The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-01-06

pereQ. IL Is geLLlng dafk-yOu are not
used to the streets at night-you"
Margaret gently disengaged the
clinging hands. 1T is only o'clock"
she said. II must go. I am not afraid"
But she trembled little as she closed
the door behind her and stole quietly
to the stairway.
But suddenly she started and shrank
into the shadow of the wall. Two
figures were ascending the steps, but
as the light from an open doorway
fell upon the foremost Margaret utter
ed cry of relief.
"Mr. Norwood; Oh, how you fright
ened mel"
The young man took no notice of her
exclamation.
Miss Acknowledgment have
you thought of e?"-he asked quickly.
Il was insane when I wrote that letter
You should never have come here.
Can you ever forgive me?'
Forgive you? | can never thank
you sufficiently. It has been such a
strange experience, and, oh, so sad!
But am forgetting. Quick, Mr.. Nor
wood, go for priest! Mrs Gregson
has consented to see one. Hurry, or
you may be too late!"
But Mr.. Norwood fingered moment
longer.
This is my old nurse, Mrs O'Mara,"
he said, bringing forward his COM
panion. "She has just reached the
city, and instantly agreed to relieve
YOU for the remainder of the night
You must not stay here any longer;
your father would never permit it,"
Then, obeying the appeal in Margaret's
eyes, he hurried away.
When Margaret, accompanied by the
old lady, returned to her charge, she
saw that a great change had taken
place. The unnatural strength which
had sustained her throughout the
afternoon had departed, and she was
lying in apparent Inconsistencies.
She is going FAST" Mrs. O'Mara
said, taking the limp hand in her own.
eff the priest will only get here in
time!"
In reality fifteen minutes, it seemed
an hour to the two watchers kneeling
at the bedside before the door again
opened, and Mr.. Norwood, accomp-
anied by an aged priest, entered At
that moment, as if by an invisible
touch from the hand of her guardian
angel, consciousness returned to the
patient, and with look of utter joy
and peace she motioned for all save
the priest to leave the room When
they returned absolution had been
given, and the Heavenly Visitant was
about to descend upon the poor peni-
tent heart.
Ten minutes later the soul had de-
parted. At the last moment the dying
woman had cast upon Margaret a
glance of loving gratitude, and with
the words, Its going to be a-happy
Christmas-for me-" had closed her
eyes, to open them, let us believe, in
heaven. q
Norwood turned to the figure still
kneeling at the bedside.
Mrs. O'Mara will remain here until
morning." he said "She will attend
to everything, so you will come with
me now"
Margaret arose and STOPPING, pressed
her lips to the forehead of the dead
woman; then she took the young mans
arm, and together they left the place.
Almost in silence they walked
through the snow-mantled streets
Margaret intent upon the lessons the
afternoon experience had taught her,
Norwood with his thoughts fixed upon
the young girl beside him. Mingled
with the admiration and love he had
felt for her since their first meeting,
six months before, had risen sort of
reverence, as though the halo sur
rounding the deathbed scene had
crowned her with portion of it's own
heavenly radiance. The young man
remembered the words she had spok-
en-: Il would like to give to my Saw
Jour a pledge of my love that has been
purchased with the coin of self-denial."
| Surely this was such gift, and sure
| ly, too, the Yuletide would shed upon
her it's choicest blessings in return.
| As il in answer to his thought, the
shrill, cherry notes of a horn, Justify
blown by some lad eager to hasten the
morrow, sounded on the air, breaking
the spell of silence that had held
them.
"a happy Christmas" Margaret
said softly, the echo of the dead wom-
ans last words ringing yet in her ear.
But Norwood paused abruptly MAR
garrett he said, "it can be happy
Christmas for me only if you give me
the priceless gift that alone can make
me happy-yourself. Don't you under
stand? Is there any hope for me,
dear?"
Margaret did not speak for a nom
ent, then she turned upon him eyes
in which glowed the pure radiance of
young girls first love.
BE happy" she whispered shyly.-