New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-19

the journey up Laurel much worse, to one
like him. He felt this not less clearly than
the Others, and put his hand to his face
with low groan. "If l were but man.
he said.
Don't trouble, Mr. Chalmers. over what
can't be helped said his host kindly. an
go. It's my duty to do 80"
Louise turned quickly and spoke for the
first time.
IL thought you would co." she said; land
you'll take me with you-will you nots"
There's no need for that" he began,
when she interrupted him.
"Yts, there ia need. It is all that We can
do for him. and he-ab he did 80 much for
Paul and mt | must go! Don't say any
thing to dissuade me-only tell me when to
be ready"
WED best start as soon a'tar daylight q
We kin" lid the man standing by.
Very soon after daylight the next morn
ing l. .uiae bent over Paul, and kissed him
a tender goodbye. He took both her hands
and held the III together.
keep besrtt' he said. ut may he all
mistake. " may not be what we fear.
don't think he liz the kind Of man to be acct
dental)y drowned"
But he may have been robbed. and-aud
murdered" said Louise. "PAu, ] feel sure
that it is b.; aud oh, my dea, !'-.nd the
great 'ars began to roll dnwn-"i am SO
sorry that the only return lever made for
for Ill his kindness was-was to give him
pain
Never mind" said Panl gently. "You
did what you thought right and he knew
it
Zone often makes great mistakes about
what is right" said Louise. Then she drew
down her veil and departed.
Lett alone. Paul sighed deeply. Despite
his attempt to speak hopefully, he felt sure
that ne. u IN IN ,t.. no h..u ,,f
Laurel was the friend whom they had liked
SO we'll He also felt sure that u parii
revelation of her own heart had come to
Louise during these weeks If absence, ard
he feared that Dun SardIn's death would
make that revelation complete. "If 30, she
will go through life bearing a hopeless bur.
den of regret and self-reproach," he thought.
NV poor l. uis. y
At another time the journey down the
Flench Broad TO the mouth of Laurel would
have been to Louise an occasion of pure de-
ignt. Nothing can be conceived more
grand aud 1t the same time more beautiful
than this gorge. Ire cliffs tower hundreds
of feet overhead; the splendid mountains
rise heavenward, crowned with an almost
tropical verdnre; the impetuous river PUSHES,
whirls and foams along the channel which
it has torn for itself through the heart of
the great hills; ana the streams which come
to swell its current are clear as clearest
crystal. But to-day Louise saw none of
these thin gs-or else saw them without in
teIest, as shapes in a dream. The ceaseless
voice OF the river. tearing madly over the
immense rocks that strew it's channel, lost
all music to her ears; there was terror, not
beauty, in the wildness of the gorge as it
deepened toward the fatal waters of Laurel.
They Travelled rapidly, and early in the
afternoon Walnut mountain-at the foot of
which the Laurel flows into the French
Broad-rose in sight. The first glimpse of
the clear water of the former stream filled
Louise with sadness beyond expression.
AS it sweeps between two locdly mount aims,
and empties into the tumultuous French
Broad, it is thing of beauty never to be
forgotten, but she saw only horror in the
swift flow of it's translucent current. Turn
ing, they followed road which led along
its banks, winding at the base OF the over
shadowing cliffs. How far they travelled
one terrible monutony of sounding water
and towering rock, one great confused pic
ture of the brightness. the greenness, the
lnetfable beauty OF earth, from which one |
presence had forever departed. Her com
panion was kind, and during all the long
hours said little to her. She b. undis
turbed tine for reflection, and there were |
some thoughts from which she always after
ward shrauk-conuected, as they were, |
with the keen suffering of that fair, sad |
September day.
At last they reached the nome of their |
yuide--a substantial log farmhouse, stu.
,ted in valley, where The mountains re-
,eded a little from the hanks of the river |
As they came in sglt they PEI ceived that |
t WAS evidently tue scene of commotion |
nj excite ment. Horses were fastened t.
me fence, and unurr the trees men We're |
ounging here ana there; group of women |
tOod g,sslping by the door. Louise turned |
70 taint--that deathly fantness which comes
,nly from the heart-that everything grew
black before her. She clutched her com
,anipn's arm.
please take me in at once" she said. 81
,an not bear this suspense much longer"
So they went in at once-stoppiny 10 hear
nothing, putting aside those who would tain
lave spoken.
"Olly show us where the body ia" said
Iouise's companion. That is all we ask"
Some one led the way, and pushed open
he door of a lean-to room. They entered,
md the siok horror seized l. uiss again as
he saw the outlines of rigid figure ex-
ended on q bed, covered with a COATS,
beet. But she was !, a 'lu ely d. t-rmintd
hat she would not tail until all was over
mil she knew She held herself. therefore,
q powerful cOusti Amt. and walked stead
~ forward. As she lifted III. thick veil
shich she wore, q man who was standing
y the bed turned quickly around. For one
reathless moment they faced each other,
What was tbisi Had the dead riseni If
o. the dead could speak, for this man cried:
"Louistl for heavens sake what has
ronght you herea"
Poor Louise! The revulsion was too
reat. All her selt.c0ntrol gave way sud
enly, and she fell Onward tanning in
ieorge Dunwardin's arms.
When she recovered it was to hear story
'hich can be more briefly related than 1t
'as told by Dunwardin on the banks of
Iaurel. In his mining expeditions he had
cen led further into the mountains than
o had anticipated, bnt had been abundant
' rewarded for hardships aud delays by
ndipg all-and more than all-of which he
7ss in search. On his way back to Alexan-
er's he had been stopped by news OF the
rowned bOdy-suppOsed to be his own
lag within this farmhouse. He identified
at once as tina "f Methodist preacher
'hJm be haO met the week before among
he mountains, VINO had been, no doubU, ac-
drowned in attempting to eros
he swollen stream,
III ha. ira, eled faster, If had been
ay earlier. l might have spared you ali
nj" he sad, remorsefully, 10 ending his
tOry
Bat Louise laid her hand on his.
"DOn't regret your delay" she said. in
er sweet voice. mo dOubtit was best.
ave suffered terribly, bnt if this suffering
ad not come, might never have learned
ow much love you"
Aud so, to this day, Dunwardin says that
3 Won his wife sup Laurel"
Bad Listening.
Conversation is more frequently spoiled