The Washington times., 1905-10-29

do anything for you
There was such intensity of passion in
the girls prayer that her mother yield
ed, and when the servants came running
in. half-dressed, in answer to the bell
she stepped outside the door and said,
Captain Farnham has been badly hurt.
Two of you go for the nearest doctors.
You need not come in al present. My
daughter and / will take care OF him"
She went back. closing the door be-
hind her. Alice was smiling There, you
are a dear! l will love you forever for
that, 1t is only for a moment. The doc
tors will soon be here, and then 1 must
give him up"
'Oh, Alice" the poor lady whimpered.
why do you talk so wildly? What do
you mean?
Don't cry. mamma! It is only for a
moment. 1t is all evry simple. am not
crazy. He was my lover!"
Heaven help usr'
Yes. this dear man. this noble man
offered me his love. and 1 refused it.
now. / can love him now. I will be his
wIdow-if 1 was not his wife. We will
be two widows together-always- Now
you know I am doing nothing wrong or
wild He is mine.
Give me one of those towels" she ex-
claimed, suddenly. II can tie up his
head so that It will stop bleeding till the
doctors come"
She took the towels, tore strips from
her own dress, and in a few moments.
with singular skill and tenderness. she
had stopped the flow of blood from the
wound.
There, He looks almost as II he We're
asleep. does he not? Oh, my love. my
lover
Up to this moment she had rot shed
ole tear. Her voice was strained, chok-
ed, and sobbing, but her eyes were dry.
She kissed him On his brow and his
mouth. She bent over him and laid her
smooth cheek to his. She murmured:
"Bood-by. good-by, till I come 70 you.
my own love!'
All at once she raised her head with a
strange light IN her eyes Mamma
she cried, "see how warm his cheek is.
Heaven is merciful! perhaps he is alive"
She put both arms about him. and.
gently but powerfully lifted his dead
weight OF head and shoulders drew him
to her heart. She held him 20 her warm
bosom, rocking him to and fro. 'Oh,
my beIovedi" she murmured. "if you
will i've I will be so good to you"
She lowered him again, resting his
head on her lap. A drop of blood. from
the napkin in which was wrapped. had
touched the bosom of her dress, stain
ing Il as II n cherry had been crushed
there. She sat. gazing with an anguish
of hope upon his pale face. A shudder
ran through him, and he opened his eyes
only for a moment. He gToaned. and
slowly closed them
The tears could no longer be restrain
ed. They fell Ike a summer shower
from her eyes. while she sobbed. Thank
God. my darling is not dead
Her quick carr caught footsteps at the
outer door. Here. mamma, take my
place. Let me hide before all those men
come in"
In a moment she had leaped through /
the window. when she ran through the
dewy grass to her home.
An hour afterward her mother re-
turned. escorted by one of the surgeons.
She found Alice in bed. peacefully sleep
ing. As Mrs. Belding approached the
bedside. Alice woke and smiled Il
know without your telling me. mamma.
He will live. 1 began to pray for him
but / felt sure he would live, and so
1 gave thanks instead"
You are a strange girl" said Mrs.
Belding. gravelv. But you are right.
DR.. Cults says, IL he escapes without
feNer, tnere Is nOthing very serious In |
the wound itself The blow that made
that cash in his head was not the one !
which made him unconscious. They
found another. behind his ear: the skin |
was not broken There was a bump
about as big as a walnut. They said IL
was concussion of the brain, but no
fracture anywhere BY the way. DIR.
Cults complimented me very handsome
ly on the way / had managed the case
before his arrival. He said there was
positively n professional excellence about
my bandage. You may imagine l did /
not set him right" ]
Alice. laughing and blushing, said.
Il Will allow you all the credit"
Mrs. Belding kissed her. and said
Goodnight and walked to the door
There she paused moment. and came
back to the bed. Il think. after all.
had better say now what l thought of
keeping TIL tomorrow. / thank you
for your confidence tonight. and shall
respect IL. But you Will see I am sure.
the necessity of being verv circumspect,
under the circumstances. II you should
want to do anything for Arthur while he
is ILL., j should feel 1t my duty to forbid
IT."
Alice received this charge with frank.