Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-04-13

man was drowned here. The water il
deep and the spot is very lonely"
The next moment she was gone
hurrying madly away, as if some un
seen presence were follow ing close up
on her footsteps. urC -. t r
you're late tonight, Berthai"
Paul was looking out for her, from
the piazza steps, and came pleasantly
to meet her.
81 know it." she said, putting the
hair away from her forehead, where the
cold dew stood in beads. cit is Ions
way from Redcote Farm, and II die
not walk very fast"
"Come and sit by me, Bertha said
Paul; "rve got long story to tel
you"
"What is ita" she asked mechanical.
ly.
cts about little Zaidee Raymond.
She's not widow, after all.
"Not a'widowl"
"No; and how do You suppose ]
found it outl Clifford, my cousin Cliff
ford, wrote to me from India, and he is
her husband You see, there was
some misunderstanding, some absurd
quarrel between them before the hon
eymoon was over. He was Jealous
fool, and she was passionate, and she
ran away and let him. He somehow
heard she was in this part of the coun-
try, and wrote to me. Of course, the
minute got chance to speak to her ]
knew it was Zaidee And she il the
hdppiest little creature In the world to
think he really loves her, and next week
she's going out to him. I've managed
it all Don't you think I'm a pretty
good diplomatist q"
His face was fairly radiant with hon
est pleasure as he looked down into
Bertha's face. She did not see the
gaze; her eyes, wide open and dilat-
ed, were fixed on vacancy, and her face
was dead, Y white.
Merciful God of heaven, what had
she done, in the will, unreasoning mad
ness of her jealousyl Was sne a
murderess? Was the blot of Cain upon
her brow9
Alas for the wild remorse that gnawed
at her heart all the slow creeping hours
of that dreadful night Had the
wealth of hundred worlds been hers,
she would have cheerfully given it all
to undo the work of those few maniac
minutes on the lonely bridge. Nay,
she would have died herself, in all the
bloom of her youth and hope and beau
ty, to wipe out that brief half hour of
her life.
When she arose the next morning,
she looked as If an illness of months
had passed over her head.
'How ill you look DEAR" said her
aunt. q am afraid that walk was too
much for you yesterday. And it is so
strange that Zaidee did not come home
last night" f.t.
STRANGE" As Bertha closed her
heavy eyes she almost seemed to see
the dead face upturned among the ILL
es, with its wealth of jetty black hair
tangled amid their wreathed stems.
Oh, God as long as she lived that
white face would haunt her sleeping or
waking hours.
Would it be long before they fouud
the corpse? Would they bring it up
the fiowery lawn, with her long hair
dripping, or would it float there for
many days, perhaps, in the lonely spot
And
''Why, Zaideel where have you been
all this time2"
Bertha started up, with wild hy-
steric scream. 1t was her aunt's voice,
and Zaidee Raymond stood IN the
midst of them, with blooming checks
and soft, dimpling smiles.
"At Farmer Geary's, to be sure. 1t
was so dark when / passed there last
night that the kind souls insisted on
my staying there until morning. And
it was a very lucky thing 1 did, for
when we got to the bridge this morn
ing we found that the thunder shower
In the night had raised the stream, and
washed away halt those ruinous old
blanks.n
ward Zaidee, taking her to her bosom
with strong, tender pressure that the
young creature scarce understood.
"Oh, Zaidee, We were so frightened.
Thank heaven you are safe once more.
Dearest Zaidee, Paul has told me all,
and l am so glad"
If ever woman spoke from the bot
tom of her heart, Bertha Wyman did at
that moment.
The next week Mrs. Raymond went
out to join her husband in India, and a
month afterward Paul Fordham was
married to Bertha, whose unwonted
gentleness and sweetness of demeanor
rather astOnished the household.
Something has changed her very
much. said the good old aunt. But
no one ever knew what the something"
was that had wrought such an alteration
in Berthas character.