Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-03-23

Sir Heron has moved away, but at
the cry he turns swiftly and as May
staggers backward he catches her in
his arms.
"Oh, May! oh, Sir Heron, Has it
struck her? Oh what shall we do?-
she has fainted'
Hush There is some water on
that table"
Carrie flies to get it, but her shaking
hand is incapable of pouring it out, and
/ Sir Heron, holding the motionless and
imp figure with one arm, fills the
glass with his disSngaged hand.
Don't be frightened" he says, but
his voice sounds hoarse and forced.
GIVE me the glass. Now go and
ask my mother-only my mother-to
come here. You know the way?"
But Carrie does not wait to hear the
/ question, and flies out by the wrong
door
Sir Heron tries to pour some of the
water through the pale lips but in
vain. White and deathlike she lies in
his arms, as if life had left her for
ever. With face that Is almost as
white, he bends over her, his eyes fixed
on her with remorse and sorrow.
/ His careless hand has brought about
/ this mishap. Wild, passionate tender
ness and pity sweep over him; with a
/ shudder, he raises the arm that hangs
] imp by his side, and as he sees the
i blood-red mark which stands out ac-
cusingly on it's soft Wilderness, 1t Is as
/ ii hand had seized his heart and
Wrung it.
With a low, broken cry, he pressed
Ter to him and kisses passionately
/ the white lips that a minute ago were
so rich red-kisses not only her lips,
but her closed eyes, and the hair that
/ shines red-gold upon his breast.
AS If his kisses possess some mystic
power to call her back to life, she
draws a long, laboring sigh, and, with
a shudder of paine, shrinks closer
against his heart.
AS he feels her nesting of her own
will, as it were, against him, the blood
rushes to his face, his heart leaps
within him.
my darling!" he murmurs, ooh. my
darling-my darling!"
And 1t is this word-this passionate
cry which assails Mays ear as she
comes back reluctantly to life.
Slowly the beautiful eyes open and
look up vacantly, then presently she
recognizes the pale, handsome face
above her, and in place Of vacancy
comes a look of startled questioning,
followed by a swift, hot blush of maid
emily shame.
"What-what has happened?" she
breathes
"Hush-hush!" he says. do you
move!"
With a sigh she attempts to raise
her hand to her brow, but let's it fall
with cry of pain; then pale again,
gently draws away from him.
ut fell on me, did it not?" she says,
with little woe-begone smile. That
comes Of disturbing old institutional"
And still gently she puts his arm
from her and sinks on a chair.
Sir Heron stands over her, his heart
beating fast, his eyes drinking in,
with a strange mixture of pain and
delight, the beautiful face over which
sweeps the soft red and white; he
cannot trust himself to speak.
Eyes, remember saw it falling,
and yet could not move. | was fasci-
mated, think. Is my arm broken?"
He goes on his knees and gently
raises the white arm with its ugly red
mark.
NO" she says, with a smile that
costs her an effort, sit isn't broken. 1t
would hurt me great deal more if it
were"
please do not look so concerned
II Is mere scratch | ought to be
ashamed Of myself for fainting.
suppose | did faint? have never
done so before that can remember.
Where is Carrie? Did it fall on her?"
mo" he says, still hoarsely; 1T fell
on none of us but you" with passionate
angcr-"it was my fault did that"
and he points to the blood that is trick.
ling down her arm.
"That-that is nonsense" she says,
with a smile.
YES, did IT," he says. 81, who
would have given my life to spare you
moments paint"
Indeed, 1t was not your fault, or
any one else's," she says. Yes. the
bracket gave way, and-and it does
not matter; there is no harm done be-
yond scratch and a hruise. Please
please do not look so distressed,
am all right. Why should you be so
distressed"
why? Because | would give
dozen lives, if had them, to guard
you from mere scratch, as you call
it, Because | love YOU"
Sir Heron!"
YES" he says, Il understand
know that have no right to say so;
know that you are pledged to an
other"