Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-06-04


worn expression upon his stern face.
Gertrude felt q sudden pity aSsha
looked At him.
"You are tircd,n she said as he
Joined her OH the terrace. "Hayc
you been worrying over an obstinate
patient, Rtchard7e
aNo,o he answered briefly. Aud
his face darkened as he saw Roy Gil
bert In the garden below, and saw the
look in Gertrude's eyes as sac re.
turned his bow aud smile. 81 hate
that inanYe he said sayagcly. "What
does he do hero SO much Z"
Gertrude turned away Indifferent
ly. you are out of temper. Ricl,-
ard" she said. at is often SO now.
| win leave you TO YOURSELF"
"Stop!s no sad fiercely. 81 sec
wha. has happened. 1%cannot be mis-
tsken. Gertrude, you have"
~ have promised TO be Essy Gil.
bert's wife," she answered., feeling
that it must be told. "Let ire 80,
Richard"
"Ycu may co." he said, dropping
her arm, "but will yon take some
thing from me to your promised hus-
band?" lie put q little locket in her
hand. "Look at it," ho said 'open
it, and she did so. Touching a
spring, q sweet, girlish face smiled up
at her, and on the other side, beneath,
a ring of soft hair which gli;tefed like
spun gold, she saw the inscription,
f"R. G. to Alice"
"WeIl?" said Richard, watching her
narrowly. "Wi!l you give it to him3''
as it hjs?' The pale face looked
up at him searchiugly.
set is Roy Giibert's. The woman
who sent it back to him died this
morning at tile hospital. a beauty
she must have been one, but her pref
" face was her curse. lie gave her
the locket."
ooh, Richard!"
"Don't take it TO heart, Grrty. It's
only the old story. Roy Gilbert has
been no worse than many another.
Were you simple enough to think
~pcrrect?"
eyes," she answered, still speaking
slowly, hut very firmly, 81 was"
Richard Van Wertcr looked after her
as she walked away, a half ~repcntant
expression OF his dark face. 1t was
right to tell her: duty laid upon
me-" he muttcred; 'and yet lwishd
she had not taken it SO calmly, and
gone away with that queer look Oh
her face"
That night Roy Gilbert found the
locket in his room. and a note direct
ill Gertrudc's handwriting, which he
quickly opened, wondering what it
could lie about.
"May God forgive you, Roy Gil
bert, as l do. You have taken from
me all hope i'll life. Why did you
so deceive me? at least we will
meet no more. G. v. W."
Presently there arose q sudden
alarm in the house. Hurrying feet
were heard, frightened voices. Ger
trude'Van Werter had disappeared.
She had gone to her room early,
pleading headache as an excuse, but
Grace, goin. Ly her door, had looked
in and found it empty.
There had been "a heavy shower du-
ring the evening, aud the rain drifted
in by the gale, had flooded the floor.
Evidently Gertrude had been a long
time ubsent-shc mast lave gone bo-
fore the storm.
In the terrible fright, al expiana-
ton ensued between Richard and Mr..
Gilbert. The former had been misIcd
the man who had given the lockct to
the dead woman at the hospital was
Raymond Gilbert the brother not
Roy.
TO the pond they flew: and scached
and called /; at first all i'll vain. The
clouds cleared away, the noon lionc
out bright and clear; and then they
saw the boat under the rushcs; and
Gertrude's lifclcss body III it. Her face
was pale and cold. l.er long hair was
floating around if, and bunch of lilies
wos in her hand
"Take care, Gilbert" cried Rich
ard, too ready to give her TO his rival
i'll his deep repentance. "She has but
faintcd."
He was right. Size had only faint
ed. Tcndcrly they got her ont to
bear her ~homewards, and the move
ment revived her.
"Whcre am-I?" she .murmured.
..Roy ?-Eichard?-is it you?-to-
gcther?
eyes, my darling. and you will
soon hear ALL" whispered Roy.
''Isichard is good and generous, after
all. lie gives you to Inc. All is
right. Lay your head here, and set
your doubts at rest"