Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

“GOOD-BY, BEST AND KINDEST OF SISTERS.” _33 Rose shaded with her hand the candle which was casting weird, flickering shadows upon the floor and looked toward the bed. ‘To her horror she discovered it was empty. It had not been disturbed that night. ‘‘Florence, Florence!’’ she cried, faint with the apprehen- sion of she knew not what. But there was no sound except the wind, which moaned dismally as it swept through the bare, skeleton-like trees outside the window. | Scarcely believing her eyes, she rubbed them and ap- proached the bed and felt of it. It was quite cold. She then lighted the lamp, and as it flared up she discoy- ered that there was a note on the mantel addressed to her- self. With bated breath, she tore it open and read: “9 P. M. “DEAREST ROosE:—Forgive me, but I can bear it no longer. This quiet life is slowly killing me; it gives meso much time to think! “Tam going away, but not to him, and it will be useless for you to attempt to follow me. If I were like you I might fight it out and seek consolation in religion, but I cannot put my mind to anything. ‘‘Good-by, best and kindest of sisters. Think of me and pray for me. FLORENCE. ”’ The letter fell from her nerveless fingers and fluttered to her feet, where it lay, face up. | | ‘‘Plorence,’’ she gasped, with colorless lips, ‘‘wkat can this mean? Am I awake or asleep? Gone away from me? Oh, it cannot, cannot be true! The strain has turned her poor brain or mine—where can she be? Who has taken her from me? I must follow her, bring her back at any cost. _ My poor little sister, my heart-broken darling! If she had CONMIE NOOLKS (C(O)