The Hickman courier., 1878-06-14

had so dearly lOseE But she answered
him with quiet gentleneas.
q have come to save you, Stephen" +"
she said.
whisper.
yes, stepheD," she replied; "tsr the
love YOU once bore me, for the cake Of
the happy days, / have come to befriend
Won for before Y morrow's sun goes
down there viii rot be another in All
this great city todefend or to help you"
He was too troubled to wonder how
she Fpew 50 intirlsteiy of his mistortuues
and of the disgraceful calamity that
threatened him, snd he turned fearful
Glance toward the entrance seen across
the parlor where .Clelis, in her rubies
md amber silk, stood among her guesrs
with laugh on hsr fps
81 You have hsen suspected of mon
strous fraud, ,"Rsns on Helen, sadly;
for many wsks your accusers have
been searching proof against you.
They have obs9a efficient to justify
-yo.ares, ,sssS. = -bsssss Aprisoned
within the hdl.,F tonld not live and
know that you wertuffering such open
shame. For the sal of our dear child,
imPlore you to dos ahall advise you
Ready funds kno you have not /
have made much Dney since ] began
the life of a publ singer. That is
placed at your diosal, and | have
brought here with II enough tor your
present demands. TIE it, Stephen, and
leave the country"
I cannot" he gasfd Helen, can
not. Besides ] shall never go into a
prison. The shock ofrrest would strike
me dead. The old hart trouble, &C
celerated by the excemeut Of recent
events, gives me warlng Of the sort of
death our good doctor,rophesied for ne
long ago. Ny mistaen life IL nearly
ended, Helen"
As he spoke, and 'hile Helen was
regarding him with mornful anxiety, he
turned again and gaze acress the ParloT
toward the entrance Some persOn had
Just entered whom Clela had approached
with displeasure au, imPerious im-
patience. Instinctivsll he knew what
i. meant
He took a step forvard and saw beyond
the flash of jewels and the gleam of
flowers three strange forms staining ike
grim sentinels Outside the rarlor door II
the dazzle of light hat filed the hall,
He knew they were Offices Of the Law.
he grew deadly pale, and couvulsive
tremor shook him from hesi 10 loot. He
CAPPED, reeled, and as if struck by
heavy blow, dropped down among the
shelteriDg lilies.
All the sleelles snxiet', the ceaseless
agony, the ruthless remnse and dread
that had racked hin or weeks, had
eliminated in the norta shock he had
just presaged.
Instantly his reprdiatd wife was on
her knees beside him holding the poor
head TO her breast.
90, Stephen spat to nae - she i'm
plored. -
g 1t Is all ever, 1lslen, he said, faint-
Iy. "The time thsi you predicted has
come, and acknowledge yeu my first
and last and best beloved. True heart,
dear saint, in your arms I die content"
Stephen Darrell never spoke again;
for him the tragedy Of life was done.
The guests we're gone, and Clelia sat
alone among the withering flowers in the
splendid parlor, disdaining sympathy.
&" Your husband is dead, " she was told.
Sullen and naughty still, she made 10
sign that she heard. They thought tkst
sudden grief had stunned her.
4" Mr.. Darrerl was a kind husband "
said the maid who attended her lady
that night
" He disgraoed me, was the heartless
answer.
She was susceptible OF keen sense of
Disgrace. She could bewsil the loss of
wealth, she could wiring her hands and
weep the dereliction Of the fashionable
friends who forgot to send condolences,
but not one tear did she give to the
memory OF the man whom she had lured
to his doom
IL was Helen who saw the last sod
laid upon the dead mans grave and who
placed thereon floral tablet of anna
ranth and asphodel Iettered with snow
white buds, Ny best beloved"