The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-01-15


missed--dismisscd for cowardlce-''
| No one knew how It happened No
one claimed to have given the alarm
| When it was all over no one could tell
| who first saw the flames and smoke
| bursting from the stables. No one could
| that the coachman's little girl was asleep
/ In her crib In the rooms above but every
one saw Neal Borden's Wild dash through
the leaping flames and rolling smoke.
No one who heard them can ever forget
the piercing shrieks of the childs mother
as the horrible seconds went by and he
did not appear. Then other women
| screamed. and one tainted and fell Il
limp helpless heap, beside Jean MaeKen-
zie. who stood straight and still and
white, with strained eyes. watching the
Then camo a great black blur In the
midst or the stilirg smoke, and a body
shot through the lurid air and struck the
| ground
The child was unhurt. Bordens big silk
handkerchief. wet, was tied over her head
and the baby rolled In tho scorched cradle
| blanket
The man7 Hours afterwnrd ono of tho
under-surgcons reported to the waiting,
anxious women: Ankle broken-dreadful
fracture-and his hip and shoulder shat
tered: You see. he fell on side, hold
Ing the child away from the ground the
way he did. And his eyes-we-we fear
they're Sone"-choltngly-"the flames
you know Hes just one mass Of splints
and casts and bandages."
The dumb stricken silence that followed
was broken by long, shiyering sigh as
piteous as q sob.
Jean" whispered Mrs Mackenzie
shaking the Girls arm, Jean, don't look
so, Come with mo to my room. Dr. Ca
bot may be misunderstanding Jean be-
lore her In terror or tho strange, CLASSY
stare OF her eyes. He may have mis-
understood
mo, he speaks the truth"-in q hoarse.
changed voice. Neal Will die-and l.
Inlf
Two days later Jean reused herself from
the torpor in which she had remained since
tho fire; conscious OF an unusual stir
about the house. and that her grand
mother was standing by the window, sob
bing In unrestrained grief With quick
apprehension Jean sprang to her side
What is IT. grandmother. is Neal"
but the question died upon her lips as she
saw the long line OF carriages, the black
plumcd hearse and Mrs. Borden's Grape
robed figure. Her slender body swayed
and she would have fallen but for Mrs
Mackenzie's quick grasp upon her arm
No. no, II Is not Neal. 1t is Robert-I
could not tell you. IT was all so dreadful
| He was found dead after the fire He
has been subject to heart trouble for
years. but TO Neal alone did the physi-
clans reveal what they had recently dis
covered-that the boys life hung by SO
slender thread that he must bo guarded
with the utmost care and kept from all
| excitement. or course, no one could fore
see the fire, OF prcYent his being there
|
| and rest"
That was all What passed in Jean
MackenZie's mind-her Instant under
standing OF Neal Bordens tolerance of his
cousins insults, her self-a basement at the
| remembrance Of her injustice, her grief
and remorse. her realization that she had
loved him since their first meeting-no
one knew but the girl herself
She recalled the dying words of tho
brave old man. whose memory she 80
| revercd, with sorrowful comprehension of
| their truth There IS bravery other than
that called forth by war"
1t was two weeks later when she saw
| Neal He was. I'm truth, q mass OF splints
and casts and bandages How could such
| strength and vitality-such Astounding
| health go out so suddenly and leave so
| poor a wreck2
She crept softly into the darkened room
| pale heayy-eyed. shaking.
rs 1t you, littc Jean! That's right"
with brave attempt at cheerfulness
| come In and view the ruins l may re-
! mind You of patchwork just now, but
III be all right yet"
She sank ON her knees beside the bed
and he could feel the trembling of her
| slight body against his side
IL have brought you-something,
Neal"
nat is 1t, Jean?" gently feeling about
covcrlet with his one FREQ hand.
rlng-that you lost that day-I
It'll have worn 1t ever since"
And you don't want 1t any more?"
"I-oh. I want It oil the time" in n muf-
ned voice
But YOU said-you said" fcarfully.
Il don't care, what ! said, breaking
down utterly. II want the ring-but 1
don't want It unless-unless 1t can be
minc-and-and-"
"And me. too, Jean7" with anxious In
| Conference.
That's why-because of you-and be-
cause-becausc I love you"
He put out his unhurt hand, and It fell
upon the soft, yellow hair.
|
! Jean" brokenly, but you see, dearest,
I'm all smashed to bits. 1 may never be
able TO stand up TO be married.
| You can lie down then, and I'll sit be-
side you" decidedly.
And suppose 1 never sec agan? Though
the doctors sag noW- en-.
you'll only live-and-and love me-Tu
read everything to you-the market re-
ports, and--pg iron. and everything"
SobbiDE pitifully.
He stroked the soft hair caressingly
| Don't cry so. Jean; please don't. Jean"
as tho sobs continued Jean. is my faco
| cleang
She moved along q little on her knees
and examined his face carefully in the dim
light
why. yes Neal It seems to be-"
Nothing on my mouth? 1 had some
eggnog about
Another searching glance
81 can't see anything Neal, your face
| Is as clean a nice baby's. Did you
think" note OF resentful anxiety COM
Ing into her voice, that tho nurses neg
| lect-"
| mo, ] was just wondering if-if I am
presentabe enough toto be kissed few
| times
| OH she murmured and two slender
| arms were put gently about the bandaged
| head and q sweet, tremulous mouth was
| pressed TO his-a few times.
Copyright. 1906 by Mcclure, Phillips & Co,
Contracted Chronic Diarrhoea While