The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1905-03-17

she had fallen through a trapdoor lefe
carelessly open by the stage hand one
! night after the opera was over and a
been in the charity ward OF a hospital
where they had not seemed able TO
! cure her; how she could walk only a
little way without hurting.
When they reached the opera house
the first act was nearly over.
Wixton gathered up her slight form
and strobe up the wide stairway as II
his burden were a baby. At the door OF
the box he halted. 1t was slightly
ajar. Sold the other seats?" he Ques-
toned Of the usher.
"Only one to a lady," answered that
worthy and volunteered further the
whispered information that she was a
queer one-"came with a party In the
fourth box farther down and came out
Ill and went away. After a bit she
came back with a ticket for a seat In
this one"
When Wixton ushered his charge into
the box he found, to his surprise, that
the place was unlighted. The curtain
had Just closed on the first act, and the
solitary occupant was shrinking into
the farthest corner as though seeking
to avoid observation.
John reached out to press the electric
button and turned in the blaze Of light
to confront the woman who had re-
fused him the week before. His lips
frightened, and his face went white.
"Eunice! You here?"
The woman turned a lovely pale face
up to him e~ntreatngly without speak
ing. This unlocked for contretemps
had destroyed her poise, woman of the
world though she was, and left her as
excited and embarrassed as q school
girl. There were traces of tears about
the dark eyes, hollow from sleepless-
ness. Her soft white throat worked in
the stress Of emotion, and her bosom
rose and fell pantingly.
At last she found her voice. It was
low and tremulous, and at the thrilling
sweetness Of it the mans heavy heart
pounded like a mad thing behind his
immaculate shirt front.
"Jack," she whispered, If you don't
forgive me and love me I shall die. I
new dreamed till mamma made me
send you away how %dreadfully I cared,
and I never was engaged to Billy Laun-
ders at all. l couldn't be-not If the
whole family rose up to Stay me"
Fhe orchestra began the overture to
the next act. The wild, gypsy motif Of
the immortal opera rose and bathed
them in it's melting torrents Of love
made into music. The little cripple was
leaning over the edge Of the box wait
ing breathlessly for the curtain to rise
on the familiar scene she loved.
"Jack, darling-hear it! That music
has been killing me till you came! Do
you remember that night We
John reached out an audacious thumb
and pressed the button on the wall. AS
the box was enveloped in darkness he
crushed her close in his arms, unable to
say n word.
On their way home in the carriage,
when Eunice had been told the little
cripple's story, she laughed tenderly in
her new found joy, so nearly lost, and,
with one jeweled hand in Johns and
the other caressing the young girls
pale cheek, said with a confidence that
the future proved not unfounded:
II shall take care of her, her voice,
her future and her back. I know q
great doctor who can straighten out
this little ones tangles, even as she |
has been the means of unsnarling the
dreadful knot in my web Of fate"