The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-03-14
The Anti-Mono7polist.
in the dense darkness Of the tempest

in the dense darkness of the tempest
! uous night.
The summons had been sent none
too soon. Herbert Westerton was
dying, and Roland knew it the instant
he saw the glittering supernatural
eyes, in contrast with the cadaverous
CHASTITY face, the tense blue mouth,
from which the unnaturally strong
voice came shrilly:-
81 am glad you lost no time, Roland,
old boy. You see there is no time to
lose. Don't tell me not to talk. I can
only hasten the end by a little, and
when I've told you the secret dare
not carry into eternity with the rest
Of my sins, don't care how soon it
| comes'
Roland had taken the icy cold hand
thai lay, waxed and pallid, on the
counterpart. He had opened his lips
to say something, but Herbert had an
ticipated him.
Now he answered quietly
II do not fancy that there can be
anything so direful on your conscience
against me as need make you feel as
you evidently do. Suppose 1 grant
any forgiveness you ask, and We'll let
the matter rest. Il
mo, no! You shall know it was I
who ruined your life, blighted your
happiness, and separated you and
Beryl. It was !, Roland. Before my
Judge swear it was no fault of Beryls
| took you into the conservatory to see
meeting between Beryl Dean and
her brother-a fugative from justice,
who had taken that occasion to see his
pet sister. 1t was 1 who intlamed
your jealousy purposely to separate
you because l loved her too, Roland,
and that is the only shadow Of an
excuse l can find. loved her and she
hated me, and you know the rest.
Roland, don't derserve it; but / am
dying. viii you forgive me viii
you-will you!''
Roland sat there mOtiOnleSS and pale
as a statue, his eyes blazing in per-
feet storm of fury and woe; and he
looked straight into the humble face
OF the man who had so woefullv
wronged him-the man who was
already more possess on of the Angel
of Death than of life.
This serious fact appealed to him.
He raised his head in solemn dignity.
''Herbert, forgive you. 1t is hard
hard to do when l think Of myself.
When think of her it is harder still.
My heaven! 1t was an awful thing to
do. Herbert. ''But-I forgive you -
He laid his hand ON the cold one. so
weak, so helpless, but the fingers
closed spasmodically over it.
''Heaven reward you for it But
there s worse yet--a letter 1t came
from her to my old address, week
ago-and I would-not-send it to you
as she prayed. Roland, Roland
trunk-forgive-''
Roland stood like man in a dream
--dazed, stunned into momentary
bewilderment. The dead face Of his
brother before him. the terrible reve-
lation he had heard, and more start
ling than either, the fact that Beryl
Dean had sent message to him
through his brother, and that brother
had
Roland had to crush down the
thoughts and feelings that threatened
to madden him.
The trunk stood open. and the letter
was undoubtedly in 1.-THE letter that
would seem like a message from
another world almost. SO long had he
and Beryl been parted; and his heart
seemed almost stopping its beats as he
plunged among the papers to find an
envelope directed to his brother in the
old well-knOwn hand, that so many
years ago thrilled his very soul.
1t was the briefest message. in
Beryl's own hand, bidding Herbert
tell him--Roland-to come to her once
more before she died of the sudden
illness that might any hour terminate
her life--to come for the memory's
sake of olden days. If she died, it
would do no harm: if she recovered.
they could go their ways again. But
to come--onlv once.
Roland Westerton was almost
beside himself as he read it. Beryl.
his own Beryl even yet. and may hap
dying. begging him to come. and
he-yonder man called To his account
had suppressed the summons. and
now-heaven knows lit might he too
late
lie rlyeted the directions on his
whiriing brain with one reading: he
gave direction or so to the servant
of the hotel. regarding his brothers
remains. and then rushed to his car
riage. and was driven frantically to
the station. where he merely caught
the last train that night. that landed
him in bright sunshine of the next
morning in the city where the love of
early days awaited him.
There were wild prayers on his lips.
and vague hopes in his heart. and
sharp sudden glimpses of JOY as he
was driven to the address OF the letter:
and then. when he gave ring of the
bell at the door. it seemed as il it was
a summons that decided some terrible
thing.
An elderly lady answered the door.
10 whom he put his question so abb
ruptlv that she looked at him in dis
trustfulness.
Il wish to see Miss Dean at once. if
YOU please" he said.
She turned to a sweet faced Young
girl who passed through the hall at
that moment.