Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-11-06
When we reached scarsdale House ws

When Ne reached Scarsdale House We
were told his lordship was in the library,
and accordingly Iied the two ladies into.
the dining-room which adjoined the
former apartment and lett them there.
The wife sank down on chair at once,
crimsoned and trembling with fear and
shame; but Miss Quincy kissed her reas-
suringly, then turned and walked straight
to the library door, knocked gently, and
without waiting for an answer turned the
handle and entered r5ai
Lord Scarsdale was writing, with his
back to the door. He must have thought
it was a servant, for he said harshly
"They are not ready yet, William" but
Miss Quincy crossed the room, and lay
ing her hand on his shoulder, said very
gently:
"Gny, have come here with your wife
to ask you to forgive her and take hSr
home again., ..,=....
If it had been a voice from the other
world, he could not have sprung to his
feet more suddenly. She stood still before
him, tall, pale, and pure, looking in her
deep mourning dress, with the light in her
loving eyes, and the wavy line of gold
brown hair under her black bonnet, SO
little aged, so little altered from the Or
phan girl he had last held in his arms ere
he went to Ireland twenty years ago, that
his face blanched as he gasped out:
"Kate. is it you? And thought you
had died. Good God, how you must de-
spise me And yet you can forgive"
Her patient mouth quivered little.
Nay" she said simply, Il forgave
you long ago. Guy, and for that reason I
have come to you to-day to ask you to for
give your young wife, who has been very
foolish but not guilty, Guy; and who
husbands love for the future. You will
notg" ..|
He could not speak. Shame, and per-
haps the sense of what he had thrown
away, held him silent. But he knelt
down and kissed her hands as though she
were q queen. t
She let him kiss them, and then just
touched his bowed head with her slight
fingers, saying something very softly,
which only he heard.
Five minutes later Lady Scarsdale was
weeping out her repentance in her hus-
bands arms, and was leading Miss Cur
ney back to the cab.
Her hand was pressed on her heart, and
the shadow of a great pain was in her
face; but she never spoke the whole way,
and when we reached the door had to
carry her up stairs to her couch. There
was no color in her cheek when l laid
her down, and her eyes were closed, but
when | went to ring the bell for wine or
other restoratives, she put out her hand,
saying;
"Yes, my dear"
Don't go. Its ended now"
ooh, my friend how could you-"
Hush! | could not help it. Don't
scold me now, but ask him to be very
gentle with her, and say"
What?" Il could hardly hcar)
"say prayed God to bless them
| both"
They were the last words she ever ut
| tered. After that her head fell back, she
sighed once or twice like a tired child,
and so died, with smile on her pale
| lips To the end.
| took her message to Lord Scarsdale.
believe he has respected it, for his wife
| is a very happy and discreet woman now.
| They wanted to make friend of me, but
that might not be.
am only plain medical man, but L
loved Kate Quincy from my soul, and I
believe Lord Scarsdale was as much her
murderer AS though he had put knife in
her tender heart twenty years ago.
We two can never break bread together.
-1heod0re GIFT IN Galary for November.
/