The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-07

not to Id you all. There were complica-
tions--yous are suffering from DIS.
ease for which at present no cure nus
been found, but 1t is my life- work 70
discover the remedy"
DR.. Collingwood could scarcely bring
herself to utter the dread word.
I,oh N. GIdrsd, hoy can dr bsar III ~
broke off suddenly. "Wliat vii he do2
Have you written to hin, Cousin Mill
dred? ii;
dear Alison. fThink Of Tie anxious
weeks have spent. Gerald will know
soon enoughN-she covered her face as
Am 1alt,red? AMI ugly BLOCKING?
Let me have a glass and see myself
Alison struggled UP fl bed holding out
her hand nppeallnEly.
81 DIR. Collingwood forced the girl gent
~ but firmly back upon the pillows
vet all the time eeping her face avert
My poor. poor child. believe me, I
do It for the best. You must not SEQ
not to ask me. Nurse Withers. you up
hold me In this?''
Indeed, yes, doctor. The poor. dear
What has h-happened? Am I dis.
figured? Am repusive?'
Alison felt Us II her heart would
s'Se 0sa Dr. linz Wefs head 0 was
orally SO cold and taclturn. seemed
overwhelmed with grief.
Alison, will be your friend, will
stand between you and the cold world
her cousin faltered, shaken out OF her
usual reserve.
What did it mean? Something ter
rible and horrible had happened to her
She realized that there was n looking
glass in the ro7.-l, not even hand mir
ror; she noticed the averted looks Of
her companions In some dreadful way
her serious illness had deprived her Of
her beauty--slle was u creature to he
stunned henceforth. And Gerald
With low moan Alison tainted
1t was several days before Alison re-.
covered from the awful shock and was
strong enough to he taken into the
garden. where no one ever came near
It is best so. my poor Alison" che
ctor.. said. and though she did not
wish the girl to be made the subject
of remark and curiosity.
Alison had pleaded again to be al
lowed to see herself. wanting to know
the worst. dreadful as mat worst must
be. But this was never permitted "By-
and-bye. when shN was stronger" was
the most that would be promised.
Every mirror in the house had been
removed, and as Alison's cousin or HE
nurse was always with her Cone slept
IN room opening out OF hers) she
could circumvent them.
II could only be her face which was
so horribly dlsfigured, her body and
hands y ere as white and clear as ever,
and even her free felt smooth to The
touch; but she knew tina from some
strange and dreadful else Il was hid
eous to behold.
And what of Gerald? He had so nd
mired her beauty. he must never, never
see her like this. Let him remember
her as she was. as she would never be
again. She said something of this tc
DR.. Collingwood.
My dear Alison. how grieved L am
| for you! Perhaps ii Gerald suspected
the truth he would feel Obliged
through pity, to keep your engagement
or. at any rate. would WISH to get his
dismissal from your lips. And tina
would be too heartbreaking for you
both. Can ]. ask my little cousin to
stoop to subterfuge? Let Gerald think
1t Is because you have ceased to love
him
"oh. no: not that" Alison cried,
sharply.
TT is for Gerald's sake" said Dr..
ICollingwood.
Alison cried softly. "Yes. I will do
H." She seized her Cousins hand and
would have kissed it, but 1t was drawn
quickly away.
Dear Alison, not that"
| !, II ffn. =
oh. M-Mildred. how g-good you are
to come n-near me! You Will not for
sake lne?"
Never. dear child"
Ills there n-nothing that c-can be
done?"
Nothing more than I am doing for
you; but to satisfy you will get --
Onentioning a famous London doctor)
ito come down. 1t will cost great
deal, but what is money where your
health and happiness are concerned
my poor darling?"
So one day DR.. Collngwood drove tc
Torcombe (the nearest railway sta
ton, about five miles away. and
brought the great man back with her
His verdict. alas, left no room for
doubt. The letter to Gerald was writ
ten and sent-only q few short lines
to say Alison had made q mistake
she was sorry-would{ lie release hel
from her engagement?
Alison shed many tears over her let
ter, ana moro when his reply, withou
La word of reproach, came. He accepted
his dismissal. as how could he do other
wise?
Alison knew she had said farewell
to.love and joy. and all that made III
sweet: she longed for death to enc
Iher misery, Sometimes she had parox
ysrns Of suffering. generally after sh
Ehad taken the medicines her cousil
mixed for her. and occasionally tn
4 doctor would inject norphia. Alsol
scarcely knew how the days went
y she never saw newspaper, nor CORE
!, sponded with any OF tho few peopl
!. she had met. Nobody called at tn
4 house, and they might have been hun
q dreds OF miles from civilization for a.
1.-The intercourse they had with til
world,
!. ono spring-llke morning Also
walked in the part Of the garden re
! served especially for her. The doe' doc
i tor had driven into the village. an
Nurse Withers had gone into the nous
Il to fetch a book ,
%coao Ais on slE CaupE