The Human Vampire; Or, The Elixir of Life — page 26: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE LOG 26 CABIN LIBRARY. Voli No. a1. **Yes, you oan, my brave Lillian. You, the daughter of an old Southern soldier, would not counsel me to leaye this’ blot upon your name and mine?” She bowed her head in silence, Her name was an old ond honored name. She was the daughter of a race of soldiers. Family traditions are strong in their influence over such women as Lillian. Family honor deurer to them than life. “Say nothing, dearest," Sidney whispered. ‘All is uncer- tainty now. Wait till we know more.” The rest of the evening was spent by the lovers in tender con- fidences too sacred for any heart save their own. When the hour of parting drew near, Lillian wept, but Sidney comforted her. With new-born strength he whispered of hope— hope which he did not feel. The greater his own durk despon- deney the more he strove to cheer her. They parted at length with a long clinging kiss in which there was bliss nuspeakable in spite of all that might happen ere they met again. Lillian knew Sidney was firm in his resolve. Ho might be go- ing to his death, but still her love for him overcame her anxiety for the future. ‘“«My own noble Sidney,” she whispered. self and me.” Before he slepé, Sidney had work todo. He wrote his will, leaving all he possessed in case of his death to Lillian. "He called in two of Mrs. Vanderclift'’s servants to witness the signature and in their presence sealed up the document find addressed it to their master, who was absent on a yachting tour. “*Good-night, Rodgers,” he said to the old butler, who was slightly mystified by these proceedings. ‘*Thisis only a busi- ness matter between Mr. Vandercliff and myself. I am going aivay by the first train to-morrow, and I did not wish to trouble tho ladies about it, bub I wished to attend to it in case Mr. Van- dercliff should return before I did, for otherwise he might think me negligent. You will please take care of this for your mas- ter, Rodgers, and this is for yourself.*” He handed the butler a handsome gratuity, and paid the same compliment to the other mau. ‘““Now, good-night,” he said, and retiring, endeavored to snatch a few hours’ sleep. Before Mrs. Vandercliff or any of her guests were up he was gone. A last hasty note to Lillian informed her that his resolution was unshalken. “IT go, my darling,” he said, ‘‘and if we never meet again, always remember I have loved you all my life.” Lillian had hard work to retain her composure. She had to act a part, for Sidney did not wish ony one to know that his hasty journey was other than an unimportant business trip. So she had to endure Louise’s tiresome questions, her silly sur- mises and frivolous conjectures. It was very trying, but she stood it as long as possible. Then pleading a headache, she retired to her own room. *< Be true to your- CHAPTER XXIL DELIA O'BRIEN IN A NEW SITUATION, Doty firmly intended to inform the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children of the twins whom he had been forced to lenve to the tender mercies of old Jubez nnd Madge Warren, but his design was not carried ont, for this reason. As he was crossing State street, near Madison, he was knocked down by a runaway horse and narrowly escaped being crushed by the cable car. By seven o'clock in the evening on the day of his abrupt de- parture from the cottage, he was lying in a cot in the accident ward of the County Hospital. ‘« What’s the matter with me?” he asked the nurse. medical student, he recognized his surroundings. ‘* You were injured in the street to-day, and brought here in a@l unconscious condition. Your lefb leg is broken, and you must keep quiet.” He put his hand to his head which ached, and found it was bandaged. “Wns my head hurt too?” ‘Yes, but it is nothing to worry over. quiet.” To aattlo all attompts at conversation the nurse walked away, and Doty was left in the uncertain light to gaze aronnd at the big room full of small beds, each one of which held a sufferer like himself. He felt dazed and ill, but he soon fell asleep. One of his last waking thoughts was, ‘I’m glad I warned Delia. She will be on the watch.” A few days after, when his head felt clearar and he was hetter Being a Now you must keep acquainted with his nursc, he told her about the children, aud expressed great anxiety on their acconnt. ‘The nurse promised she would attend to the matter, without fail, ‘Then she promptly forgot all about it; in fuct her atten- tion wandered while Doty talked, for she set the whole business down to his injured head. : “Strange what wild ideas they take into their heads,”' she said to herself, and thereupon dismissed the subject from her busy brain. When Doty next alluded to the twins, she assured him that everything was ‘‘all right,” and being at the best of times pain- fully shy, he never ventured to mention them again. In the meantime Delia O'Brien had devoted a week to shop- ping and sewing before she considered her wardrobe in proper condition to do her justice in the home of a millionaire. ‘Then she presented herself, and was af once engaged on the recom- mendation of Mrs. Styles. Miss James received her, and gave instructions in 1 manner which proved to the quick-witted girl that no exhibitions of temper, or other erratic proceedings, would be tolerated for a moment. “Tt’s moighty different here from the old doctor’s cottage,” said Delia, as she descended to the servants’ hall at luncheon time. ‘‘But I like it betther; it is more loike the ould country.” Delia was a smart girl, and, when she could not have too much of her own way, 2 good servant. She soon became familiar with her work, and felt quite con- tented. It was a noble mansion, and everything in the housekeeping line was conducted on a scale of luxury and magnificence never found in greater perfection than in the home of q self-made American millionaire. “Shure, where is the lady of the house?” asked Delin, when she had been in the employ of Mrs. Decker for about three weeks. ‘Mrs. Decker is ill,” said the housekeeper. “Ts it her the woman wid the white cap waits on?” “There are two ladies with white nurses’ caps. attend Mrs. Decker.” «« Well, now, an’ what moight be the matter wid her?” ‘*She is ill with a spinal trouble.” «< Oh, that’s bad enough.” ‘Yes, unfortunately, it is very serious.” “Well, well,” said Delia, looking all about her, for she was engaged under the housekeeper’s superintendence in dusting the statuary and bric-a-brac in the long reception-rooms, which were separated by long gold-embroidered portiares. ‘* Well, well, it is an iligant thing to be the lady over all this; but phate the good of it all whin ye don’t get yer health?” “You are right, Delia; health is the grewlesb blessing of all.” ‘«That’s what Father Rafferty used to be tellin’ us in the ould country. Health and pace of conscience, says his riverence, goes afore all else on earth.” “‘ Poor Mrs. Decker has known terrible trouble.” «Well, thin, I’m sorry for her.” Delia had nothing to do with the sick lady, and, to tell the truth, did not bestow much thought upon her. She recciyed good wages and had considerable time to herself. She was a happy, lively girl, and had completely forgotten the cottage, tle fivins, and her promise to the cannibal. One day she was called upon to dust and sot in order @ room she had never set foot in before. ‘© This is Mr. Decker’s private room,”’ said Miss James, ‘‘ and he is expected home; so wo must include it in our daily sweep- ing and dusting.” Tt was a spacious room, with windows that opened on the lawn. It was beautifully fitted up as a library, The wealth of handsome books on the shelves impressed Delia, who always associated learning and study with the clergy, for whom she had a good old-world reverence. Tho old oak waihscoting and deep purple plnsh hangings, and the rich stained-glass windows, also impressed her. Hvery- thing in the room was deep-tinted and somber, with here and there a gleam of gold to lighten the effect of so much ruby and rnsset tone. Over the old onk mantel, which was black and shining as ebony, there hung a picture. It was sunk into the chimney and outlined with 2 bead of gold. Over it hung a dusky cur- tain suspended from an ebony rod by golden rings. «Shure Mr. Decker must be a very holy man!” said Delia, Miss James was busy re-arranging some books which had been displaced. “Very holy, Delia!” The tone of surprise nettled Delia. «Well, if I wint to slape in this room I’d drame I wara They both comicbooks.com