The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1881-08-18
EVEN FAITHFUL.

81 am % sorry, Leonard. thought
you knew all about it, and that your
kindness to me was prompted by pure
friendship. You do not blame me,
do you ?f
Leonard Carstone gazed an instant
regretfully into the sweet, though
| troubled face Of the speaker; then he
caught her hand fmpulsively and
wrung 1t until she could have cried
with pain-so passionate was his earn
est pressure.
"No, Lucy, 1 don't find any fault
with you. II was my own hopes that
deceived me. Now l think Of IL, you
have acted toward me like a sister
not like girl In love. God bless you,
and make happy with the man you
have chosen to be your husband"
A sudden, startled look In Lucy's
| face caused him to relinquish her hand,
and turn to see what had caused the
change of expression.
AyOung man In gamekeeper's attire,
with a dOubie-barreled gun under his
arm, opened the door. and pausing ON
the threshold, now stood regarding
them with look Of mingled surprise
and angef.
h II you, IN0ipu hcOudIu Solus
81 thought by Lucy's face il was less
to her. Goodbye, and remember
what ! have just said. If you ever
want friend, just let me know and
I'll come to you through fire or water"
Then he brushed past the new-cOm-
er, i'm his disappointment and agita-
ton hardly giving him another glance.
Ralph Hunter made q motion as
though he would restrain him, but
seemed to take second thought, and
stood watching him with a baleful
look in his black eyes. Then he caught
Lucy by the arm.
"Answer he question, and answer
truly. my girl, or you'll rue it," he
said, sternly. WAS that fellow max
ing love to you? ,"
Something i'm her lovers face made
Lucy hesitate before answering. She
knew Of his vindictive, passionate tenn
per, although to her, until now, he
had ever been gentle as a lamb. In
deed, il had been the main source of
his attraction to her-the idea that
one so rough and unmanageable in
other hands should be 50 dOcile In her
own.
Her hesitation now was for Leo
nard's sake. She did not wish to have
any harm come to the fair-faced youth
whose only offence consisted in having
placed his affections upon one who
was already betrothed to another.
But her monetary delay i'm answer
ing was sufficient to infiaIne Ralph's
anger to an ungovernable point. He
had seen Leonard holding her hand,
and had imagined his eager words to he
the outpOurings of passion, instead of
a remuneration of his hopes.
His face paled To the very lips.
II see how il is =" he Missed through
his half-clOsed teeth; THAT baby
checked lad has come with his dandi-
fled ways and won away my treasure.
I'll have my revenge ON you both"
As he spoke he rushed madly out of
the door, intending, il was evident, to
follow Leonard and shoot him.
But Lucy was too quick for him.
Although too frightened Ia speak, she
caught him by the arm and arrested
his frantic pursuit, trying to force the
words that would explain all satisfac-
torily from her lips. But they refused
Ia obey her bidding. Ii was AS though
they had been paralyzed.
"Then, if you will interfere between
me and my just anger, take the coise-
quences! Ii you do not love me you
shall not make anyone else happy, rs
am living man.
\ shet rang out through the room,
and poor innocent Lucy was its target!
Without moan she sank down, all
the color fading out from her pretty
face, and leaving II a. white rs the
snow that covered the wintry land
scape that held the earth in its icy
mantle.
When the Infatuated man saw what
he had done, he stood for an instant
looking down at his victim. Then he
turned the niuzZle of his gun toward
his own heart, and without word,
emptied the remaining barrel into il.
The sound of the first shot had
reached Leonard's ears, and while
pausing instinctively To discover from
what direction it came, he heard the
other. Could il he from the cottage?
He hastened back, and this was the
terrible sight that confronted him-ex-
tended upon the floor lay the two, to
all appearance, lheless bodies of those
whom he had but just left i'm the prime |
Vi ne mea'.n anu s.lesin s;,,.,
Inc cottase was ioleiy one, STINT
eu NJ !ulle aiselce iloil any , p
u"eiihS. bu. .he .ouns man N"
that i-uc!s iatner anu pro'ner were
usuaiiy at woIk ~ ,ie neiu ciose ",
anu peIcIe ions tney caie iaS.eS
nome WIN hiinSlIhg VI suIprise anu
alarm upon the,r iaces or .ne uo"o'e
report haI rr'acneu tieiI ears ALSO.
Leohar" met theii, at 'he uoor, nnu
toiu thehi wiat ii''u hiPIeheo lii 'e"
prlei w"r"s.
faiiiis gun iau uone us WoIh wei
upon hiniseh; ne was sno, ,Ilrougn
the hcart, anu ueatn ia' ,o!ioWes al
most instahtai,eousiy. nu. ne was
not eNtlhct III Lucy aithouSn Ms
long before she came out oil ihe s,a'e
nt uncoi'scio'ishess when was :" IKE
death as 10 deceive All out the more
doctor.
she haa received n1t siIsht hesI
bui ,he Itai FORCES were III
'uci low cup that II was sun ques
non rs 10 whether lie OF uea'h w"uiu
prove the victor.
Aiter Few days; however, the scales
srauuaiiy turneu to"aru recovery.