The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-07-16

| yesterday ana mas been getting worse
ever since. The doctors don't expect
him to live till morning"
Stephen, her acknowledging! IN
the bursting anguish of that moment
her own soul was an open book before
her The love she had buried rose
| from the deeps of her being in an avn
full accusing resurrection.
Out of her stupor and pain purpose
formed itself clearly She must go to
Stephen, she must beg and win his for
giveness before it was too late. She
dared not go down to John and ask
him to take her to her husband. He
might refuse. The Phillipses had been
known to do as hard things as that.
At best there would be a storm of pro-
test and disapproval on her brothers
and sisters part, and Emily felt that
she could mot encounter that In her
present mood 1t would drive her mad.
She lighted a lamp and dressed her
self noiselessly, but with feverish
haste. Then she listened. The house
was very STILL Amelia and John had
gone to bed She wrapped herself in
heavy wooden shawl hanging in the
hall and crept downstairs With
numbed fingers she fumbled at the
key Of the hall door, turned it and
slipped out into the night.
In after years that frenzied walk
through the storm and blackness seem
ed an unbroken nightmare to Emily
Fairs recollection. Often she fell
Once as she did so Jagged, dead limb
of fir struck her forehead and cut in it
cash that marked her for life. AS
she struggled to her feet and found
her way again, the blood trickled down
over her face.
ooh, God, don't let him die before /
get to him-don't -don't she
prayed desperately, with more of de-
fance than of entreaty in her voice:
then, realizing this, she cried out in
horror. Surely some fearsome punish
ment would come on her for such wick
edness-she would find her husband
lying dead
When Emily opened the kitchen door
of the Fair homestead, Almira Sent
ner cried out in her alarm. Who or
what was this creature, with the white
face and the wild eyes, with torn and
dripping garments and disheveled,
wind-writhen hair, and the big drops
Of blood trickling from her brow, The
next moment she recognized Emily,
and her face hardened. She had al
ways hated Emil Fair.
What do you want here?" she asked
harshly.
Where is my husband?" said En-
lily.
''You can't see him." said Mrs. Sent
ner, defantly. 1.-THE doctors won't al
low anyone in the room, but those he's
used to. Strangers excite him.
The insolence and the cruelty of her
speech fell on unheeding ears. Emily
understanding only that her husband
yet lived, turned to the hall door.
Stand back" she said, in a voice
that was little more than thrilling
whisper, hut which yet had in it some
thing that cowed Almira Sentner's
malice. Sullenly she stood aside, and
Emily went unhindered up the stairs
to the room where the sick man lay.
Emily pushed them aside and fell on
her knees by the bed. One of the doc
tors made a hasty motion as if to draw
her back, but the other checked him.
st doesn't matter now" he said, sig
nificantly.
Stephen Fair turned his languid, un-
shorn head on the pillow. His dull,
fevered eyes met Emily's. He had not
recognized anyone all day, but he knew
his wife. Emily" he whispered.
Emily drew his head close to her
face and kissed him passionately.
Stephen, I've come back to you.
Forgive me-forgive me-say that you
forgive me-
It's all right, my girl" he said fee
bly,.
She buried her face in the pillow be-
side his with sob.
In the wan, gray light of the autumn
dawn the old doctor came to the bed
side and lifted Emily to her feet. She
had not stirred the whole night. Now
she raised her white face with dumb
pleading in her eyes. The doctor
glanced at the sleeping man on the
bed.
Your husband will live, Mrs Fair"
he said, gently. Il think your COM
ing saved him. His joy turned the
ebbing tide in favor of life"
Thank God!" said Emily Fair
Springfield Republican.