Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-12-18
SHINING FOR LOVE.

SHINING FOR LOVE.
Over hill, and dale, and soft green
meadows, fell the golden haze of a
summer afternoon. A dreary silence
filled the air, unbroken save by the
hum of the bees and twitter of the birds
in the trees.
Under the branches of dropping
tree girl was standing, a girl fair and
young, more than passing fair. Only
at this moment the beauty of her face
was married by the expression of bitter
hate that darkened it, while her eyes
rested on slight eminence that rose
few steps away.
She was in the shadow, and ON the
hill another lady and a gentleman
were standing.
The girl, Cleta Manners, watched the
lovers, for such Hester Leigh and Guy
Singleton most certainly were, her
eyes glowing, her breath coming quick,
her short, little hands clenched convul-
sively.
..She will never be his wife!n she
cried passionately; sbeforc that /
would take her life with my own
hands.
Suddenly, almost at her side, there
broke forth, low, clear, and sweet, and
full of an almost agonizing pathos, a
girls voice in the ballad:
''Do not trust him, gentle lady.
Though his voice be low and sweet;
Heed not him who kneels before thee,
Gently pleading at thy feet
A swift change passed over Cleta
Manvers's face, and she turned in the
direction of the sound and came face
to face with the singer, a gypsy girl of
perhaps eighteen, II girl with rich,
dark loneliness, but whose face was
pallid, and whose great dark eyes were
full of pain and despair, as well as
madness.
Cleta laid her hand on the girls
shoulder
Have you seen him yet,n she said;
"haye you seen Guy Singleton?N
The girls eyes grew wild.
Il will never find him, never, never!
| have wandered far and near, but L
see him not. He is gone. gone for
ever; but | must find him. and then
she turned in the direction she had
come, and fled down the pathway.
Cleta looked after her.
lis fove woman's curse?n she said
Has it been yours as well, fair
Cleta?" and pair of dark, flashing
eyes were looking into hers, and a
dark, hooking face smiled at the ter
ror that actually whitened her lips.
A low cry left her lips
Vernon Singleton alicen' she
gasped.
"a Hoo o,1 ruaN and ~ s,e.a,;
ever" he answered.
''As liendish," she said; then sudden
ly: Il thought You dead, and you are
here
'And gloried in the thought, no
doubt; and here | am. my beloved
wife.
Her eyes flashed.
''Do not dare to repeat -i,at,' she
said. Il am not your wife. There was
nothing in that ceremony that bound
child you a child, mad with passion
and pain.
''let woman enough for that pain to
come from love, and unrequitcd love,
rs it is still, see;' aud his eyes rested
on the eminence where Hester and Guy
still stood. unconscious of the watch
ers.
Il am afraid he is lost to you for
certain, now even if | did exist no
longer think you may give up, my
Gear. " Then changing his manner:
Listen, Cleta," he said; II will never
claim you if you help me in this plot. y
"What is it?n
Vernon talked low and earnestly for
6. while, and Cleta listened silently.
meet me here Tonight, . he said in
conclusion, land we will settle the best
way to manage it. -
The next instant she was alone again
IA new tempest of rage in her bosom.
1.-The fool!'' she said; docs he think
| would trust himp He has signed his
own death-warrant.
She met him that night, and listened
while he further explained his plan.
The moon shone pale and high, but
as he turned to leave her it passed
behind a mountain of clouds, and
them
Then pistol cleaned in Cleta's
white hand, a shot rang out on the
night air, and the man fell forward
dead-shot through the heart
The woman bent over him. Yes, he
was dead
Down below, the river ran deep and
dark, and without moments hesita-
ton, with almost superhuman exer-
ton for her, she dragged him towards
it.
1t was terrible work, but she never
paused, though her face grew pallid,
her eyes wild with fear
One last eifort-a terrible ominous
thud. The body had sunk below the
water.
She went home and entered as she
had left, unobseryed, and threw her
self on the couch, not to sleep, but to
think of her crime and wonder was she
safe.
She was aroused, however, in few
hours, for she had fallen at length into
a deep doze, by the cries of Hester.
Come quickly Hester cried; s'uncle
is dying. Be quick, Cleta.
Cleta leaped to her feet, her heart
beating. Only an old man dying. All,
heaven, what had she feared? Even to
her soul she feared to whisper that.
Yes, their uncle, or more properly
speaking, their grand-uncle, was dying,
nay, almost dead, the kind old man
who had brought them up from child
hood.
Where is-where is GuyPn the dy-
ing man said.
In few minutes his adopted son
stood at the bedside.
The old man who had been more
than father to him, and was a dis
tant relation, for the true namc as well
as name by adoption of Guy was Sim
gleton, was almost past speaking, but
he pointed to the girls.
Either of them, Guy, for you-you