SHORT STORY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2363, 8 June 1899, Page 49

SHORT STORY.

BACK TO LIGHT AND LOVE.

I. The silent .stars looked down through a clear, still night upon a host of sleeping men. The brigade had advanced by forced marches, and now lay within two miles of the dervi&h camp. To-morrow's dawn would see the assault. Two officeis stood together, talking in low whispers, for it was of the utmost importance that the enemy should be taken by surprise, and the orders us to silence were strict.

" Buck up, old chap ; you'll come through all right. And if nob, what does it amount to? You've got no women-folk to bother about."

" No, thank heaven ! It is in tinres like this that one is glad never to have married — like poor old Harcourt."

" Why poor? " " I was thinking of his wife. I shouldn't care to be tied to an ugly woman myself."

"That's all rot, Hamilton," retorted the other. " I don't believe it matters a row of pins, so long, of course, as she isn't repulsive or underbred,"

"Think so?" " Yes. The most unlikely women sojna* times attract most."

" Well, old chap, I'm precious thankful I've no thoughts of woman to bother vie tc night. I shall try for a lead to-morrow, even if I have got the route; we've a good chance of being first into the zareba."

"We will give you a race for, it, anyhow. But we'd better try and get a sleep, for this awful heat takes it out of a fellow."

The two went to their separate posts. And as he lay, sleepless, the thought came to Hamilton that it was somewhat lonesome to think that no woman's eyes would fill at the news of his death ; and he looked upward at the stars above him, wondering . where his soul would be to-morrow.

TJie. shadow of death lay upon him, as, at times, it does upon the bravest soldier; he would fight non 6 the worse for it in the morning.

The sun had risen,

In the- previous short half-hour of dawn the assault had been delivered ; the dei Ivish forces had been driven from their en-_ trenclnnents, and now the black, grinning " Gippys " were fraternising and triumphing with their laughing and chaffing white comrades. i

I - Backward, across the half-mile v of .plain, the surgeons were busy." Away 10 : the southward- could be heard the sounds, ol jjursuit, as _the . British Lancers' olnse'd : th« flying Bag'gara. A field hospital- at the -front is not a peasant place, neither- cap it he described in cold black and - whitS?" War correspondents, as readers M '.the -dailies have no doubt noticed, judiciously avoid mdre than tne merest mention of such places.

There were some ghastly' cases, and both suigeons and assistants had been worked hard. But the pressure was over, and at la« there was time to attend to the wounds which werernot deadly.

" Now, Hamilton, let's see ! " said Sur-geon-major Murphy, approaching an officer avlio lay motionless Qn a stretcher — who had so lain half an hour at least. The doctoi looked his patient over, gave a low whistle, and beckoned to one of the orderlies, who at that moment turned his head.

" Look, see, Dawklns, here's a bad case ! He must go back to hospital." " Bad as that, doctor? " asked the motionless man faintly.'

" 'Tis so! Now, you keep quiet." Lieutenant Hamilton had been totally blinded by the explosion of a sheil in an earthwork as, well in front, he was ieeoio^ his company. He was sent to the re:»i-~ <> hospital — and Sister May was given c'.tai^b of him.

He had not much pain, only he was blliKf. Treatment appeared to have no effect «in this ; it seemed likely to be a long business. The days began to hang heavily. Then came the old story, " Love in idle-

"; ' " v , ii. Hospital sisters do not cease to be women when they take up their work. Sister May was just Vs susceptible to love as though she had. been a silly young thing of 18, though, in fact, she was ten years oldex\ And he? Pity being akin to .love, the recipient of pity runs a double risk. Her voice was soft and musical, hei touch was soothing, her care of him seemed first motherly, then sisterly, and then So it was that by easy stages they drifted into" • that strange attraction which the world calls "love."

And her one fear was that some day he might see again. The surgeon said it was just possible, and was advising g, consultation with the world-faqied Professor Augenwirte, of Graefrath. She prayed against that possibility, for in tiei own eyes she w.is plain — nay, ugly past redemption. Yet, though she could not realise it, -her too large mouth and prominent teeth, her irregular nose, and all the fancied" imperfections of her face mattered little; for her large grey eyes were soft and full of animation, her skin was like velvet, her figure and carriage perfect. But, woman-like she could only dwell upon her facial defects, and was full of apprehension Jest some day his sightshould be restored and, seeing her features, he should loathe her.

Her cousin Kate, a sister nurse, seeing how matters tended, chaffed her unmercifully. ' , .. - - " No-.v,- May, T thought* you had long ago sacrificed- your life to -nursing; and yet -the first good-looking young lieutenant "' '• "He will , always want nursing,' K,ate,' she faltered, in excuse. "Ah! but suppose Dr Haggerty is right^, and his sight comes back ; he wdri't* want' any nursing then.' Sister May did not answer. A week later Hamilton left the hospital for Graefrath, full* of hope. The night; previous to his departure they came to an indefinite understanding, and though she could not give an unqualified answer to his pleadings, she had not the courage to stop him altogether. In recklessness she allowed herself to drink in the sweets of his passionate words; they would at any rate be a life-long remembrance, even though on his return he should cast her off.

The operation was successful beyond his hopes, and in a few weeks he was rushing back to his love — eyes shaded, it is true, but with the certainty that in a short time his sight would be fully restored.

" I want to see Miss Johnstone," he said to the orderly at the hospital entrance. "Miss Johnstone, sii? Which?" "Why, the nurse." "Yes, sir; but there's two of them." " Well — cr — she's very good-looking. J did not know there were two."

" Oh, yes, sir ; there's two. But I know, the one you mean now." And he was shown into the waiting room.

"Gentleman wants me? Who can it" Then the door opened. He started forward.

"My love ! " he whispered. " I knew you were beautiful. I have come back to claim you."

Sister Kate drew back, startled. For the" moment ska coudd not .imagine jaho tbjg

man with the shade over his eyes could be. In that moment he had drawn her to him, and was wildly pouring out his love. In that moment also the door again opened, and Sister May, looking in, saw all

She faltered, and stepped back, the beating of her heart choking her for the minute. " Stop, sir ! " said Kate, regaining her senses. " You must be Mr Hamilton? "

"Yes," he answered, amazed, releasing her

This frivolous little voice was not that of his love. This over-frizzed hair, these shallow eyes were not beaufiful at the second glance. What had he done? " Are you not Miss Johnstone? "■ "Yes.- Kate Johnstone." "Kate? And is your sister" • "Cousin." "Is she not here? " " Yes," said Kate> with, a smile. " Stay here* I will fetch -her."

" Why, May, you there? " she whispered, on finding her at the threshold, and wondering if she had seen or heard. " Here is Mr Hamilton. Come ! "

" No, never ! I will never see him ! " she panted between her heart-beats. " Nonsense ! He has come back on purjpose for you ; and his eyes are all right." " Yes, and he expects to see a pretty girl like you ! " retorted May, bitterly. "Look here, May, don't be a fooll Go in; he is waiting." But Hamilton had already grown impatient. The door opened, and he saw .them both. " Here she is," said Kate.

" Ah ! " he said. "* " Sister May looked down, trembling. "Are you May Tfohnstone, my dear iiurse?" he asked, his voice fulLof teßderoess and love.

"Yes," she whispered. ! Kate had disappeared — they were alone. "My darling, I have come for you," lie Said.

"But — you can see now?" She looked up recklessly, and their eyes Jnet. " Yes, thank God ; I can see my love !" Then she surrendered herself.