The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1877-12-19

81 thought Lou had crept on the bed
to waken me as she used 20 do.
She covered her eyes with her hands
and cried quietly. Tom stroked her
hair.
Z" My poor girl, you've had hard nea-
sure in this world ~ he said.
She took her hands away and looked
at him steadily. Had she hard mea-
sure? In that moment, for the first
time since she had been married, she
felt how strong, how true this mans
love was; how firm a foundation it was
for her. The searching, wild look she
fixed on him puzzled Tom. The next
moment she drew coldly away from
him.
eff you are going down now, L will
dress"
But she lay quiet thinking when he
was gone. Had she not loved Louis
Chaplin2 Had she not married Sewer
in mad whim of pique2 Was she to
be persuaded that it was for him she
really cared now? Love was love for
ever. All these years she had looked on
herself as a woman set apart for a con-
flict of mighty passions. Was she to
find herself only a good wife with good
husband of the commonplace, happy
sort?
She came out on the upper porch pres
emily, and looked down. Tom was be-
low with Colonel Chaplin. She never
had noticed before what an erect, clean
skinned, clear-eyed man he was beside
other men how true and merry his
voice was. Bah it needed other quail
ties than these to win woman's heart.
But she did not go TO the ford.
Colonel Chaplin waited there for her
\ an hour or more. Sewer WAS tyrant.
The poor creature was evidently in ter
| ror Of her life. She would never dare to
come to him as her heart prompted,
while her husband lived.
The colonel folded his arms, and gazel
darkly into the water. To-day should bt
the eliminating point of his life. There
was that narrow pass in the CatalouchC
"a sheer descent into the stream of fifty
feet. When he had brought Sewer to it
he would tell him calmly how matters
stood between them, and then
They should never both leave the pass
alive. Bnt there must be no weapons
used. Bullets tell tales. III Seviel
missed his footing, and fell into the De
mons Grave, lie was not the first man t.
whom the accident had happened. If j
was Louis Chaplin who was worsted
Sewer could tell what he chose.
"As we'll that end as the other" blus
tered the colonel, with portentous sigh
But he surveyed his bulky limbs com
placently. Tom Sewer was not half TIN
man he was.
"Shall take my gun, colonel?" Gale,
Tom, as soon as lie appeared in sight
eve may start buck"
"No, nor even pistols one sort {
game at time is my motto.
"I1l be with you in n mo nent.
He ran up the stairs to the little pore
where his wife sat looking beyond tn
mountains into vacancy, her hands, q
usual, claSped on her knees. DIR. Keye
was reading an old newspaper.
"Good-by, Betty"
Good.by," without turning her eyes
1t had once been habit with hii
never to leave the house without kissin
, her. He had given it mp OF late ye II
But he hesitated now.
CT may not be back until nigh
, Don't be uneasy, Betty
"No."
5 Good-by," turning to go down II
stairs.
80 Tom !' said Keyes, looking "
"have you called at Judge STEMS s;n(
you came?"
{ "No."
/ "Your cousin Lola is living still"
eyes" glancing quickly at his wifi
! Unmarried 2"
{ "I believe so.
He went hastily down the stair
e Keyes coughed significantly, and tune
to his paper.
"Who is Lola Steiu ?" asked Mr.
Sewer, sharply.
5 Lola Toms cousin. You'N
8 heard of her, surely?"
!. Fred spoke reluctantly. She knew
9 his face there was something to concea
4 "I've heard OF her, but nothing pa
/ ticular."
Fred buried his face in his paper, a,
j did not answer.
4 How 1 detest the habit OF givil
4 romantic foreign names to our women
!, said Mrs. Sewer, tartly. "They CALI
n me Elise when was a girl. AbsurC
i This Lola, / suppose, is some ungain
II creature in gaudy calico.
= "Not precisely. BY George the
! she is !"
n Mrs. Sewer bent eagerly forwar
II A delicate little figure en- horseback W
+ lust below the porch. The horse was
i spirited one. She managed it with ca
v grace. As she turned her head, Nh
: Sewer caught sight of dimpled mout
p an oval face warmed with n peacl
"a bloom, and soft. blue eyes.
N Glow old is Bhe?'
Pe about thirty, / suspect.
,e "She-she has worn well, her ha
is going up involuntarily to her own tn
# cheek.