The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-03-15

well.
The ruins will look romantic and have
a weird beauty when flooded with the pale
moonlight, whereas, if We were to 20 now,
their unsightliness would, perhaps, be too
suggestive" added Paul. either in favor Of
the evening visit OF in extenuatIOn OF the
postponsment.
That evening the proposed visit was
ma de- the air was soft and hazy, though
not exactly warm, the white full moon was
sailing grandly In the zenith, and shedding
streams of mild, mellow light upon the ru-
ms. 1t was romantic, strangely, welrdly
romantic. The blackened walls of the man
sion, hecampanile rising grimly above them,
the sashless windows throug II which shOne
the glimmering moonlight, the long shadow
Of the tower stretching across the lawn, a
lacge wide chasm made by partly fallen
wall, large projections Of stone which
seemed to hang in the air-all cOnspired to
give the place an appearance, resembling
the ruins Of some old castle or monastery
Moreover, the blasted, leafiess trses added
not a little to the strangeness Of the scene.
How ghostly it looks II exclaimed Vida,
a little tremOr in her voice, slight chill
creeping through her body.
Ou are not Air1lu. uchI oApOcI
mo, but feel very queer are you sure
there is nobody here but ourselves 2
why, who should be here at this hour
IL suppose it is imagination a pause
but | cant shake of the feeling, it Is
overpowering me.
Nonsense, sister, but tell me, would
you be much frightened if we really saw
spirit here I"
Paul, how you talk you know don't
believe" she stopped very suddenly,
conviction burst upon her, vague and dim,
to be sure, something like the echo Of an
inspired truth but a conviction, neverthe
less she looked Paul fun-point blank in
the face, but seeing there no reflection Of
the thought that had Just rustled, as It
were, through her brain, she gave deep
sigh and as she trembled visibly, Paul led
her to a rustic seat close by. Here, she
dropped INTO a reverie, very profound and
oblivious. When she raised her head again.
Paul was not in sight This circumstance
gave her no alarm as she thought he had
wandered off and was lost in the shade OF
the ruins. Again she became convinced ot
the presence of presence her heart be-
gan to beat violently and she seemed un-
able to rise or speak. Presently she heard
some one approaching her and looking up
she beheld-not Paul but the form and
countenance Of Richard Arbyght. Was 1t
a vision she knew not, neither did she
fear and then the apparition, if such IT
was, smiled benignly and sweetiy upon her
and directly through every nerve Of sensa-
ton in her body there vibrated and thrilled
the cadences Of familiar voice which enun
cated
Fear not, Vida, it il in the flesh not
in the essence thereof.
In the next instant two sorely tried NOR
tails we're united in a long, silent, fearful,
but pre-eminently happy and heavenly
embrace. After the first burst Of rapture,
the mutual mterjections and exclamatlons
of love, we find them seated together, hand
in hand, each looking lovingly into eyes
that reflected naught save love an | affec-
ton
Chow we're Won saved how did it all
happen - were Nida's first coherent words.
II owe it all to Bertha she insisted
that should escape from prison and turn
up dead to use her own words, she said
TO live, you must die. She believed from
the first that Mahoney and Miller were not
dead. and she rightly OWNED that should
| escape and my death be afterwards, to
all appearances, successfully established,
Mahoney and Miller would come to life, !
instinctivelv abhorred the idea Of flight,
and fought against it for a long time, and
but for Bertha and you, my own dear Vida,
| would not have consented, an IN all
probability would have been hanged, as
money was more than a match for even
handed justice in my case. hen the
Phosphor went down | secured some loose
lumber, which with life preserver, kept
me atloat until the wind drove me ashore
near the spot my supposed body was found.
When | reached the beach | saw body
with hardly shred Of clothing upon It and
no evidences Of identihcation-the body it.
self being mutilated beyond recognition,
and. as knew it could not be identified, !
had no scruples in using 1t to save my own
life You already know the rest
During this recital the tears had gushed
into Vida's eyes and she wept freely.
1--WE have suffered much, very much.
What do we not owe to dear good Bertha,
she said, after she had partly restrained her
sobs.
II indeed owe her much, but perhaps il
were better for you had died
Richard, what can you mean 4 she
gasped, bursting into another torrent Of
tears.
''Oh Vida, you know not all | suffered
and now suffer. | tried 50 hard to make
start in the world, to lay the foundation Of
q competence, to do something to secure
your fathers esteem, and at the very out
set nv plans were thwarted, and my
self disgraced. | will never forget the aw-
full anguish Of soul | endured when that
sea of faces turned upon me in the crowd
ed court -room-to be gazed and gaPed at
like . common felon, to be questioned by
brutal, coarse, heartIess lawyers, was a de-
graduation, q laeeration Of soul | thought |
could not survive.
'But, Richard, it is past now. Never
refer to it again.
"Yes, but all this has widened the gulf
between us, replied the lover, in very
chOky voice.
She looked at him keenly and the beau
tiful color began to fade from her cheeks.
The truth of the matter was, Richard was
not aware Of the change Of fortune that
had fallen upon the Geidamo family. Paul
had a little Of the old family pride and
was 10th to acknowledge the depth Of their
fall
IL cannot comprehend your meaning,
Richard, she finally said her voice was
low, soft and trembling
AS Heaven is my judge, Vida, have
never thought OF you IN selhsh sense,
never thought of you but a. the peerless
being you are-far, oh so far above me, |
would sooner die than hsrbor, for an in
slant, tie idea of transplanting you to a
station in life not commensurate with your
birth, education and present position. To
lose your love will be death it has been my
life for the last year-the bright, pure dis
interested ambition of strong mans stron-
ger will. But l feel the fates are against
me- l tried hard, heaven knows, and fail
ed. can try again, it is true, but it would