The Duke's Sweetheart

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1885. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XV. THE MARRIAGE OF CHARLIE AND MAY. SHE stole up noiselessly and knocked at the door. The man who was minding Cheyne opened the door and let her in. She went to the foot of the bed and looked at the poor pale face, now trying to force the pallid flesh into a smile. "May," said a voice she hardly knew, it was so weak and thin, "come and sit by me, dearest. I want to speak to you." He looked at the man and said: "1 am much obliged to you. You will leave us a little while, if you please." The man withdrew, "Dearest," he said again, and paused and smiled that pale sad smile. "Dearest." Again he stopped; the repetition of the word, and the sight of her face, seemed to be the only thing he then cared for. "Oh Charlie! oh Charlie!" she cried and covered her face with her hands. "May," he whispered, "take my hand.. I cannot lift it now. I should not mind my weakness, only that I cannot take your hand, dearest." She took his hand in hers, and cherished it against her bosom for awhile, and then put it down on the counterpane, and laid her warm young cheek upon it, and bathed it with her tears. "Oh Charlie, Charlie! This is awful. Oh God, give me strength!" Again he tried to smile, and said: "May, you must not fret yourself in this way. You must not, dearest. You ask for strength. Why you are a Goliath compared to me now. It is not so long ago, only a few days since, I was counted a strong man, could do things with my arms no man of the company could do. But now I cannot get a kiss of my sweetheart unless she comes and kisses me. I cannot raise my stupid old head so as to touch my sweetheart's lips." She bent over him and kissed his forehead, his lips, her tears falling so fast the while that she could scarcely see. "When I was on the roof that time, and yo...