Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-04-22
q scared expression Lit up his mild, blue

scared expression Lit up his mild, blue
eyes.
May, too, was startled at the sight of
the death-like face; but when she glanced
up at her father, and beheld his ashen
countenance and trembling form, she
was filed with terror.
What is j. father? 2" she exclaimed
DO You think, then, she's dead ?'
His dazed look wandered from the
PROSTATE figure on the lounge, and rest
ed on the innocent being kneeling at her
side.
"No, | don't think she is, she replied,
at length, in voice scarcely above a
whisper.
The scared expression in his face had
stolen into his voice, and it was hushed
and frightened.
Tears welled up into Mays eyes, and
dropped on the cold hands she was
chatting.
The lady, after while, showed symp-
toms OF returning consciousness. Be-
yond her pallor and insensibility, she
presented no outward sign of injury.
81 don't think she's much hurt, faith
er, said May, leaning tenderly over her
patient, the tears still glistening like
pearls on hex eyelasl.cs; but noting, with
hope and pleasure, the increasing evil
dence OF animation.
He made no response to Mays remark,
but continued to stare straight down at
the pallid, beautiful face of the lady.
Suddenly a pair of eyes, larger and
more liquid than Mays, but of the same
azure hue, are opened out upon him, and
the conscious woman is scrutlnizing his
weird, haggard countenance.
For brief moment crimson flush
banishes the pallor, and the hands that
May holds are clutehed convulsively.
Then the red blood deserts the face again,
and it becomes ten times more hvid.
The beautiful, liquid eyes droop abashed
before the mans gaze, and traverse
searchingly the room, till they rest on
May kneeling by her.
"I'm not deceived, then" she feebly
mutters. els this"
Her voice broke the spell, or stupor
that had seized George Seton at the first
glimpse of her, and, in low and decisive
tone, he said:
"You mustn't speak just now, madam,
till the doctor arrives, and know what's
the trouble. Prepare your bed for this
lady, May" he added, motioning the
young girl to her room, gravely.
May had scarcely disappeared, when
he was at the woman's side, whispering
excitedly in der ear:
"You mustn't let her know nothing.
It's better tor her-it's better for you.
| don't want to reproach you now. l
don't know what strange fatality brought
you to my cabin tonight; but whatever
it was leave us--leave her IN the peace
and innocence that you have found her.
Since the hour that you deserted her I've
led her believe you dead. I've striven
to hide you and your sin from your
child with the charitable mantle of the
grave, and for that sole purpose I've
since hidden myself here. Don't seek to
undeceive her. Let her still think of
you with regret. Let her memory of
you continue to be a fragrant one"
The ering woman listened with closed
eyes and blanched cheeks to the mans
passionate words.
"May 1 kiss her?" was all she fall
tered.
eyes, if"
May entered, and George Seton moved
away, and flung himself into chair in a
far corner of the room.
nay resumed her watch by the lady's
re, taking the cold, slender hands once
more in hers. She noticed that the
lovely eyes, which were turned with in
finite tenderness on her, were dimmed
with tears, and that the hands she
clasped pressed her caressingly.
The monotonous tick, tick, of the old
clock was all that broke the silence of
the room
The lady closed her eyes, and May was
to think that she was going to
sleep, when a sweet voice whispered in
her ear:
kiss INC, uarllng.
The young girl crept closer, and wind
ing her arms round the woman's neck,
wrapped the poor woman in her chaste
embrace.
Was it instinct of love or pity?
When George Seton awoke from his
painful revere an hour later to admit
Abe Gilman and the doctor, he found the
two women asleep, the elder resting on
the bosom OF the younger. The girl WAS
easily aroused, but the other awoke no
more.
The friends who came for the dead
woman knew not the unhappy husband
under his assumed name and altered app
pearance, and May never learned that
her mother had passed out of the sphere
of sin and shame in her arms.
Her father lived long enough to see
her the happy wife of Abe Gilman, and
then passed away, carrying his secret
W.; .b him