The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-08-11

ing beams, so supernatural seemed
her strength at that instant.
"There," she said, half aloud,
pausing to look down into the peace
full stream, where the planks hoated,
amid the faint reflection of innum-
cradle stars. "Long ago, when l
twas a child, a man was drowned
here. The water is deep and the
spot is lonely"
"You are late tonight, Berthap'
Paul was looking out for her from
the piazza steps, and came pleasant
ly to meet her.
81 know it, said she, putting her
hair away from her forehead, where
the cold dew stood in beads. "It's
a long way from Redcote farms and
IL did not walk very fast"
"Come and sit by me, Bertha, /"
said Paul; "I'Ve a long story to tell
you?"
"What is it% she asked mechan-
cally.
"Its about little Zaidee Raymond.
She's not a widow after all"
''Not a widowY'
''No; and how do you suppose 1
found out? Clifford, my cousin Cliff
ford, wrote to me from India, and he
is her husband. You see there was
some absurd quarrel between them
before the honeymoon was over. He
somehow learned she was in this
part-of the country, and wrote to
me. Of course, the minute I got a
chance to speak to her, knew it
was Zaidee. And she is the happiest
little creature in the world to think
he really loves her; and next week
she's going out to him. I've man
aged it all. Don't you think Pm a
pretty good diplomatist?"
His face was fairly radiant with
honest pleasure as he looked down
into Bertha's face. He did not see
her gaze; her eyes, wide open and
dilated, were fixed on vacancy, and
her face was deadly white.
Merciful God Of fheaven! ! What had
she done, in the wild, unreasoning
fit of madness of her Jealousy! Was
she a murderess? Was the blot OF
Cain upon her brow?
Alas! for the wild remorse thai
gnawed at her heart all Che slow
creeping hours of that dreadful
night Had the wealth of hund3eC
words been hers she would have
cheerfully given it all to undo thC
work of those few maniac minute:
on the lonely bridge Nav, she would
have died herself, in all the bloom o.
her youth and hope and beauty, tC
wipe out that brief half hour of he
life!
When she rose next morning sht
looked as if an illness of months haC
passed over her head.
"How i'll you look, dear" said he
aunt, "Pm afraid that walk was tot
: much for you yesterday. And it's 81
strange that Zaidee did not com,
, home last night"
"Strange!" As Bertha closed he
heavy eyes she almost seemed to Sc,
the dead face turned upward among
the water lilies, with its wealth o
jetty hair tangled amid their wreath
; ed stems. Oh, Godl as long as shl
, lived, that white face would haun
her waking ia sleeping hours.
Would it be long before they foun,
the corpse9 Would they bring it n
the foWery lawn, with the dripping
hair, or would it float there for days
perpaps, in that lonly spot2 And
"Why Zaideel where have yol
been all tnis timer
Bertha started up with a wild hys
teric scream. 1t was her aunt's voice
and Zaidee Raymond stood in tn
, midst of them with blooming cheek
and soft dimpling smiles.
"At farmer Geary's, to be sure
1t was so dark when 1 passed ther
last night that the kind souls insist
ed on my staying with them unit
morning. And it was a lucky thin,
1 did, for when we got to the bridg
this morning, we found that tn
thunder shower in the night hat
raised the stream and washed Of
half those ruinous old planks."
Bertha Wyman rose and came to
ward Zaidee, taking her to her DO
som with strong, tender pressur
that the young creature scarcely un
derstood.
son, Zaidee, we were so frightened
Thank heaven you are safe ono
morel Dearest Zaidee, Paul has toll
me all, and am SO glad"
If ever woman spoke from tn
bottom of her heart, Bertha Wyma
did at that moment.
The next week Mrs. Ravmon
; went out to join her husband in In
dia; and a month afterward Pau
Fordham was married to Berthe
whose unWonted gentleness an
sweetness of demeanor rather a:
tonished the household.
> Something has changed her yer
, much,' y said the good old aunt. Bu
no one ever knew what the "somt
: thing was that had wrought sue
an alteration in Bertha's characte