Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-09-11

clasped tho girl in his arms; not seeing
how she shrauk in horror from his EN-
brace. --.-.-'--
ing" . ~
Nc" she murmured- hard it was
to make the words come through her
parched lips. I'll am summoned to-
morrow as a witness. Roger, I cannot ap.
pear on the stand against you, who have
been all to me, and there is but one way,
they say. You said you would wait, and
now If am your wife,
80" They are powerless to frighten you,
my own timid darling. Then you do love
me, Ruth, and I!have been twitting myself
all this time, thinking Ingram was my
rival.''
In his ecstasy Ofjoy he marked not tho
look of desolation that passed over Ruth q
face, nor did he deem gratitude and pity
were making her crush her heart and that
of another beneath her feet. If the gal
lows was to be his doom, had the faintest
suspicion Of the truth been forced upon
him he would have scorned to accept tho
sacrifice. He knew from her childhood her
horror of publicity, her dread of crowd Il,
and her clinging TO him to save her from it
was but a proof of tho deep love and trust
she bore him.
Drawing her gently to his side he said,
in voice that thrilled with love and teI-
derness !:
My wife-to claim now before the
world, l did not deem this prison cell
could hold SO much happiness. Il is a
poor bridal, We will have, sweetest-thc
groom tried for his lifc-but the shame
hat -. I
know my darling holds me guiltless and is
willing to stand at my side and call mo
husband, though men call mo fcion."
CHAPTER ".
In the morning once more Jasper In
gram brought Ruth to Roger Fenwick's S
cell, but they came not alone, for with
them was the heart-brOkcn mother, who
read in Ruth's tcrrOr-strickcn face some
thing that huShcd the questions on her
lips, and the gray-haircd old pastor, who
saw in this marriage another proof OF
woman's devotion, that grew brighter and
purcr when sorrow and suffering pressed
it sorcst.
There within the prison cell, tie first
ray:Of morning; touching as vi it'll, an aurcOlc
light the bowed head of the pale girl, who
knclt at his side, Roger Fcnwick was
married, proud and elate rs if lie knelt in
holy fame amid crash Of music and glare
Of light. lie had no fear for the future.
lie 1elt he would be acquitted, and Ruth's
trust in him was 4 joy such rs cOmoth in
few mems lives.
The words wcro spoken, the blessing
given. and Ruth FcRwick stood at her h,ls-
bands side but Gre tho words of con-
graduation were spoken, there arose on
the corridor II sound Of noise and confll-
sion. The door of the cell was thrown
open and Adds and Cuthbcrt rushed cx
citetlly in. For few moments there was
but i babel of tongues, all speaking cy.
citedly and ut once. Tho words "a mis-.
take! Ord arrived this morning. fell
upon her car, and Ruth, with :: look OF
hopeless desperation, fell fainting at Jas,
per Migrants feet.
Too late. How bitterly the wcitls
stamped themselves on Ruth's heart. How
their refrain sounded for days in spite OF
every effort to shut out the cruel past
she dared not think of, for now it would
be 4 sin and Ruth shranl1 from a stain OH
her soul, rs docs the sensitive plant from
human touch. She writhcd beneath tho
tortu!ing thoughts that would rush upon
her us the tale was often told in her pres
cnce-how Ord had returned in time to
prevent the trial, and had related how he
slipped from tho cliff into the stream be-
meath, and was carried by the stron @
current, and at the ford below he was
rescued in q half drowned condition BIZ
some workmen, who placed him on the
train and sent him to the city and he was
taken to the hospital, where he remained
for some weeks.
Ruth listened III dumb agony rs
they praised her devotion to Roger,
who seemed unable to live cut OF
her. presence, little dreaming Of
the bitter pain her heart was suffering.
No Indian at the stake bore the torture
more upflinchingly than this slight girl.
By no sign did her husband deem her un-
happy. One injustice she had done HIM
she had thought him guilty-and was now
determined her sacrifice should be COM
p!cte, though her check grew pale and her
hands tcemb!ed when her husband Won
derod why Jasper left tho place so suddenly,
without word of adicu, and why 'le
never wrote.
A few years crcpt on, bringing with
them +" Ruth wondrOus peace and happi.
ness. The past became as u dream.
She loved her husband with intellect
and with heart, q double love, stronger,
molt enduring probably than the wild
hero worship of her youth, and .s mother
hood came to render still closer and dearcr
the bond between them, there was not in
all St. Cuthbert's happier woman Ihan
Ruth Fcnwick. though oft when tie
passing bell would ring !: shadow
would fit across her face. Not that
the pain Of tho past was no: dead,
bn: for the pity of the sorrow it oueo held.
She would speak lovingly, tcndcrly of
Jasper, not because of the love !ie had
borne her, but Eo had been SO true, SD
staunch to dear Roger. His sacrifice was
now alone great because it had been made
Tor her husband, whose heart re;oiccd in
her
Adark cloud soon hung over MoiccomLc.
Tic tempest of war sounded through the
land, and Roger Fenwick, who never held
back when duty called, bade with aching
heart his wife and little ones atlicu. At
the head Of his regiment he boldly
marched to the front and was found wher
ever tho war tide swept the strongest
bearing it seemed. amid the hail of death
l charmed life, until one day, amid tho
shadows of the Blue Ridge they met the
'oe in a hand-to-hand fight. Ia his
lnxiety to hold the mountain height he
'hough int not of his own safety, scarcely
he had received a wound until
&c felt himself forced violently back, and
Jasper Ing,am, whom he had not seen for
'cars not since he stood by his side in the !
ell on the morning of his marriage.
hrcw himself betwcen him and death. re-
'eiying in his own heart tho blow that |
would have carried desolation to More
;ombe.