Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-02-14
CHAPTER XIX.

| -
| CHAPTER XIX.
| "FOR HIS SAKE, NOT FOR NINE"
Late in the afternoon, two days after
ward, Margaret went into the school
room. Rupert had never been re-
moved from there. His coffin stood
now on low stand in the center,of the
darkened room, which had always been
considered peculiarly his room. and
which contained all his books, and the
other objects he had cared for; his lit
tie collections of stones and fossils and
minerals and plants-all the things
with which he had been wont to while
away, or try to while away his hours of
lassitude and pain. A sob rose in Mar
garet's throat. as she went forward,
and saw the orderliness of each thing,
| and realized that his poor little pale
hands would never disturb them more.
The men We're coming that night to
close up forever this his last narrow
| resting place, and she wished before
that to lay on his breast some flowers,
and once more to touch his forehead
with her lips in farewell. She carried
| in her hand a bunch of white and yell
low narcissi his favorite flowers. How
often they had smiled together. over the
myth of the beauteous' youth who had
gazed upon his. own reflection in the
wells dark depths, until at last he had
! shall never die of that Margaret" he
used to tell her. with his half-cynical,
half-amused little laugh. ....
Slowly, after looking upon the cold
and quiet face of the dead boy, she
L.
breast and over his folded hands, in the
shape of a rude, but simple cross. Her
| tears streamed upon them. as she went
on with the work, until she was almost
blinded, and had at last to cease for
moment. Covering her face with her
handkerchief, she wept for awhile. AT
IAlast, looking up, she perceived that she
was not alone. Louis was standing on
the other side of the still figure, and
looking at her in silence
''Have you, too, come to take a last
good-byeg' asked Margaret, scarcely
above a whisper.
'.Yes, could not let him go without.
l am glad you are putting more flowers
there.
With q quick, impulsive movement.
Margaret held out toward him those
which still remained in her hand.
'.Will you not finish it," she said.
He took the flowers from her; their
hands and eyes met at the same time.
Louis were dark and troubled; Mar
garet's were in mist of tears. He
placed all the rest of the flowers, and
then, folding his hands, looked Mt her
again. and presently said in low voice,
and one which was not altogether
steady:
Margaret, I have sinned against you
but L have repented in all humility.
Can you forgive ne-for his sake, if not
for mine?''
The words were familiar in Margaret's
ears. She had said them herself. His
mother had be@aed her to come to
them. ''if not for my sake, for
Rrsbert's.'' Now Louis used them.
Many things had been done, many for
given, 'for Rupert's sake" She held
out her hand. saying TREMENDOUSLY:
''For both. Louis, and freely, if you
will extend the same grace to me-"
eff you think you need it, yes" he
answered.
Rupert 'tsleeps well'' after the '.fitful
fever of his young life. Never again
had Margaret Darlington and Louis
Baldwin any great quarrel. after their
reconciliation that afternoon. Yet in
the years that came afterward, of their
welded life, though they chung to-
gether, there were moments of disillu-
sion that were almost terrible. 1t is
not q perfect marriage-how many such
marriages are ever consummated? But
it is very fairly successful marriage,
as marriages go.
1t was long time before John MALTA
to try whether the ghost had been faith
fully exercised. Many things hap
pened to him in after days, but this is
not the place in which they will be re-
corded. }&l&El5 a<}2' -t{L|
will maintain that she knew Margaret
Darlington would make mess Of her
affairs when she was left to her own
guidance-that she might certainly have
had Maurice Biddulph if she had PLAYED
her cards properly, and that in any case
she ought to have made brilliant mar
riage.
The Baldwins and the Biddulphs are,
and are likely to remain, on terms
amicabIe if not cordial. Mrs. Biddulph
has SO far become accustomed to the
glories of her new position that it rather
annoys her than otherwise when her
husband tells her with amiable patron
age that she makes a very good wife,
and is a favorable specimen of "pro-
motion by merit Louis Baldwin has
never got quite reconciled to his wife's
fortune, nor she to his dislike of it.
ee 1.-THE END. Il
Il
A Mormon settlement in Idaho is
fiya r,iIaS 1opr extending from Clifton