The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-06-02

" She is gone" said the doctor, under
standing the appealing look, "they have
taken her out of the house."
"My child my own sister !" shrieked
the woman. "Speak, tell me where she
is p
lie heard and seemed striving to COM
prehend her words.
LISTEN" she continued, "I tell you
am innocent, try and understand it-for
must have my sister %
Her voice might have won belief from
heart of stone-he opened his eyes again
smile fitted like sunbeam over his
mouth.
"She is innocent l' he murmured, I" she
is innocent p
Her quick ear caught the tone which was
like thanksgiving.
"He believes me-" she exclaimed, turn
in toward the old uncle, "he believes me
My child-only speak--you have given her
to another's control--I cannot see her-a
single word or let me die too p'
His eyes had cosed-but the smile still
fingered upon his lips though her frantic
entreaties were unheard.
"Innocent p' he murmured still, "inno-
cent ~
Robert, my husband-answer me-it is
your wife--you will not die and take my
sister from me-revoke that terrible SEN
tence-give me the child again y
She was leaning over him-chafing his
hand already cold in her own--but all in
vain--there was no sign
"Robert," she cried again, I" the child p
He looked toward her-anxiously, pit
eously-strove to utter some words, but
they died in his throat. She laid her face
down to his.
"Again-again Oh, my God, give him
moments strength p'
1t was too late-the thought had gone
her prayers and means were idle--the sun
light came back to his face-the lips moved
once more-then all was still He had
gone into eternity without doubt upon
his soul
The woman could not believe that he
was dead-she still called his name-stilI
bent over the motionless form with plead
ing words One of the attendants strove
to lead her away.
All is over, madam, he is gone"
"Dead? No, no, he could not die with
out word He believed me, and would
: have given me Nellie.''
They led her out of the room very gently,
and she sank upon seat in the hall. No
. . one noticed her--there was no tumult in
: in the house-one relative dried her eyes
in the stately drawing-room below, and the
other inmates moved carelessly about in
the necessary employments of the sad
v time.
y The wife sat there stupefed by her
u great despair-they passed and repassed
her, but took no heed At length the SER
Q vant who had spoken to her below in pity
Y Of her anguish, approached and whispered,
&" / beg your pardon, ma'am, but the
lady insists upon your going out of the
house-I wouldn't stay if was you-the
4 little girl is gone"
S "Where9 where?" The woman sprang
upl
" / couldn't find out, but she is gone -
u Mrs. Lennox turned from him and fed
9 along the gallery-the door of the room
IS which she had occupied on that day was
u open, and she mechanically entered. No
thing had been changed or removed-the
9 chair in which she had kept her solitary
= vigil was by the fire-on the floor were the
broken fragments of the desk her husband
G had shattered in his wrath. A whole life
seemed to have passed since-she could not
Q realize that she was the woman who had
: sat there pale with prophetic fears.
a Upon the table lay those fatal letters
she stood there for a moment looking at
them with uDutterable horror, then impel-
led by some inexplicable feeling which she
{ could not resist gathered them up, bound
them together with the ribbon which lay
0 upon the carpet, where the husband had
. crushed it beneath his heel, and concealed
them in her robe, all the while shuddering,
but powerless to overcome the impulse
which directed her movements.
Q She looked around the chamber, calm
. from the very intensity of her despair, then
moved slowly out and returned to the apart
:, ment where the dead man was lying. She
bent down and kissed the cold forehead as
she did so, the uncle, who was kneeling at
L the other side Of the bed, rose and looked
a silently upon her.
"He knows that am innocent" she
9 whispered, "the angels themselves have
told him now that the first kiss gave him
| ~ mn x.tapa fI,or fbfa ~