
A wonderful smile flashed out upon |
his face, those blue, blue eyes looked |
/ full into mine, and he said softly:
You dear little mother-lxiss me!'
The OLD woman and the girl had van |
! 1shed: We were alone in the cave.
{ l did not dare to rouse his excitement |
| again. and laid my lips against his |
forehead gently, very gently, but as
| did SO his arms went around my neck, |
and he pressed a long, lingering kiss
upon my face, over which the blood
swept in a torrent of crimson. while my
heart leapt and leapt till it almost
| checked me.
Then, after doing what I could for my
patients comfort, I sat down beside
him and stilled those tArobbing pulses
of mine as best I could, whilst
| watched the strong face which even
in the picture had impressed me more
| than I had cared to own.
He lay very still: and Thought he was
sleeping and in the semi-darkness and
silence. broken only by the heavy
breathing of the old woman and girl,
who had returned to lie across the door,
way, I myself began to feel drowsy,
| WHEEL q tOucIa On my mana reused me
into wakefulness, and I reused up to
find the sick mans eyes fixed on me in
perfect consciousness.
I had put back my veil, for the cave
was very hot and stuffy, and, though
dimly lighted. my face was quite Wis
ible to him.
II thought my mother was here" he
said family, "but you--are an Eng
lishwoman?" His tone grew puzzled.
where is my mother?"
"She is not here" fa1tered, my face
growing crimson again, land I am only
1.-The doctor who-who-is attending
you-You-.''
Then who," he exclaimed impetu-
ously' half raising himself, who was
it-that-I mean-my mother was
here was she not?"
"No-o," I whispered. "but-but-I
think you ought to lie still. You are
| better-you-.''
eyes which made me lower my own and
set my pulses dancing wildly.
eyes. I am better" he said, and a
little contented smile stole round his
mouth: Il am much better. Your
He said no more, but the hasty glance
cast at him showed me that his blue
eyes were still fixed on me, and that
the little happy smile still fingered on
, his lips!
The remedies I had brought with me,
, simple though they were, did him
marked good, and in the dim dawn of
day I was able to leave him with an
easy mind. 1 knew I must go back to
+ Ternabad, for there would be ter
rible hue-and-cry If were missed in
: the morning, but I promised that l
? would return to the cave that evening
if the old woman would again be my
guide.
; The sick man was very drowsy and
2 weak, and by no means out of danger,
and no longer aware of my identity;
r but when, after my mornings work and
| a refreshing sleep, I once more climbed
to the remote cave, found him lying
l with his face turned toward the en-
, trance, full consciousness in his glance.
| "Welcome, 0 Lady Doctor he said
as he took my hand. Then a mis-
: chievous twinkle shone In his blue
!, eyes az he said softly:
l II do not think you arc my mother
/ today, you see"
t blessed the veil that hid my scarlet
l countenance, and I flatter myself I
answered very calmly:
Il am. very proud to- think that I
s have found you, for your: mother. She
j{is# nal M !" d
I out more dadotI plunged Into the story
il:of our friendship , and Of her mourning
: for the SON she thought of as dead.
L
t thought I was done for, but the enemy
: carried me off, and when they found
I was alive they couldn't decide wheth-
5 er to kill me or get fat ransom for
, me-. Finally the old lady who fetched
you had me spirited away to this place
by her two sons. It seems she has
I some cause for gratitude toward the
English. ana was smitten with a wish
4 to do me a good turn. For the same
I reason she fetched you, and I fancy
J, with little persuasion we might, for
: the same reason again, induce her to
t let me get away, and wink at my de-
parture, WREN I am well enough"
Z Poor old woman! It appeared that
> once, long ago. an English lady had
= been kind - her and her children in a
time of ia, hne and sickness. and that
7 kindness h I'd never been forgotten. It
= bore fruit low, for there came day
! | when my ! atient was carried along
4 that goat rack on a quantity fash
< toned litter borne by the old womans
= sons, and he herself parted from us
D with 81 ,wer of blessings which
! ought to J. sure happiness for ever
more to FA TX and me.
! Yes-it b s come to be Felix and
l me-"
$ He asked me to be his wife, stand
> ing beside NE roughly hewn cross
I which beaS his name, and his eyes
| were shiny ! with a great happiness
I as he said lftly:
y "Sweethe TT, I owe my life to YOU
and now I am to owe my happiness to
you as well. My mother did wisely
y when she called me Felix; there never
= was a hapl Ter fellow!"
And I tt Ink he would say so STILL
while, as f # our dear mother, his and
, mine, she Ways her cup Of joy over
: flowed on the day when I laid her
= baby grandson in her arms and told
her he was second Felix.