Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-02-14

$4,000 Of Uncle Richards money from
the bank. don't think my uncle would
have prosecuted him had he guessed
who was the forger but he handed the
whole matter over TO the law as soon as
it was discovered that the check was
forged. 1t was then traced to Alexan-
der, and at the same time il was found
that he had robbed in the same way his
former employers. He had given up all
work upon his marriage; but when he
| found himself without money, his know
ledge of the business enabled him 10
forge the name of Derkiss & Co. Even
if Uncle Richard had spared him for nv
sake, the other forgery would have en-
titled him to penal servitude. He was
sentenced to seven years, and uncle took
me home full of heavenly pity and for
giveness for the child who had treated
him so ungratefully.
Then your husband is in PRISON.?
said Gerald, in hard. strained voice.
No, no, he is dead He died within
the first year Uncle Richard saw the
death in paper, and sent the money for
the burial. No, ] am free. but none
the less am the widow Of 4 convicted
felon
But, none the less, quoted Gerald
the woman | honor and love above all
Others, and hope still to make nv wife.
1t took however, more than one in
terview, full of loves pleading, to win
Maude from her resolution. She so
honored her lover, and was so proud Of
his good name and the position he had
attained by his talent, that her sensitive
nature shrank from even the shadow of
her misery upon his life
But the victory was won at last, and
the lawyer walked home one evening full
of proud, glad joy, for Maude had then
promised to be his wife.
If you are willing to take Alexander
Hulls widow to be your wife, she said.
| will not oppose you any longer, for |
love you with all my heart
He had no Thought but of that glad
triumph when he turned up the gas in
his Office He was in the habit of max
ing late visit there before going up to
his bedroom, In case notes or messages
were left for him. One lay there ON this
evening" shabby looking envelope, but
directed in bold, handsome hand which
he recognized at once.
He tore it open. After a few words
of introduction, the note ran:
"You did the best you could on my trial. but
| the facts we're too strong for you. have now a
| last favor to ask oil you. l die as you know at
| noon tomorrow. You, as my lawyer can see me
! at any time. Will you come as soon as Won re-
eeive This, and with the gratitude of the man you
Know IS JAMES Fox
The man | know US James Fox
muttered the lawyer, the smooth, plausi
bic scoundrel who actually made me be-
lieve him innocent Of the hideous muir
der for which he was convicted. | can
find extenuation for some murders, but
this cold-blooded assassination of an
old man for money only was revolving
How he deceived me, though, for time.
And how he exulted over his success
in doing SO when he saw facts were too
strong. Shall go to to him? | sup
pose | must 1t is still very early
1t was not yet midnight when Gerald
Langton was ushered into the cell of
the man who, in few short hours, was
to meet the extreme penalty of the law
for the worst of all crimes. Yet there
was nothing revolving in the appearance
of the criminal His dress was neat,
his hair carefully arranged, his nous
tachc faultless, his hands white and re-
fiued looking. lie rose from his seat
upon the bed when his lawyer entered
the CELL
i knew you would come, he said
courteously, though you were offended
at my want of frankness. Well, that is
all over You will not refuse the last
request Of dying man. Mr.. Langton?
Not if | can grant it, was the reply
This, said the murderer is not my
first offense against the law. Some
years ago | was sentenced to term of
years for forgery. BY strange acct
dent | escaped the penalty. On the
same day James Fox was sentenced to
two years for petty larceny, and we were
sent together to prison. James Fox
my companion, understand, not myself
was deranged, but his lawyers had not
been able to save him, as his alteration
was not always apparent, When We
were entered upon the books of the
prison, imagine my amazement when my
fellow prisoner gave my name for his
own. Like flash ] saw the advantage
to be gained by the deception and al
lowed the error to pass. My compan-
ion committed suicide, and | escaped
with two years Imprisonment instead of
seven But | feared recognition and
went to Canada. There | lived by my
wits until a year ago, when | returned
to try and raise money from my wife,
and thought / saw an easier plan by
committing the crime for which / die
tomorrow. But | want to see my wife
| wronged her-I robbed her-but
heaven is my witness, | love her. When
| was in prison she dropped my name
and took her own again. So it is not
for Mrs. Alexander Hull you must ask
but for Mrs. Maude Temple
Was the room reeling the ceiling
falling-the wall closing around him?
Gerald Langton felt that they were, as
the name fell upon his ears Maude-
his Maude-the wife of this cool villain
who talked of his hideous crimes as if
they were ordinary events? Well, he
knew that to carry this mans message
was to separate himself from Maude
forever. Never would she let him mar
ry the widow of a murderer Very
rapidly all of the terrible facts passed
one after the other, and he said: If
you love her why add a misery to her
life? She may have lived down the OLD
pain you have caused her; why, for a
selfish qualification, will you make her
whole life misery
She is my wife! | would bid her
farewell
She is not your wife Your own
crimes have release her from any allegi-