AIKENSIDE



for a few moments, there rested on her face a
fearfully frightened look, such as a harmless bird
might wear when suddenly caught in a snare.
But that soon passed away as from beneath the
closed eyeli(ls the great tears came gushing, and
the stained lips whispered faintly: " God knows
best. Poor Gut !-break it gently to him."
  At this point in the story Guy broke down
entirely, sobbing as only strong men can sob.
    "Xa(ldly," he said, - I felt like a heartless
wretch-a   most   consummate   hypocrite-as,
standing by Lucy's side, I met the fond, pitying
glance of her blue eyes, and suffered her poor
little hand to part my hair as she tried to comfort
even though every word she uttered was short-
ening her life; tried to comfort me, the wretch
who was there so unwillingly, and who at this
prospect of release hardly knew at first whether
he was more sorry than pleased. You may well
start from me in horror, Maddy. I was just the
wretch I describe; but I overcame it, Maddy, and
Heaven is my witness that no thought of you
intruded itself upon me afterward as I stood by
my dying Lucy-gentle, patient, loving to the
last. I saw how good, how sweet she was, and
something of the old love, the boy love, came
back to me, as I held her in my arms, where she
wished to be. I would have saved her if I could;
and when I called her 'my darling Lucy,' they
were not idle words. I kissed her many times



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