Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-03-31

cause her to forget him? He left i'm
q few minutes, aud Libbie's heart
went out to him as it would to the
dead. All the love, all the hope, all
the Happiness that was, and that
might have been, she buried in that
last good bye. She coald have wept
soothing tears then, If he. too, had
known it was his last good bye to
their loves; but his Knowledge and
his sorrow was yet to come. She few
from the door. 1t was no time for
tears; the eyes of Williams was upon
her. She had, what she believed, a
duty to perform.
Sad result of tyranny! The poor
girl had been taught not to question,
not to reason, but with blind sub
missiveness, to obey, even to the
wreck of her young life-even to the
death cf her fondest hopes, aud call
it duty. ..a.. ...
Vydral Williams marked not, at
least it secured not, the forced utter.
ance of the words which bound Lib
bic Morton to him for life; saw not
the deadly pallor that spread over
her fair face when he kissed her cold
hand. But could lie have looked
upon her heart, he would have seen
a mortal wound which would soon
carry its victim to the grave seen
the blood which fell from the wound
shape itself into the word duty, and
then darken into death.
The preparations had been COM
pleted for the wedding, the little
church was filled to repletion, the
minister, in his white robe, stood in
the chancel, aud the bride and
groom before him.
"Who hath aught to say why this
man and woman should not be hus.
baud and wife, let him speak now,
or be silent forever"
There was the noise of one in
haste entering the church. Ladies
tainted. brave meu grew pale. John
Morton, tie dead man, sprang up the
aisle to where the minister stood.
Vydral Williams turned at the iu-
teriuption, grew white as ghost,
then started to flee from the church
but the hand of Morton was upon
him, and he held him fast Till he had
told those who had gathered around
that the man he held was a murderer
aud an outlaw; that he had even
sought his death in the distant west,
that with his own hand he had
struck him, and left him for dead on
the wild prairies but three months
before.
Vydral Williams was borne from
the church bound prisoner; and
the next week the papers OF Colora~
do contained the'aurouncement that
lie had been taken from the authori-
ties and Iyuched by the friends oI
the victims whom lie and his desper
ate band had murdered. Libbie was
taken home swooning. ..
The house of the Mortons was fill.
cd with people, some blaming the
mother for forcing her little daughter
into such marriage-for Libbie's
, JOY at her deliyerance had let them
into the secret-some repeating what
they had foretold concerning Will
liams, but which no one had ever
heard before; all eager for John
Morton's story of his meeting with
Vydral Williams, and his own time
ly return. Thus it was:
Morton had lived in the west under
an assumed name. He had gone in
TO the mines, and the little money he
had taken with him had grown q
thousand fold. A new vein of ore
was discovered, and he with a party,
had started across the praiIies to
work 1t.
They had gone about half way,
when they were attacked by band
OF Indians and half breeds, led by
Williams.
! Morton's party was murdered al
most to man, and h. himself was
shot by Williams aud left for dead.
Their money and goods were all TAX
Ell by the white devil, as Williams
was called, and his band. Morton
had given up all Eope, when loud
cries from party Of soldiers aroased
him. 1t was Captain Harry Halton
and friends on hunt from distant
fort. They had heard the noise oi
firearms and had hastcned to the
spot.
/ Halton was on visit to some ot
his comrades, and was more than
surprised to find his old friend Nor
ton In that distant country, aud
wounded almost to death. He had
been kindly cared for, and started in
pursuit of Williams band. They
succeeded in capturing all but Viii.
I liams himself. This accounted for
Halton not knowing him when he
met him In Libbie's house.
Harry's leave of absence soon ex.
pred, and he left Morton slowly re-
covering, promising not TO mention
having seen or heard anything oil
him on his return home.
Morton finished his story, and
looking around, saw Halton stand
ing I'm q distant corner by the side OF
Libbie, who had now perfectly re-
covered. lie beckoned TO him to
come near, and calling Libbie to his
side, asked her II she would not re-
ward with her hand tlie man who
had saved his life, and in saving it,
had rescued her from fate more
dreadful than death.
Libbie had already promised.
Morton insisted that the company
should not be disappointed-that the
wedding should 60 on so back to
the church went the party, and with
changed grooms, Libbie was made q
willing wife.
General Handel presented Harry
with promotion for gallant conduct
on the prairies, aud Mr.. and Mrs.
Major Halton came out as happy and
as handsome & pair as you would