The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-05-27

ednoss, even if it must come upon the
scaffold
One night,as he sat moodily in his cell
indulging in the gloomiest reflections,
the grated door was flung open and a
muiled female figure entered. lie start
ed up with bounding heart he hoped
it might be Pearl, come at last to testify
her faith in him. The woman flung
back her wrappings, and Parthenope,
pale as some shadowy visitant of that
dreary place, stood before him. lie
drew back from her with gesture of
disgust.
care you here" he said, sternly, "to
mock me with the fate your own malice
has wrought upon me-
81 am here to save you, she said
gently.
81 will not take my safety from your
hands" he cried, iiercely. "t'or some evil
reason of your own you have plotted for
my life. Take it; will not bargain with
YOU
Iukc," she moancd, ''wrctched as you
are am thousand times more misera-
bic, Death is all that threatens you.
/ would gladly exchange with you if /
might be rid of the burden of rcmorse and
shame that is bearing me to tie earth.
You say true. | did plot to criminate
you knowing you TO be innocent | aimed
to have your life in my hands, that
might save it and make it mine. On the
evil impulse of the moment ! put the bar
in your hand and had you accused of my
| fathers death. | believed that could
save you then; / know that can save
| you now"
'But what was your object?' asked
| Talbot, i'll wonder.
'Luke!' she cried, tlinging herself alb
iectly at her feet, 81 loved you. See what
an awful thing my love must be when l
can sacrifice every womanly sentiment to
it. But | did not care. 1t was too late
to shield myself behind any false pre-
tense. More than life,o honor, or pride,
| love you, as | loved you from the day
you entered my fathers house. With
some women, Luke, love is gentle emo
tion-all meekness and submission. Such
love is my sister Pearls. Other women
love like evil spirits, and their love is
deadly to themselves and all around them
| am one of those women, Luke. But dc
not mistake me. | have nourished no
vain hope since that dreadful night.
There is no longer any hope left me il
this world"
Poor girl" SAID Talbot, gently "1i
this be true, God knows forgive YOU
my own heart is sore enough to urge all
charity for you. |, too, have nothing
worth living for"
Eyes" cried Parthenope, ''you hav,
a long life of happiness before you, bless
ed with Pearls love- Weak as she is
she has never been untrue to you
| have poisoned her against you until sh
could not but believe in your guilt. |
, shall be part of my penance to restor
, her to you.
, Then all will be forgiven and forgot
! ten" answered Talbot. ''Rise, my poo
, sister, and be comforted.'
! "Comforted,' she said, raising he
tear stained eyes to his, "where shall
| find comfort?'
Y He stopped to raise her up, and woul
\ have kissed her, but she drew back, wit
| n bright spot in her haggard cheek.
/ "Not now," she whispered; ''not ii
n all wrong is righted, Luke"
With bowed head and tottering ste
:, she left the cell. Three days later TalbC
Y was taken into court and formally a.
:, quilted.
h "Young man." said the Judge, wit
emotion, "your life has been saved at I'll
expense of a noble woman's. Go to he
-, and thank her for the sacrifice rs be
"a you may, for your gratitude and Il
,c worlds applause are as nothing
her.
;f Fearing he knew not what, Talb
n, FASTENED TO the Ulmer mansion. A su
" gcon's gig was standing before the doc
and weeping servant admitted bii
y He was led into room where he sa
Il, Parthenope lying upon a sofa and besi'
u her holding one of her wan hands, kn(
=, Pearl. her frail form shaking with sol
~ One glance at the white face and hollo
eyes of the elder sister told the sorrowf
" story.
~ ~ "What has happened?' he eXclaimt
y" 'Therc is blood on her dress"
"She has received wound in t
ut breast" said the surgeon, who sto
he gravely by. ''She is beyond hum
re aid"
IN Il have earned my pardon, Luke
ly murmurcd Parthenope, with faint smi
by "Even You will forgive me now,as Pc
p, has, for have told her all. There "
tn good in my heart, even if it took an
ne sassins knife to find it. | knew y
were innocent that night. for | saw Il
I'M the house had been entered by thie'
he and my father murdered by them. !
| hoped by casting the blame on You
Sh bargain for your love when | could of
Ily you your life for it, 1t was a mad no
| might have learned how futile it m
IN be for my own heart After you W
t l taken away | searched the grounds
to meath the window and found a coat VIII
one of the Williams flung off in his tlig
r, recognized it as that which | had 81
on one of two vagrants who had b.
- lurking about the place during the d
on, | secreted it until my time should col
But in my ignorance of the law |
nix made terrible mistake. AS your t
=, progressed saw that my plan must t
~ and unless | made the whole shame
lad truth known you must die, Iresolveo
do it, and save you as | promised yol
the prison cell. But | was spared Il
be Secure in your arrest and probably {
III viction, the murderer's instinct led
art tramps to return to the scene OF Il
ad, crime. | saw them both in the gar
again. Fearing that they would csc
$ before help arrived, seized one of tn
ter He struggled, but was strong, an
nth was only by dealing me my death
and he tore himself away. They were quiz
captured, and the lesser villain, to :
rea- himself from the consequences of q
The Bile crime, confessed the whole. Th
The the story, Luke" she added fail
4 to "Now, if you have forgiven the
'bly girl who has atoned for her love
DRY her guilt with her life, kiss her that
Iher may die in peace,
the With tears in his eyes, Talbot
nose and Eiscol bnr Evo, with tho ont