The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1881-09-22
EVER FAITHFUL.

j 81 am so sorry, Leonard. I thought
you knew all about it, and that v0ur
/ kindness 10 me was prompted BY pure
friendship, You do not blame me, do
Vou?''
Leonard Carstone gazed IN instant
I rrgretfully into the sweet, though
troubled face of the speaker; then he
canght her hand impulsively and wrung
it until she could have cried with pain
so passionate was his earnest pres
SUR
''No. Lucy, I don't find any fault
with you, Il wss nIy own hopes that
deo"ivcd me, Nov I think of it, YOU
have acted toward me Ike a sister-not
like a girl in love, God bless YOU and
make you happy with the man you
have chosen to be your husband" "
A sudden, startled look in Lucy's
eyes caused him to relinquish her hand,
and turn to sea what had caused the
change Of expression.
A young man in gamekeeper's attire,
1 with a doublo-baTeled gun under his
arm, opened the door, and pausing on
the threshold, now stood regarding
them with a look of mingled surprise
and anger.
'Ts It you, Ralph?" Leonard said.
81 thought by Lucy's face it was a less
welcome intruder" Then no turned
/ to her. Goodbye, and remember
/ what I have Just said. If YOU ever
/ want friend, Just let me know and
IIl come to you through fire Orwater."
| Then lie brushed past the newcomer,
1 in lis Disappointment and agitation
hardly giving him another glance.
Ralph Hunter made a motion as
| though be would restrain him, but
| seemed TO take q secOld thought, and
stool watching him with a balaful
lock in his black eyes. Then he caught
Lucy by the arm.
ANSWER me % question, and answer
lrGiy, mF girl, or You'll rue it, ne
said, stornly, "Was that fellow maxi
ing loyo to you?''
SOmething in her lovers face made
Lucy hesitate before answering. She
knew Of his vindictive, passionate tenn
per, although to ler, until now, he had
ever been rs gentle as q lamb. IN
deed, it had been the main source Of
his attraction to her-rhe idea that one
so rough and unmanageab.e in Ot@ep
hands should be so dociie ia her own.
Her hesitation now was for LeOnard's
sake. She did not wish to have any
harm come TO the fair-faced youth
whose only offence consisted in havin-
placed his affections upon one who was
already betrOthed to another.
But her momentary delay in answer
ing was sufficient TO iu1ame RalDh's
anger to IN Ungovernable point. He
had seen Leonard holding her hand,
and had imagined his eager words 10
be the outpourings of pussian, instead
Of q remuneration af his hopes.
His face paled to the very lips.
Il see how it is!' he Missed through
his half-clOsed teeth; 'that baby
checked lad has come with his daudi-
fed ways and won away my treasure!
I'll have my revenge upon you botir'
As he spoke he rushed madly out Of
the door, intending, it was evident, to
follow Leonard anu shoot him.
But Lucy was too quick for him. Al
though too frightened to speak, she
eaught Lin by the arm and arrested
bis frantic pursuit, trying to force the
words that would explain all satisfac-
torily from her lips. But they refused
to obey her bidding. 1t was rs though
they had been paralyzed.
'Tben, If you will interfere between
me and my just anger, take the cOnse-
quenCesi If you do not love me you
shall not make anyone else happy, as 1
am living MANI
a shot rang out through the room,
and poor innocent Lucy was its target!
Without a moan she sank down, all the
color fading out from her pretty face,
and leaving 1t rs white as the snow
that covered the wintry landscape that
held the earth in its icy mantle.
When the infuriated man saw what
looking down ut his victim. Then he
turned the muzzle of his gun toward
his own heart, and without 4 word,
emptied the remaining barrel into it.
The sound of the first shot hal
reached LeOnarUs ears, and while
pausing ins'inctively to discover from
what direction it came, he heard the
other. Could it be from The Uottagef
He has,eEsG back, and this was the
terrible sight that confronted him-ex-
tended upon the floor lay the two, 10
all appearance, lifelass bodies of those
whom he had but Just left in the prime
Of health and strength.
The cottage was a lonely one, siluat-
ed Mt quite q distance from any other
dwelling. But the young man knew
that Lucy's father and brother were
usually ut work in the field close hv,
and before long they came fastening
home with o mipgling OF surprise and
aIarm ljDon their faces; for the double
report had reached their ears also.
Leonard met them at the sdOor, and
told them what had happened in a few
brief wOris.
RaIph's gun had done its work well
upon himself lie was shot through
tic heart, and death had followed al
most instantaneously, But life was
not extinct in lucy altlOurh it was
long before she came ont Of the state Of
Inconsistencies which was so ike
death as to deceive all but the more ex-
parienced doctor.
She hal received but a slight flesh
wound. But the vital forces were ut (
7uch a low ebb that it was s.ill a qIes- /
ion rs to Whether life or death would
prove the victor.
After few days, however, the scales
gradually turned toward recovery. But |
She could not bear the sound of a foot
step near her, excepting that of her
gentle nurse.
At last she grew strong enough to
say a few words at a time. Then she
sent q message to Leonard,
"Tell him, she said, slowly, and
with difficulty, her voice now aud then
failing from weakness, so that the in
tent ear of the listener had to supply
some of the words from her own mag
ination-"tell him to 90 away so far
from EsTs B1HbE win never expect to