Year: 1875

which brought another death-like swoon.


Her second awakening ng-which did not take
place for many hours; she never knew how
long-found her in a changed scene. She
| Law on a couch, in a neat but plainly furnished
room, where everything was unfamiliar to hel
ewes, and woman in dark dress and close
cap, was sewing near the fireplace Her head
| felt heavy and wet, and she tried to put uE
her hand to ascertain the cause, but found she
had not strength. AS she moved, the woman
put aside her work, and, rising from her seat
came quickly to her side.


"Youre to keep quite still" she said, in
slow, sepulchral tone, that contrasted with her
rapid movement, and fixing pair of large
black eyes on Alice, as she spoke. eff you
don't, I can't answer for the consequences"


Her concentrated, solemn gaze fascinated
Alice, and she gazed at her for some moments,
in return, without attempting to reply.


"Where am II" she asked feebly, at length


"In my house. I am Mrs. Broderick. You
were brought in here after the railroad col
lision, two days ago."


"The railroad collision!'' repeated Alice.
"Was there -"


"Yes. There was terrible accident, and
many lives were lost. You may well be thank,
full for your miraculous escape from death.
But I have strict orders not to allow you to
talk therefore, you must be silent, for the
present"


Alice was too weak and too bewildered to
dispute the injunction She, therefore, closed
her eyes again in silence. Mrs. Broderick re.
moved the damp cloth from her head and
b,+;t,,foI on1 ono1or then
bringing glass, with some mixture in it, put
it to her lips. -,


"You are to drink this" she said "it will
make you feel better"


Alice obediently swallowed the cordial
which seemed to have reviving effect; and
feeling her head presently clearer, she ventur-
ed to ask


Gam I very ILL"


"You soere in considerable danger at first, "
was the reply; "but there is every chance OF
your recovery now."


Alice was conscious of a dimly thankful
feeling, a pleasant sensation of escape from
some great though unrealizable peril; and
after time, soothed by the silence of the room,
and unable, as yet from weakness, to arrange
her thoughts in any definite form, she fell
asleep. She continued in this dreamy state
for one or two days, alternately doing, and
waking to speculate vaguely OH her prospects
and surroundings, without as yet taking much
interest in anything but her own personal
comfort, until at length returning reason as
serted itself, and brought her to clearer
comprehension of her situation. She now
learned that Mrs. Broderick was widow
lady, whose house was situated about half a
mile from the scene of the disaster which had
occurred that the said disaster had been
caused by the collision Of the train she had
been in with freight-train that was half an
hour behind its time, resulting in the destruc-
ton oftwo of the cars and the death and Sc
we're injury of large number of passengers
and that Mrs. Broderick and her brother
(the latter Alice had not yet seen) going
among others to succor the wounded, had ia
ken her under their care and had her removed
to their residence. A physician had attended
her while she was insensible, and given the
necessary directions for her treatment. He
lived long way off, and it was not probable
that he would call back to see her again.
All this Alice heard with gratitude, mixed
with vague uneasiness regarding her ina
bility to make any return for the attention
she had received, should such return be ex-
pected She supposed that nothing of hers
had been saved, and felt painful conscious
ness of her destitute situation. She was there
fore agreeably surprised when one morning
Mrs Broderick opened a drawer, and taking
out purse handed it to her, saying: "This
is yours; l found it in the pocket of your
dress, and put it here for sate-keeping until
you should need it again."


Alice thanked her ; and holding the purse
toward her, blushingly requested her to make
use Of its contents to defray, or at least assist
in defrayng, any expenses she had incurred
on her account.


Excuse me-" said Mrs. Broderick in her
usual sepulchral manner; "what has been
done for you was prompted solely by a wish
to be Of use, and render you what assistance
we could we do not desire any remuneration
for it."


On the same day Alice was able to sit up
and her chair being placed near the window,
size could obtain view of the surroundings
of the house she was in, and form some idea
of the nature of its locality. She found that
it was situated on hill, beyond which ex-
tended somewhat bleak and barren prospect
of bare plains and rugged fields, broken by
unsightly lines of crooked fences, and sprin-
killed. with few stunted trees; and she was
glad to turn again to the pleasanter scene af:
forded by the interior of her own room, which,
enlivened as it was by the sparkle of bright
fire, and kept by Mrs. Broderick's care in
perfect order, presented a cheerful if not a
luxurious aspect.


Her hostess was the only person she had
yet seen. There was no sign Of any domestic
about the premises, and an unusual silence
seemed to reign over everything. Alice never
heard the barking Of dog, or the Growing
of cock ; indeed the on ly sound she ever did
hear, besides her own voice, was the monoto.
nous and gloomy speech of Mrs. Broderick,
and the rustic of her dress as she moved about
the room. To one who had been so long sur
rounded by the enlivening sights and sounds
Of cheerful household, this unnatural still
ness was painfully oppressive and her natur.
ally vivacious disposition began to chafe un-
der its present restraint and to long for an
escape into a more congenial atmosphere
Moreover, grateful as she felt for the care
which had been bestowed upon her, there
was something in the manner and appearance
Of Mrs. Broderck which instinctively repelled
her, and created in her a feeling of mingled
dislike and distrust.


care you-aware," said her hostess to hel
one day, "that you have never yet given me
the pleasure Of knowing who it is that have
been enabled to render my poor assistance
to-"


81 beg your pardon" said Alice, faltering
and coloring deeply, as the idea suddenly oc
Cured to her that, if she wanted to escape
discovery from her relatives, it would be ne
! t.,t. har IL 6otitInAc n IL