The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1881-07-07
He spoke mournfuily, with singular

| He spoke mournfuily, with singular
| despair in his tones.
| Il do not quite understand what you
| mean, dearest" observed Regina, gently.
II wish I could lie sure you never
WOULD" was the bitter answer ooh,
my darling! my darling! it would have
been better for US had we been laid side
by side in the grave together than ever
to have come to this accurscd place.
When can we go away ;" she sighed.
tNever, fear" he replied in accents
of intensest anguish.
You brighten me-" she sobbed. as she
bent over her little child, sleeping as
sweetly on his tawby wolf robes as if
his bed had been of down and satin
This mystery is maddening. When
and how win il endg
AIlstOo soon an answer came to that
bitter cry of grief.
Late that afternoon Walter Dugald
reeled across the threshold, his face
deadly pale and smirched with blood,
one arm hanging shattered and limp by
his side
What has happened? Where is Ru-
fEgP' shrieked Siba.
4'he end ! predicted for your hus-
band has come" WAS the hopeless ans
wer. His retreat is discovered He
VIII come shortly with homie of
mounted officers, like a pack of blood
hounds at his heels. His escape is i'm.
pGssible. The passage through the cave
to the river is guarded It is known
that the implements of his nefarious
trade are in the subterranean rooms
We can only wait our DOOM"
Siba was once more the savage, unrea-
soning and tempestuous creature of other
days.
"our doom is to die togcther," she
cried, shrilly. " My husband will never
be taken iivingn'
Walter shuddcrcd. Only Regina and
her innocent babe did not know uf the
powder kegs stored in the cave for this
contingency
MY darling wife, if you live and
would save our child, take him and
hurry away from this fated house Siba
is insane with passion and agony, and
she will surely fire the powder if Rufus
has no time to do so. Go, beseech youm
II will never leave you" she avOwed,
with firmness he knew could not be
shaken.
~ should think you would hate and
abhorme," he groaned.
"For what ?" she inquired. in simple
wonder.
"Ah, you do not know" he moaned
again. You do not yet know how that
fiend bound me IN bonds of steel His
herds and folds were myths. He is
professional cOunterfeiter; but this he
did not allow me 10 surmisc even, until
l was pOwcrlesS to leave him without
denouncing him. and that l could not
have done without being accused as a
willing or unwilling accOmplIce. Then
l engraved my first plate-doing evil
that good might come-that might pro-
taNw Enmw~. IL,
away, home, or to some strange and dis
tant land, where could once more be-
come an honest man. May heaven par
don and help me! failed, and this is
the end"
Regina kissed him tonderly, and her
plying tears fell fast and thIckly upon
his CHASTITY face.
Just then the thunder OF ir0n-shod
hOofs ratified up the stony ravine
Through the low, open door they saw
Rufus Falconbridge turn suddenly in
his saddle, and Lift his rifle, deliberately
aim and fire.
The next mement the multitudinous
reports of revOlvers echoed along the
rocky hill walls, and rain of deadly
balls whizZed about him. Then the man
WIN had tempted and destroyed the
doomed penitent over whom poor Regina
was weeping, reeled in his saddle and
fell dead beside his dying horse.
A wOman's wild Shrek of love
and despair. of rage and vengeance, was
heard, and Siba sprang past them toward
the cave followed by the officers. To re-
venge her dead she must perish too; to
revenge her dead the innocent must per
ish with her.
A moment passed and then great
explosion rent the rocky mountain side.
A volcanic blaze of crimson flame and
orange fire. and then a pail of smoke
and an awful silence settled over the
place of tragedy.
MiraculOusly, there was one survivor
"A small, dark WOman-a maniac, with
fierce eyes and whitcned hair, survived
% gibbef forever of the human passions
and softosTs and aims that had cn7Iesl with