The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-03-09

him; the mute appeal in his eyes was
useless; on, on, until he reached the
door; then, turning mechanically to undo
the fastening, he went out into the night
without another look, out in the pitiless
rain, and was cold as stone.
II watched him walk off slowly into
the darkness. 1 strained my eyes to
catch the last glimpse, and when the
gloom enveloped him, tainted.
Chow long lay there do not know
When came to my senses the ram had
ceased, and the stars were shining
calmly. A distant church clock began
to strike the hour, and I counted the
strokes-one, two, three.
"All night long I sat in my chamber.
I did not move, did not think. l felt
as if hot iron had scared my heart and
brain. The gray morning broke and
found me sitting there. The sun rose
and danced upon my nerveless fingers,
but moved them not. To have looked
at me, one would have thought that l
was dead.
cat last staggered to my feet, and,
passing out into the now busy street,
walked mechanically, without the exer-
else of any reasoning faculty, toward the
residence of Talford, I asked for May,
and was shown into the parlor. I was so
unobservant of sound or sight that did
not know she was in the room until,
touching me on the arm, she asked me in
a strange, cold voice what the matter
was. 1 started at the sight of her face; it
was haggard as that of q ghost.
May managed to say, last
night
"But she stopped me.
"'Last night, Mr.. Hardin. You
need not tell; 1 know it ALL
'You?'
Yes, she answered, II I, May Tai
ford, know it all. And listen to me,
John Hardin
''Her eyes cleaned wildly, and I. who
had come to speak, remained to hear.
Listen to me, John Hardinr she re.
peated. L love Henry StraffOrd-he
loves me- Even ut that did not move
She continued:
"'Last night he came to tell me fare
well forever
"'Foreverr
"'Wait! Yes, forever! He could not
help loving me, nor him; but we could
do our duty, and if you had not been
passing last night, that farewell would
have sealed the marriage tie of John
Hardin to Mary Talford. That is all.
As you told him last night 1 tell you
now-go! We owe you much, and if the
debt has not been paid you have your
self to blame. Once more, my last word
to you is-go!
"She came toward me with that wild
CLEAN in her face, and before her,
slowly retreating, passed out at the
door. have never seen her since.
81 knew then how much these two had
intended sacrificing for me. 1 felt how
l had repaid their devotion; and sadly,
with bowed head, unheedful of the
crowd, went to my lonely home, more
lonely now than ever.
'Since that day my remorse has
driven me from one place to another in
the search for Henry Stanford. Vain
search And my heart is ashes, my
brain is ice! have never seen or heard
of him since that night when watched
him pass away, laden with my curse
pass away forever from my sight with
that appealing look on his face. A bitter,
bitter world, my dear, when remorseful
memories haunt the vacant chambers of
the heart"
The fire had burned low; my Cousin
John sat with bowed head upon his
breast, and the diamond in his hand,
clutched tightly, shone like the eye of
basilisk. The shadows danced fam
tastically on the wall. 1 bent down qui-
city to stir the waning fire, and that
done rose to go; but something in the
attitude of the recumbent figure caused
me to pause. crept reverently up to
him and touched his arm; no movement.
A wild fear leaped to my heart; raised
his head, but the gray eyes opened not;
he slept-but it was the sleep of death.
The story of the diamond ring was ended;
my cousin was dead!