Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-05-01
from the hall. Mamie, have you

from the hall. mamie, have you
brought him?"
"It's lw he cried as he plunged
through the doorway. "It's vanrevelv'
Mrs. Tanberry set the iron candle
;.ick down upon the table with crash.
you've come too late!' she sobbed.
Another man has taken your death on
himself"
He reeled back against the wall.
20 Godr he said. "Craileyw
"Yes," she answered. ITS the poor
vagabond that you loved so WELL"
Together they ran through the hall
to the library. Crailey was lying on
the long sofa, his eyes closed, bis head
like piece Of carven marble, the gay
uniform In which he had tricked him
self out so gallantly open at the throat
and his white linen stained with few
little splotches Of red.
Beside him knelt Miss Betty, holding
her lace handkerchief upon his breast.
She was as white as he and as mo-
tionless, so that as she knelt there,
lmmovable. beside him, her arm, like
alabaster, across his breast they might
have been a sculptor's group. The
handkerchief was stained little, like
the linen, and, like 1t, too, stained but
a little. Near by on the floor stood q
flask of brandy and q pitcher Of wa
ter.
Your Miss Betty's face showed no
change nor even faint surprise as her
eyes fell upon Tom Vanrevel, but her
lips soundlessly framed the word,
Your
Tom flung himself ON his knees be.
side her.
"Craileyw he cried in sharp voice
that had q terrible shake in it. "Crai-
ley! Crailey, / want you to hear me!'
He took one Of the limp hands in his
and began to chafe it, while Mrs. Tan.
berry grasped the other.
There's still a movement in the
pulse" she faltered.
"Stillw echoed Tom roughly. you're
mad! You made me think Crailey was
dead! Do you think Crailey Gray Is
going to die? He couldn't, l tell you
he couldn't. You don't know him!
Who's gone for the dOctor?" He dash
ed some brandy upon his handkerchief
and set 1t to the white lips.
Mamie. She was here in the room
with me when it happened"
Happened! Happened!" he mock
ed her furiously. Happened is a
beautiful word!"
God forgive me~ sobbed Mrs. Tan
berry. 81 was sitting in the library,
and Mamie had just come from you,
when we heard Mr.. Carewe shour from
the cupola room, Stand away from
my daughter. Vanrevel, and take this
like dog Only that, and Mamie and
ran to the window, and we saw
through the dusk n man In uniform
leap back from Miss Bctty-they were
In the little open space near the hedge.
He called out something and waved his
hand, but the shot came at the same
time, and he fell. Even then l was
sure, In spite Of what Mamie had said,
I was as sure US Robert Carewe was,
that it was you. He came and took
one look-and saw--and then Nelson
brought the horses and made him
mount and go. Mamie ran for the doc
tor, and Betty and carried Crailey in.
It was hard work"
Miss Betty's hand had fallen from
Crailey's breast where Toms took Its
place. She rose unstcadily to her feet
and pushed back the hair from her
forehead, shivering cOnvulsively as she
looked down ut the motionless figure
on the sofa.
"Crailey" said Tom, in the same
angry, shaking voice. "Crailey, you've
got to rouse yourself! This won't do;
you've got to be man! Crailey" He
was trying to force the brandy through
the tightly clinched teeth. "Crailey!