Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-08-23
"Mr. Oliphant is dead-kis wife is

| Mr. Onpnant is OeaO-MS WIG Il
missing. Come at once"
He obeyed. Before such dread It'd
ings as this even his resentment fell
away. The cottage was very still when
he reached it. In one shadowy cham
Der all that was mortal of Power Oil
plant lay, with a peaceful smile on the
marble lips. The servants. in decorous
black, went softly in and out, and still
the mysterious absence of the one who,
above all others, should have been there,
was unaccounted for. Launt listened,
almost without speaking, while his
grandmother told what there was to
tell.
Il muss see, Dana,' he said, then
.Send her to me, to the library. How
does she bear it?'' t,.
"No one knows" Madame Earring.
ton responded, in an aggrieved tone.
"No one has seen her since she shut
herself up hours ago, but perhaps she
will see YOU"
She did. She came gliding in sooner
than he had expected. with somber gar
ments trailing about her, her wan white
face and desolate eyes appealing to him
in this great trouble, as they never had
in her happiest hours. For one mo-
ment he forgot everything except his
love for her.
"My darling! My own! My poor,
lover broke over his lips.
! She recoiled as if he had struck her a
blow. ~
"Don'tr' she said. 81 can't bear Is
now. Look here; have your letter IA,
want you to tell me Just what it means
loI
up?'
She waited for him to speak, but nc
answer came.
''Shall l tell you, then, that 1 know
the reason, that have heard my owe
history for the first time to-day 1t is
enough, perhaps, to turn most men, but
l could not believe, Launt-without this
letter l could not believe even Mef
would turn you. If it were you now, il
l were in your place and you were III
mine, what do you think would sayP"
A groan. which he could not repress.
was wrung from Launt's tortured soul.
How mean-how mean and despicable
he must appear in her sight.
would say" she went on, "s Ia
trouble, in sorrow, even in dark dig
grace, you are dearer to me than all thu
rest of the world = would have be-
lieved you would say it to me but for
your own written words. | hardly be-
lieved them until saw you; now l az.
convinced.'
Heaven knows, Dana he was
beginning, but she silenced him with a
look.
Il would have said that had our cases
been reversed, but / have come to tell
you. if you had not already decreed that
we must part, should do so now. Yes,
had you been true, no pleading, no
prayers of yours, would have led me to
forget how impossible it is now for me
to become your wife-more impossible
than you know. Though it had dragged
out my heart, l should have sent YOU
away. You might have seemed brave,
and escaped a low marriage still. This
is what l have come to tell youths
and one thing more: 1t would be mere
mOckery for you to remain here now.
Go away. and leave me to mourn my
dead-if | can. That he Is dead seems
the one thing have to thank Heaven
for to-day.'
This last in a dropping tone. quite liz
audible to him; then she turned swiftly,
without awaiting any reply, and Launt
was left alone.
The next morning the cottage was de-
serted. The funeral cortege left at an
early hour for the Philadelphia resi-
dence, and two days later. Power Oil
plant was laid at rest within the somber
precincts of Laurel Hill.
TO BE CONTINUED.