River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-11-22

the blood of bis Spanish mother leaping
in his veins, and shrank back, pale and
trembling.
''He laughed mockiDgly.
You are pale, he said, and you shrink
from me now; but tell you Mildred, you
will yet be my wife. Do you hear, Mil
dred-my wifel'
"And then he held me in his arms, and
kissing me passionately, murmured:
Darling, darlingr
Mad with shame and horror, | strug-
gled to release myself.
'Deane, Deane!' / cried in my ter
ror.
Il am here, Mildred said the voice of
my lover as Ralph loosed his hold.
With a glad cry / sprang TO him,
and the sight must have maddened
Ralph.
"'SO this is your lover, Mildred he said,
and then he raised his hand and struck
Deane across the face.
"Deane was bv far the stronger of the
two men, and my heart stood still as he put
me gently from him, his face colorless, his
eyes blazing.
Coward, he said, facing Ralph.
'Deane, Deaner | cried wildly, do
not strike him il you love me. Ralph, for
Gods sake.
Il heard Ralph say 'scoundrel,' and the
next moment they had closed in deadly
clasp.
"0h, the anguish and fright of that mo-
ment, as, pale and trembling, sank on
my knees, wild shrek ringing from my
lips.
a saw Ralph dashed to the ground
and lie there mOtionless, saw Deane bend
over him, then | sank senseless on the
ground as hurrying footsteps told me my
shrieks had reached the house.
"When I come to my senses again
Ralph was dead, and the man | loved a
wanderer on the face of the earth.
"Yes, Ralph was dead-desd in his
pride and beauty-dead in his strong
young manhood, a red stain Oozing
through his chestnut curls.
"When Deane had dashed him to the
ground his head had struck the root of
tree, and when they raised him up he was
almost unconscious.
" He only spoke once after they carried
him into the Louise.
twas all my fault he said, IL
loved Mildred, and she-and She, and
then he had fallen back dead.
a never looked on the face Of Deane
Carlyle again, for could not wed the
man who had taken the life of Ralph
even though il was his own falkland
so it was better gTe should not meet
again. saess -
Without word of farewell he went
abroad, and those who saw him before he
left could scarcely tell the Deane Carlyle
of old.
"Clare, little friend, is my heart-that
has known what it is to love and snffer-
one that you would wish your brother to
wini"
Miss Lestrange, gentleman down
stairs" said a servant, opening the door.
Looks like you, Miss Clare" he added.
at is Willis, Mildred" / said; and
then we went down together, and in a
few moments was folded in my brothers
arms.
After kissing me tenderly he released
me and turned to Mildred.
Miss Lestrange," he said, II am the
bearer of message to you from dying
man. On my travels, almost a year ago,
became acquainted with a man who,
somehow, attracted my sympathy, but
why | could not tell. We became friends,
but net cOnfdants, for he was strangely
reserved about himself, and, though we
were together many months. we knew
little of each Other-at least | knew little
of him. One night he met with an acct
dent, and was carried fatally injured and
the next morning he was in a raging brain
fever. and-and, Mildred, he rayed of you.
| STAYED with him and did all l could,
but he was doomed TO die. The night of
his death the fever left him and the light
of reason returned to his eyes.
=. Willis he said. when | am dead
will YOU seek Mildred Lestrange and tell
her-tell her Deane Carlyle is dead. ard
ask her to give one tear to my memory,
| for | have loved her to the last! Tell her
| have looked on her face when she never
/ dreamed | was near. Mildred-Alil-
dred-Mildred. he cried, holding out
| his hands as if YOU were near him, as if
he saw YOU. They were his last words.
He gave one weary sigh and sank back
dead. your name lingering on his lips"
White as death grew Mildred's face as
memories Of the past swept over her. She
/ turned to me.
Clare she said piteously, Il may
bury my past; the last link is broken.
/ Without another word she left the room
and then Willis, turning to me, said:
"Clare, Clare, think how she is suffer
ing. Did you see how white her face
wasl-and could give my life for her
happiness"
"Willis,"I said, laying my hand on
his arm, "did she not say that the last
link to the past was broken"
His face grew pale, and his eyes met
mine with an eager, questioning look.
4 "Ciare, do you mean she can ever love
me!"
| Ever love you, Willis. She loves you
now, but she is unconscious of it. She
loved Deane Carlyle with girls passion
ate, romantic fervor, but her woman's
heart is yours. Willis, you would not re-
fuse one hours sorrow to the memory of
Deane Carlyle, and the memory of the
Lore he gave herr
"No." he said; sand in the future, if |
can teach her To forget her early love and
1 SORROW, will he content
i Years have passed since then, ana Mil
dred is my sister, happy and beloved, as
we'll as loving, and it is seldom shadow
crosses her beautiful face; but il ever it
does / know that the voice Of Willis,
speaking tenderly TO her, can Danish it as
quickly as it came, for know that Mil
bred is very happy in the loyal love of
her husband.
/ Very Good Story.