Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-06-20


had risen, and emerging through win
dow, crept around where she could listen
to all they said She too, now, meant to
have her profit out of the scheme, the
secret of which she had obtained I'M
known to them.
On the following day Mr.. Landry felt
his end rapidly approaching. He had
/ forbidden peremptorily that Mrs. Blake
should be admitted to his presence but
| Mrs. Blake had determined to see him
before he died. He was very anxious
for confessor and was finally told
/ that although there was no priest access
/ ible. Sister of Charity might be OBJ
| tanned. This assurance afforded him
great relief, and he desired that no time
! might be lost in sending for her.
! Mrs Blake determined to improve this
opportunity to see him, without his re-
/ cognizing her, and to visit him in the dis
4 guise of Sister.
Il was arranged that after night when
the room was dimly light by a single
candle, she could go IN and listen to such
confessions as he wished to make. In
them, if he spoke of her tenderly, COM
/ passionately, she would forego the dire
vengeance she had planned to inflict on
him when he lay helpless before her,
breathing his soul away in doubt and
dread of what the future life might bring
to him. If he judged her hardly and
cruelty at the last, she would have no
mercy on him.
When Eunice, deaf and dumb ser
want girl at the farm house, was safely
! asleep. Mrs Blake made such alteration
/ in her dress as was necessary. A white
! handkerchief was drawn low down on
! herforehead, and folded over her face in
/ snch a manner as to conceal the greater
| portion of it, and Macon's black silk era
! vat was snoothed out and tied over that
! in the form of the hoods worn by Catho-
| lie nuns when walking abroad. She
/ then entered the feebly lighted room, and
sat down in the chair which Hester re-
signed at her approach. At the move
ment, the dying man Enclosed his eyes,
! and in faint voice said
| "How good you were to come to me
in this extremity This young girl has
explained to me that you consented to
| do so as soon as you heard that son of
Mother Church needed your help = but
some subtle power must have conveyed
to him the knowledge that something in
! imical had approached him, for he sud
| denly seemed to struggle with some dead
" oppression, and sinking back, he mar
| INJURED
..Too late . l fear that I shall die be
fore can say what | wished. | must
confess. must have absOluti0n, for | have
sinned. But | have suffered-how bitter
cup have drained in atonement Of
the one act of by life which brought uu-
happiness to one who thought she
had the right to avenge herself upon
me"
In a voice scarcely above a whisper.
Mrs. Blake said:
INV son, forgive as you hope TO be
forgiven. and all will be we'll with
you"
"Ah. that is what l cannot do for
there is one sin and one sinner that |
have not forgiven. But for that | could
die in peace.
.'Was the wrong against you SO IN
merited, that you feel thus bitterly p
sUnmerited! Yes l assert that, and
believe it. She who committed it was
one did not love, though | was tricked
into a marriage with her.
In faltering voice Mrs Blake said:
you did not love her! Are you quite
sure Of that p
Landry was too deeply absorbed in his
own thoughts to notice the menacing
tonethat thrilled through the muttied
voice of the speaker.
mo | never loved her"
'Is it just to lap all the blame upon
the woman who risked so much to gain
legal claim upon you To those who
have loved truly, much should be for
given and she, you say, loved you.
q gave her ali she had right TO
claim at my hands-and had she so will
ed it. would have sent her from me as
free from reproach as in the hour Of our
first unfortunate meeting. But she
would not 90. | was very young. |
loved the child she gave me, and through
her the mother hoped, if | were free
again, to win me back, and-and- L
cannot tell you what she did in return
for the forbearance had shown toward
her 1t is her secret, and | will not re-
veal it even in this hour, but it is that
which | now find it impossible to for
give. If you can give me absolution,
knowing that, will accept it gladly at
your hands, although you are not one of
the accredited ministers of our Holy
Church"
The heart of Mrs. Blake hardened as
she listened Size felt the blood surging
through her VEINS with fiery swiftness,
and all the passion of her tropical nature
burst forth.
She tore the shrouding folds from her
head and face, and started to her feet,
standing Oucr HIM as q menacinS fate, as
she hooking said
"Such consolation as | can give, you
are welcome to. Armand Landry.
Whether it will facilitate your entrance
to the Paradise in which your lost Eli
nor dwells, or into the Hades in which
| shall hereafter claim you, | leave you
to imagine Look at the woman you
cast off so lightly-the woman who be-
lieved that You loved her-and cover be
fore her glance as you soon will shrink
before that of the Omnip0tent Being
who viii judge between US.
..You-yot here :" he exclaimed, in a
loud harsh voice 'How dare you ap-
proach me ? How dare YOU profana the
sacred character Won have assumed for
the Drrpoee or iatruding np0n presence
that was forbidden you Hagar Blake
YOU have been the curse of my life. and
in death YOU pursecute me still. Ga II
command you to leave this room un-
polluted by the presence of a murder
ess
Hagar's eyes blazed back defiance, and
she tauntingly said
lyon are in no position now to enforce
your will You are in my power, not |
in yours, and intend to pay you back
drop for drop, for all the bitterness you
have poured into my cup and forced me
to drink"
The features of Landry wore banched
to the hue of death, and his black eyes
cleaned iercely from their pallid setting
as he hoarsely asked
''Ry whose connivanco were you per-
mitted to enter here IF Hester or her
betrothed husband aided you, it will be
the worse for them, for in that case
will give her nothing. The paper I
caused her TO write this morning will
be valueless unless it is signed and
witnessed, and now I will do neither"
..LAl. tL,.a .,, ,,;;tI.