Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-05-25

to spend an hour with one who still
admired her, still thought of her as
queen amongst beautiful women in
the very zenith OF power her beauty
had won for her. After one visit her
selfish reasons had been flung aside
and she became absorbed in the de-
light of helping one who, for the time
being, was weaker than herself; she
could not fail to understand how much
he listened for her step throughout
the long, mOnotonous day.
He had been torturing himself in
the past hours as to her feeling for
him. Could it be possible that she
loved him? Or was it only the strange
desire for self-sacrifice that infu-
enced so many women in the dis
posal of their lives that made her de-
vote herself to him day after day?
He hardly dared ask her. her pres
ence had become so much to him; he
dreaded to think of the dark, silent
days that must ensue if she withdrew
her friendship. Yet the Joy in the
thought of her as his wife! Beautiful,
proud Kathleen Carnarvon, who had
had his whole circle at her disdainful
feet.
With a sudden burst of passion he
bent over her, unable to control him
self She understood and did not
check the flow Of passionate words,
telling of his hopes, his love and fear;
but with a. little cry she put up her
arms and drew him down to her, let
ting all the sweetness of her curbed
Woman'S nature stream out towards
him.
Kathleen, my darling! You are
sure you will not look back and con-
slider it sacrifice?' he asked later on
when he had realized that she was
willing to marry him. He had with
difficulty forced himself to do what
ne thought right and had endeavored
to make Aer understand what the life
of a blind mans wife would be, but
through all the gray-hued picture he
drew his intense love for her shown
forth, and Kathleen was conquered.
She keenIy felt the emptiness of his
life in the present, and understood his
hungry desire for the time when she
should be his wife.
when shall it be, Kathleen?" he
asked, as she was preparing to leave
him
She flushed as she answered, nam
ing a date even sooner than he had
hoped; there were to be no half meas
ures in her life.
1t had never entered into Cedil Ur-
quhart's thought that the life of
sightless man could be happy, but,
as the days flew by, he grew more
and more content. Kathleen had given
herself completely to him, every mo-
ment of her time was at his service;
she seemed to have no desire to leave
him even for an hour.
One day Kathleen had been obliged
to leave him to his own devices the
whole afternoon She returned ex-
pecting to find him dispirited and mis-
cradle; instead he was walking up
and down the room.
"Kathleeni" he exclaimed, as she
entered, a new hope in his voice;
-'Farquhar has been here telling me
of a German oculist of marvellous
power; he is young man and daring,
and to Farquhar's certain knowledge
has cured a case like mine. Kathleen,
my darling, even the hope of seeing
again has brought me a new lease of
life" He could hardly contain him.
self, and would not rest content until
- ~ -. 10,
tor describing the apparent cause of
his blindness, the length of time he
had lived without his eyesight, and
what had already been done. She
wrote at his eager dictation, even
while she dared not bid him hope; in
her opinion they had already tried
every one of note. His intense eager
ness was a continual source of pain
to her.
Kathleen, what letters? Kathleen,
has the postman passed." were his
continual questions. In a few days
an answer arrived, bidding them come
at once to the little German spa.
Kathleen was restlessly eager, yet
miserable, in the weeks of doubt that
IOlIOWeU. All IuI0HS0 nope HllSQ neE
heart that her husband might see
again, but an inward fear tortured
her. How would he look upon that
terrible, disfiguring scar?
Was his love strong enough to
stand the test of knowledge. or had
he only been proud of possessing the
beautiful face that had helped to win
his fame?
1t was an early summers morning,
nearly two years after their marriage
day, and the bandages were to be
withdrawn Tin the doctors presence)
from Cecils eyes. More than once
Kathleen had tried to tell her secret,
but some trivial speech of Cecirs had
turned her purpose and she had
broken her resolution, moaning to her
self: Il cannot, cannot"
Now she stood silently waiting be-
he hod