River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-07-22

OF course there but one woman who
could change earth and air for him, so
it scarcely seemed n surprise to see
Gwendoline Dormer standing before
him, with pale face that her dark, VIC
let silk dress made paler, shawl care
lessly wrapped about her, her broad
Rembrandt hat very one-sided, and her
bare hands clasped quite pitifully to-
gether
ooh, Judge Warburtonl she cried,
have you heard the charge against poor
Rob?-so absurd so cruel! Rob wouldn't
hurt a fy-and they have known him
from a boy. You must help him! You
will for my sake, wont your
She had laid one slender white hand
on his little knowing how his pulses
pleaed under that cool touch. Her face
was flushed with her appeal, and her
sweet eyes looked up to him with an
imploring glance that maddened him.
IL scarcely understand you. You
said Rob was arrested Some one, |
suppose, who is Rob to you-but to
you but to the rest of the world"
''Oh, you must know; Rob Sterling.
They accuse him of numbering his aunt
because the poor old lady left her mon
ely to him. To whom else could she
leave it? and besides, know kn0ae he
did not do it,"
''Ah, how do you know asked the
Judge. with dull heart-throb. He did
not feel like sparing her just then. 1t
was, indeed something of Il relief to
his tortured heart to torture hers.
Gwen blushed beautifully The
Judge felt that he would have given
year of his life to be the happy man
who brought that lovely rosy tide to her
face.
Il know Observation-Disclosures,
Judge, l am making you my father con-
fcssor." The judge WINGED. How old
he must seem to her, but he did not
speak. And the secrets of the con
fcssional are never revealed. 1t was
impossible for Rob to have killed his
aunt, even if he had been hardened
villain enough to have done the deed,
for he spent the hour between ten and
eleven with me-"
"Ahm quick, short exclamation, that
sounded like surprise, but was only
pain,
yes; | do not usually meet young
orchard" she went on, with evident
embarrassment, .but in this case it was
I might as well tell you that Miss
Tab has taken violent dislike to Rob,
and if she knew of his meeting she
would turn me out of the house"
'Indeedw exclaimed the Judge, with
some bitterness. 1T seems you were
ready to risk considerable for the young
man"
"Of course. | could not imagine
that my sin would find me out in this
way" She answered, with a forced
laugh, and YOU see how cruelty | am
situated. Ny word would clear Rob
and am afraid to do it. He poor fell
low, has made me swear ! will not, for
he knows Miss Tabs venom, and that
should be east out at once. You see,
the doctor who examined the body at
half-past-elcven, gave it as his opinion
that the poor woman had been dead
about an hour, the very time that Rob
was talking to me peacefully under the
peachtrees
'Well, my dear Miss Gwen, if you
cannot or will not give in this very con-
elusive testimony, and Mr.. Sterling
maintains the same silence, | don't see
that | can do anything"
"Oh, yes, you can. Because, now
that you know positively of RObs in
nocence, you can conduct the case so
as to favor him as much as possible,
and, at any rate, there cannot be much
in the way of evidence against him.
He is quite confident there will be no
case made out. There was tramp
stopped at the house that day"
ooh, my dear young lady, tramps
stop at our houses every day"
Gwen looked very anxious. Rob is
confident But | cannot help being
terribly alarmed. But | feel better
now that have told you all You are
such an old friend"
The judge imagined an emphasis on
the old.
II will certainly do what | can
for your sake" he said, and, musing ON
these words afterwards, he felt that if
his course were not straightforward and
honest he would perjure himself hor-
ribly.
''All his life honor had been his
watchword. He was a man who was
very hard on criminal. The people
said he did not believe in the power of
of temptation because he had always
been delivered from it. To his mind
there was no excuse for crime, no pal
liation whatever. He had believed
that he would lose his right arm rather
than tell lie. And now here before
him, directly in his path, was a fiery
temptation. He felt its lurid breath
upon his check; it poisoned all the
sweet clear atmosphere of his life, If
he won Gwen by means of such dis
honor would life ever be sweet and
pure and of good report again. And
yet when he thought of her he under
stood how men rush madly into sin.
He knew, for the first time, the deadly
power of temptation. He felt that he
was mortal like other men--that it was
possible for him to fall like other men,
or, rather, like Lucifer, son of the
morning. from those mountain heights
of truth sublime in which he had
dwelt
And the evil one, who is so near us
every moment, whispered,
you need not speak; you will not
tell lie. You need only keep
silence"
But the Judge said angrily:
but | shall live lie; and my broth
er's blood will cry out against me from
the ground, as did the blood of mar
tyred Ahcln
All that night the contest went ON,
and Herman Warburton fathOmed
depths of being in the darkness at
which he had never guessed before.
He fought the battle against self and
sin, and the pure gold of his nature
came out brighter from the furnace fire
of that secret struggle.
Rob Sterling looked ten years older
when he appeared in court to answer
to the terrible charge made against him.
There was an earnest manliness in the
face that had only expressed boyish
frivolity before. He made his state
ment in a clear, manly way, that gained
him friends at once. He never hest
tated till questioned concerning his
Whereabouts at the time of the murder
you say you were absent at the time
the deed was done?' asked the lawyer,
cross-examining the prisoner; you will
then be able to prove an dRbiI
mo. | cannot, answered Rob, hast
lily. j..
You were then alone all that time?'
II decline to answer.
you must be aware that this course
eliminates you?"
80 be it, answered Rob, energeti-
Il f,srAYa