The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1881-06-18

house. With some women, Luke, love
IS gentle emotional meekness and
submission. Such love is my sister
Pearls. Other women love like evil
spirits, and their love is deadly TO them.
selves and all around them. / am one OF
those women, Luke. But do not mis-
take me. [ have nourished no vain
hopes since that dreadful night. There
is no longer any hope left me in this
world"
Poor girll' said Talbot, gently, eli
this be true, God knows L forgive you.
My own heart is sore enough to urge all
charity for you. |, too, have nothing
worth living for"
Yes, !" cried Parthenope, "you have
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, so she
could not but believe in your guilt. 1t
shall be Il part of my penance to restore
her to you.
"Then all will beforgiven and forgot-
ten, answered Talbot. "Rise, my poor
sister, and be comforted."
Comforted, she said, raising her
tear-stained eyes to his, "where shall l
find comfort in this world %
He stopped to rise her up, and would
have kissed her, but she drew back with
a bright spot on her haggard cheek.
:" Not now, she whispered; "not till
all wrongs are righted. Luke
With bowed head and lettering step
she left the CELL Three days later Tai
bot was taken into court and formally
acquitted.
young man." said the Judge, with
emotion, "your life has been saved at
the expense of a noble woman's. Go to
her and thank her for the sacrifice as
best you may, for your gratitude and
the worlds applause are as nothing to
her."
Fearing, he knew not what, Talbot
fastened to the Umer mansion. A sur
geon's gig was standing before the door,
and a weeping servant admitted him.
He was led into room where he saw
Parthenope lying upon sofa, and beside
her, holding one of her wan hands.
knealt Pearl, her frail form shaking with
sobs. One glance at the white face and
hollow eyes of the elder sister told the
sad story.
" What has happened?" he exclaimed.
"There is blood on your dress.
"She has received a wound in the
breast, said the surgeon, who stood
gravely by. "She is beyond human
aid"
81 have earned my pardon, Luke, -
murmured Parthenope, with q faint
smile. Even you Will forgive me now,
as Pearl has, for [ have told her all
There was good III my heart, even if it
took an assassin's knife to find it. [
knew you were innocent that night, for [
saw that the house had been entered by
thieves, and my father murdered by
them. But / hoped, by casting the
blame on you, to bargain for your love,
when L could offer you your life for it.
1t was mad hope. / might have
learned how futile it must be from nv
own heart. After you were taken away
[ searched the ground beneath the win
dow and found Il coat which one of the
Williams had flung off in his flight. /
recognized it as one which ] seen on
one of the two Migrants who had
been lurking about the place during
the day. L secreted it until my time
should come. But in my ignorance
of the law [ had made a terrible mis-
take. AS your trial progressed / saw
that my plan must fail, and unless /
made the whole shameful truth known
you must die. / resolved to do it, and
save you, as [ promised you in the
prison cell. But I was spared that.
Secure in VOur arrest and 1roba b1a ooD
vlctlon, the murderer's instict led the
tramps to return to the scene of their
crime. ] saw them both in the garden
again. Fearing that they would escape
before help arrived, | seized one of
them. He struggled, but [ was strong
and it was only by dealing me my death
that he tore himself away. They were
quickly captured, and the lesser villain,
to save himself from the consequences
of double crime, confessed the whole.
This is the story, Luke" she added,
family. CHOW, if you had forgiven the
poor girl who has atOned for her love and
her guilt with her life, kiss her that she
may die in peace"
With tears IN her eyes, Talbot bent
and kissed her. Even with the act, with
her soul upon his lips. Arising, he
looked sadly down at her, and said, in a
low voice:
Glove is mighty, for good or evil.
Gods peace be with her, for her love was
great"
And Pearl, hiding her tear-stained
face upon his breast, whispered:
Gas mine shall be-"