The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-05-07
THE VILLAGE TYRANTS
A DRAMATIC STORY.
By JOSEPH HATTON.
ACT III.

The morning alter the burglary
broke fair and bright over Combe
Dingle. Autumn has its clear breezy
days, almost like spring. A. blue Sky
With light aeecy clouds, and: q afrash
wind that sends them scuaaiqg along
the wide drnament. Fleoks yol, birds
drift with the, wind. Thin blades Of
grass have toned the roughness of the
stubble fields. The trees sro . .deepe,
hue than that which varies their, .eslos
in spring-time but they look too beau
tltul for decay. Nature seems hopeful
aad full Of life; it is the last flicker be.
fore. Death comes. strong and powerful,
and lets down the storm and food, and
blots out the glorious picture.
f.. Kate Meadows, by the advice of Mr..
North, went to bed after the robbery.
He said he would sit up with his. wife.
Kate needed rest, and she could return
to the sick'room in the morning. If
Mr.. North wanted her 10 the night, be
would call her. Kate, glad of q respite
from the inquiring glance of the farm
or, and anxious to be. alon. with be,
thoughts, had gone to bed. By:and:
by, 10 spite Of her anxieties and trouble,
she fell asleep, and slept we'll, until the
sun was full upon her window. She
rose with: : heavy heart. The ,soene Of
tho night before was not dream. She
tried for = noment to think it was
but the terrible reality soon overshad-
owed her, and, she saw the dreadful
face Of Tom North looking upon her
with defiant cruel eyes that seemed to
burn into her soul.
While she was dressing, the bells Of
the parish church broke out into mer.
~ peal. She flung open the window
and listened. The wind carried the
music hither and thither. The clouds
were racing across the sky. A. lark
was singing overhead. Shadows check.
ering the aftermath. The stubble
fields were green and golden in the
morning light. The trees were brown
and yellow, and green and gray. Com
be Diogle, even to Kate, who had lived
there all her life, looked like the pic
ture of some artists dream. The bell.
dashed and chattered, and their music
rippled in the crisp fresh air, and all a
once Kate remembered a rumor tha
the squire was expected home sgai,
that very day. He had come. Th'
| manor.house had received back th,
wanderer.
The squire was once more at home
The voluntary exile was no longe
wandering in foreign lands. Now tb.
she thought Of it by the light Of recon
events, it seemed strange and almos
impossible that he could have gou
away on her account; that she bad re-
fused the hand of the lord of the man
or; that she bad sent him away 70
years OF travel; that he loved her viii
a delicacy and devotion ansurpasse
even in romance. She looked at her
self in the glass and blushed at her ow
onworthiness, though she could nc
help a little feeling Of conscious beauty
And the squire was back. again Di
he love her still? He had met som
other woman in his travels who ooul
be all to him that he had desired i
Kate? She almost felt jealous at tn
thought Daring these three yea,
she had become a woman-a full-xrow
plump round woman, with woman
thoughts; touched with the sense {
woman's mission in the world. Mont
after month, while she had waited fo
some letter or message from Tom, b
had gradually yoi faded out Of her liking
despite the tender thoughtswhic
times prompted TO hey 70 think he nigh