The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-09-12

creature SO plain before nlv ewes 49,
sank to the ground and covered r,-.
face.
CAS- weeks and months and year,
passed on" he went on slowly. "ber
cheeks grew so thin and pale. and .
hungry look came into her eyes. I SOU,
she was pining, and wrote letter n
you, but no word could we hear. Tbaro
came to me in little letter, directed n
both of us, a draft of five thousand doi
lars, with not word to tell how Nv
from whom it came. OF course wa
knew it came from you, but whether
gift or legacy, who could tell? We in.
stituted new inquiries. Nothing that
love could suggest was left undone. Al
last we were forced to conclude tha,
you were dead. By my advice tbo
money was invested in small farm,
some distance from San Francisco. and
Susy went to live on it, while | Starraj
out on sort of wandering, vapabon5
life in the hope of at least finding Won.
grave, for we never believed YOU wer.
alive all these long years and never lei
us hear from you. That life have lived
for fifteen years, returning once in three
or four years to see to the comfort ~
Susy; and now | have found you"
''YOu have found me-" / interrupted
''a wreck miserable wretch. who has
blasted three lives by his criminal weak
ness, his childish crednlity in believing
evil, and who will soon rid the earth az
his presence"
l started to go. for, verify, DESPAIR
had seized upon me. That should
have believed that horror for so MANI
years, and find it a stupid mistake; that
should have thrown away my life fine
blessed love of my true wife, the warm
affection of my brother, for an idle
scandal 1t was too much for me Ia
endure.
Robert laid OBTAINING hand on NV
arm as | moved away.
''But Susy, Ralph; what shall | say To
the loving little woman who has suffer
ed so many long years for your
Let her still believe me dead, Robert -
I replied gloomily.
NAY, brother, let me rather restore
you to her. Ralph. go home, and let Us
be so happy together as to partly make
up for these years of mistakes and
grief
Well. he leased me, and soon | was
eager enough myself. Now the cold |
had despised was valuable, as it could
add to Susy's comfort. gathered it up
and we started for home. Home! | had
not spoken the word for fifteen years.
As we went, Robert tried to prepare
me for change in Susy.
''She has had life of sorrow as well
as you, my dear brother, and YOU must
remember she isn't the girl of eighteen
you left. She is nearly forty years old"
AS l drew near l seemed to grow
young again, and L wanted to rush
through without stopping a minute.
But Robert refused; he wanted TO get
me into civilized clothes and under the
hands of barber. He wouldn't take
such a wild man of the woods to little
waiting wife.
So we stopped a few hours in San
Francisco. / had my long white hair
and beard trimmed, and my dress ar
ranged to suit Robert, and FASTENED on
toward home
As we approached the blessed SPOT
where my darling lived could scarcely
breathe, and L dreaded to brighten her
to death. In sight of the house, | sent
Robert ahead to tell her, and baselv
hid in the shrubbery where | could look
IN through the open window.
There she was! The same dainty
ngure-the same loVely face; but dressed,
oh, my God! in widows weeds, and her
bonny brown hair thickly sprinkled with
silver. L saw the rapid conversation.
saw the color come quickly to her
face, then leave it pale as death. saw
her turn to the door and fly; sprang to
meet her, and-and--
Well, should like to tell aboutthat.
And what said that little woman when
she knew that L had remained away all
these long years, had blasted her life
love, made deep misery for all by my
stupid belief of piece of gossip that
even to hear repeated she shrank from
as though it would wither her life?
With quivering lips she said,-
Dear Ralph, let US forget the past.
This dread suspicion has wrought its
work of sorrow upon US both. 1t has
been fearful mistake, but we may be
happy again in each others love"