New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-06-08
WHOLE NUMBER 178.
You ask me that, Rossl Oh, my

"You ask me that, Rossl Oh, nv
love, do you not understands
no" he replied, slowly; ''indeed.
l do not am sure only of one thing,
and that is that you did not do it,
Still she chung to him with quivering
lips and trembling hands.
"Oh, my love," she cried, $. think for
me! III am frightened now, and I
knew no fear beforer'
Enlightened, Leaml You need not
fear. II I had been well and strong,
instead Of stricken with fever and
crippled with broken limbs, you should
never have been sent here. As it is, I
will move heaven and earth to free you.
On, Lean, my. love, my darling, why
did you say that you had committed
| such a crime?'
She raised her head from his breast,
and looked at him.
You will be angry, and shall be
frightened" she said. ell did not
stop to think. l heard all they said;
and, though I'did not think that you
were guilty, it seemed to me that you
must die. did not stop to consider,
Ross: my darling. Do you not under
stand?'
For a few seconds the two stood in
perfect silence, looking into each others
eyes.
II begin to see,'' said Ross, slowly.
Perhaps, in the impulse of the mo-
ment, hearing the. Overwhelming evil
dence there was against me, you thought
me guilty?''
''Icannot remember my own thoughts
clearly. I only knew that you were in
danger. remember that, when Lady
Cumnor pressed home to you one thing
after another, and l saw the faces Of
the people around you growing dark,
and heard how they muttered and MUIR
INJURED against you, said to myself:
If he did it, it was in one of those hot
passions of his when he does not count
the cost of what he says and does I
remember that"
"nr" he repeated, reproachfully.
ibid you say IT, Lean? Did you
that had hurt that poor little childp"
II cannot tell. My only clear thought
was that you were in danger. You
know, Ross, into what terrible passions
you fly sometimes. In one of those you
might, BY an angry word or gesture,
have frightened the child. and so caused
him to fall into the water. That idea
did once fash across me.''
"But, if he had fallen in, should
have rescued him. Should stand by
and see child drowned, do you thipkp:,
"Oh, my love, forgive me! did not
reflect. l only knew that you were in
danger. 1heard-forgive me If pain
you, Ross-a man close behind me in
the crowd say, He did it; Is sure as
fate he did it. He drowned the little
one, and he viii be hanged for it.
Then I did not stop to think another
moment; I did not care. thought only
Of saving you; my own life seemed less
than nothing to me. Ny love, l cared
only for you. I stood before you and
said that was guilty; it was done in
the agony of the moment"
But. Lean, you said so clearly that
before Heaven you were guilty of the
child's death. How could you say chat
If it was not true?''
She looked at him steadfastly.
1t was true" she said-'' true in
this way. A short time after you had
taken the child upon the lake Sir Aus
ten came to me, and we talked about
little Hugh. told him that I thought
you had Him with you on the mere, and
he seemed very pleased. The little
fellow likes the water he said. He
asked me yesterday to take him out,
and did 80. But, Learn he added,
am always rather nervous about him.
Go down yourself, and take him from
Ross when they land promised
would, but l did not; and so, by break
ing my promise, 1 was indeed guilty of
the child's death. If I had told Sir
Austen that could not 60, he would
have gone himself; and then little Hugh
would have been living"
But" said Ross, 81 sent the boy to
you, Lean! When l drew the boat up
on the bank, I saw you at distance,
standing near the elm-trees. Do you
remember being there?'
Eyes, remember it WELL" she re-
piled. II stood there for some min
utes-I was listening to the music; but
the child never came to me. I never
saw him; and Ihad forgotten all about
Sir Austen's injunction. Look at it
which way you will either that he fell
in, or that some cruel hand pushed
him in-1 am guilty; it all happened
through my carelessness.
Then you never saw him, Lean?
He did not come to you?''
"No, I never saw him, Ross. If
had seen him, he would have been lv-
ing now"
=. dearest Lean, you have given your
life for nothing! The child could not
have fallen In Immediately after leav-
ing me. If he had, he would fallen in
near the bank. He was found in the
middle of the lake where the water
lilies grow, and he had water-lily in
his hand. Some one must have rowed
him out to them" And again they
looked at each other in mute amaze
| ment.
If neither of them had done it, who
was guilty? The child had most GER
tainly been taken upon the water; the
fact of his having been found in the
middle of the lake proved it.
1t seems to me-" said Ross, "that
the little fellow was lost when l sup
posed that he was with you. He must
instead of going to you, have wandered
back to the lake.
II wish had obeyed Sir Austen and
gone to look for him. remarked Lean.
"We are both guilty, Ross"
But not of taking his life, thank
Heaven-not Of taking his life, Leamv'
mo" she said, solemnly, "not of
taking his hfe."
"And now" continued Ross, 1--WE
have to find out who was with the lit
tie fellow. The child was taken back
to the mere by some one. Who was
it2 No one would have onx, int oroo< IN
killing the boy. It is mystery. Do
you remember that just at that time,
Lean, there was nobody near tho
mere! The band was playing in anoth-
or part of the grounds, and every one
had gone to hear it. -
s remember" said Lean; 81 am
not likely to forget that day.
But Lean, continued Ross.
how am to forgive youa Do You
know the deadly peril that you placed
L IA 81 " n n 81.