Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-09-13
[coNTINUEH1

course, and l watched eagerly while he |
passed a letter over to the doctor, who |
vainly strove to read it by the light of
the moon. Finding this impossible, he
was about to return it when the other |
struck q match and lit a lantern hang |
ing from the horn of his saddle. The
two heads came together again, but as
quickly separated, with every appear
ance of ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, and | was set
Ting back with sensations of great dis
appointment when sound fell on the
night so unexpected to all concerned
that with common impulse each eye
sought the sick tent.
"Waterl VIII some one give me wa
ter?" a voice had cried quietly, with
none of the delrium which had hither
to rendered it unnatural.
The doctor started for the tent.
There was the quickness of surprise In
his movement, and the gesture he made
to the magistrate as he passed in re-
awakened an expectation in my breas.
which made me doubly watchfu.
Providence was intervening in our
favor. and | was not surprised to see
him presently reissue with the nurse,
whom he drew into the shadow of the
trees, where they had short confer
ence. If she returned alone into the
tent after this conference | should
know that the matter was at an end
and that the doctor had decided to
maintain his authority against that of
the magistrate But she remained out
side, and the magistrate was invited to
join their council. When they again
left the shadow of the trees it was to
approach the tent.
The magistrate, who was in the rear,
could not have more than passed the
opening. but | thought him far enough
inside not to detect any movement on
my part. so took advantage of the sit
uation to worm myself out of my cor
ner and across the ledge TO where the
tent made n shadow in the moonlight
Crouchlng close and laying my ear
against the canvas, I listened.
The nurse was speaking in gently
persuasive tone. imagined her kneel-
ing by the head of the patient and
breathing words into his ear. These
were what heard:
"You love diamonds. I have often
noticed that, you look 50 long at the
ring on your hand. That is why
have let it stay there, though at times
have feared it would drop off and
roll away over the adobe down the
mountain side. Was l right"
I "Yes. yes" The words came with
difficulty, but they were clear enough
cts of small value. like it be
cause
: He appeared to be too weak to finish
A pause. during which she seemed tC
edge nearer to him.
Eve all have some pet keepsake,
said she. "But | should never have
supposed this stone of yours an mex
pensive one. But forget that you arr
the owner of a very large and remark
able diamond diamond that Is spok
en- of sometimes in the papers o
n course If you have n gem like that thi
= one must appear very small and value
e less to you"
y eyes. this is nothing, nothing" AM
he appeared to turn away his head.
"Mr. Fairbrother, Pardon me, but
| big diamond of yours You have bee
l i'll and have not been able to read you
letters, so do not know that your wifi
has had some trouble with that dis
9 mond. People have said that 1t Is nc
-, real stone, but we'll executed i'm
u tation. May | write to her that this
S. mistake-that it is all you have eve
m claimed for it-that is, an UNUSUAL
large diamond of the first water?"
l listened in amazement Surely tn
was an insidious way to get at II
truth. a woman's way. But who wou
say it was not wise one. the wise
perhaps which could he taken undo
the circumstances? What would h
| reply be? Would it show that he w;
as ignorant of his wife's death as WI
| generally believed both by those abo
him here and those who knew hi
we'll in New York? Or would the que
ton convey nothing further to hi
than the doubt-in itself an insult
y the genuineness of that great sto
. which had been his pride?
- A murmur-that was all it could
called-brOke from his fever dried Ii
y and died away in an inarticulate gas
Then suddenly, sharply, cry bro
\ from him, an ineligible cry, and '
heard him say:
N "No imitation, No imitation. 1t -
4 sun, A glory. No other like 1t!
y lit the air 1t blazed! 1t burned!
see it now. l see
There the passion succumbed,
VI strength failed. Another murmur, {
Z other, and the great void OF mis-
!. which stretched over-I might alm'
"a. say under-us was no more quiet
. seemingly impenetrable than the
: lence of that moon enveloped tent.
rite