The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-16

ne lhlu nor Manu- upon n0T zap ~ ne ne
gan TO speak, and drew his own away
looking down ut the flags at his foet-nOt
ut the faoe of his companion.
" | must tell IL quick" he said "quick.
or II will never be told Mt all Ye mind
what frens Maurice nm was, an how we
loved one another till just NJ tho last !
don t~leny hated him when he stole we
from mo; but aiterward, when | saw how
happy ye looked, fOrgdge MIN, DIunh, Tor
srd TO myself 'Ile Will suit her better
than should ha done wi my rough fish
erman's Ways an OF course your hnppi-
ness was the first consideration wi me. l
knew that he was IA bit changeable wi
womon, but 1t never entered into my
thoughts that he could slight SIGH ~ you,
Dinah, until one night--come bit closer
girl listen....l came upon him, miles away
from the village, with II brown, laughin',
gypsy thing IN his arms. her eyes was
like great, shiny stars, an her scarlet
mouth was pressed against his, en' he was
calling her by hot love names--just such
names ~ once and again | had heard him
call you" He stopped n moment. Blu
she was not like YOU, Dinah, he went on,
with fine scorn in his voice; she was
different sort u a woman nj together. Twas
Lonely, decOlato part o. the coast and
they didn't sec mo, an | got myself
away but, Dinah, Id rather God
had struck me blind than that /
should ha' seen that sight the night. ]
kept out ~ his way all next day. hut in the
evcnin we came face to face by the river
sue, Nn / tnn'le Tor 10 pass MIN, Tor
hadn't worked II out in my own mind
what I was to do-whether | should tell
yO or what was TO say to him. He caught
mo by the arm, an asked me where ! was
going 80 fast. ! don't rightly know what
I answered-the truth. fear me; an' when
he found out | knew how he had used ye
he seemed mad Ike, an in another minute
we were strngglin' together. But, Dinah,
did hut protect myself lie struck the
first blow, an then served me "A towards
forgive HIM, tried 10 stab mo WI it; but ]
got IL away from him, an III SO dom cut
my hands an made them bloody. Then
lac disappeared, an old simon comm up,
found me standdg alone. nm II had nu
ugly look, Dnah. ~ very ugly look, for the
river was deep an sfroug. and there was
never one sign Of him from that hour to
Tins. For he left hl, money and bits O.
things in his house, an though he
iiIrd for for months, nothin was ever
heard
Why did you not tcll'all this in court -
cried Dhuh, starting up aud wriuging her
hands, they must have believed you;
they could not have helped it, stephen,
Stephen. why did you not do it for my
sdlcf
1t was just for your sake that didna
speak,, sad stephen gently. " DO We
think | would have made Maurice un-
faiihfulneSs to We the theme of livery mans
tongue? An It wouldn't ha' done me "a
hit ~ good Wi judge and jury, dear
l loved VOu, Dmah, an they Thought
killed him Ia clear the way for myself
May be the truth will come To light some
day, an then those as doubted inc will do
me Justice"
Dlnah had sat down again. and he passed
his hand over her beautiful hair, smooth
lug IL rs geutly ~ IA mother might.
Don iret about him. dear. he said;
he weI1t worth il; p'raps th6 loss o.
hun will come easier 10 We now. ! ha'
thought since that he must ha' gone away
WI that gypsy lass; p'raps lac was afraid |
should tel yc.'
Who are you talking about she cried,
lifting her Wild, white face. Iffnil
There is only one man in all the world to
me-, and he is here. stephen, nc Is here -
She kn"lt down by hls side, and rested her
forehead against his breast, and III the mo-
mcntary silence she heard the frantic beat
ings of his heart. " You Will think | tell
you tins because | am angry aud Jealous
Win Maurice for preferrlng another
woman 10 me-, she said; but Tor what lac
does care not, and 1t gives me no pang
10 know that she possesses the love that
was once All NV own. No; and il he came
back to mo. and n>kod NV forgiveness, |
could torg V" him from the bottom Of my
heart; Tor II he has been nconstant, -
have !. and som times | have thought he
guessed II, and that was what drove him
60 love some one else. |
want To tell you, stephen, that &C.. l"rc
&C.. U0u' And. now that the mist has
, I
love you always from the very beginning.
ami Muurce only came between ~ like II
shadow, ana has passed away ~ one
when You were taken, ana all sad Maurice
was dead. II was OF yOi and VOur danger
thougnt-rarrY OF hIn-nnd my heart
broke, stephen, not Tor his sake, but
yours. ..
But stephen never spoke-never moved
ne wis summed with dchrious JOY for "A
moment. thea -"T0o late Dinnh," he said.
lfl "a Tar no D.
arms about her, and bowed his agOnizcd
face over her mead. Tue steps OF the iailer
approached, the key turned in the lock,
the la-t moments had arrived. " | have
never kissed We said stephen, passion
atciv, and | never VIII. III had your
kisses Duuh-I have your LORE
Time up said the Jaiier, appearing.
1--WE shalt meet AGAIN" said stephen,
taking his last look al the girl he loved 80
de pelately.
sae lifted her hand, and pointed upward.
4" shall not bu long" she sud, ana stephen
uLtton was alone.
Dinnh stands AZ her cottage door in the
bitter GOODNESS OF the dark January morn
ing. The clock within strikes eight, and
she clenchcs her hands wildly IA thestrokes
sound, tor yOnder ut this very moment. Il
soul is passing away TO its Maker With
the last stroke the boom OF gun rang
out and she fell forward senseless aud lay
across the threshold. The first 10 discover
her was the village postman. who bore in
his hand Il letter for the cottage. He carried
her in. and sprinkle1 cold water over her
face, aud 50 brought her to her senses
alter which, being a man of business rs
we'll rs feelings, he handed her the letter
and took ms departure. Shortly afterward
the missiVe lay open In her hap, bur surely
other fingers than Dinnh's had opened il,
for She was numb and senseless-had been
so ever since the firing Of tnat gun. lit
tie later She was reading the same letter,
and stu IL seemed Ia her that some one
was reading II TO her; ana tins Is what II
sad, and II was dated from some far away
country Of which Dluah had never even
heard:
Dinnh, do not expect to see me- again,
for | shall not come back ever. stole YOU
from stephen, who was worthy OF you; so
l went away that might no longer come
between YOU; and you always loved HIM
best, always. And | was not faithful to
you, Dlnah-I never could be 10 any
woman; and II Is better that you should
know me 10 be vllo than that | should
have made yon aud stephen wretched. So,
yDu VIII not rCgret me, Dinah, and happ-
ness VIII come 10 you-and him.
MAURICE WILDER"
And so IL came to pass TINT Stephen
Hatton rested peacefully in cOnsecrnted
ground, aud those who had called hm