Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1884-05-22

l. -aTss
titled him to penal seryitude. He was
sentenced to seven years. and IJncle
took me home, full Of heavenly pitv and
forgiveness Tor the child who had treated
him so oIungratefully.Y
linen your husband is in prison p,'
said Gerald, in hard, strained voice.
IS mo, no, he il. dead! He died within
me trst year. Uncle Richard saw the
death IN paper and sent the money TO,
ms burial. No, am free; but none
the less / am the widow OF q convicted
but none the less," quoted Gerald.
"the woman I honor and love above
wife," - '-->'>o =
1t took, however, more than one inter.
view, full Of loves pleading, to win
Maude from her resolution. She 40
honored her lover. and was 30 proud Of
MS good name and position he 7had at
tanned by his talent, that her sensitive
nature shrank from even the shadow oi
her misery upon his life. But the vic.
tory was won at last, and the lawyer
walked home one evening full of aproud,
glad Joy, for Maude had then promised
to be his wife. ssH yon are willing tc
take Alexander Hun's widow to be your
wife, she said, s'I will not oppose you
any longer, for love you with all my
heart.
He had not thought but of that glad
triumph vixen he turned up the gas in
his office. He was in the habit of max.
ing last visit there before going up to
his bedroom, in case notes or messages
were left for him. One lay there on
this evening, a shabby looking envelope,
but directed in bold, handsome hand,
which he recognized at once. He tore
it open. After few words of introduc-
ton, the note ran:
!, "You did the lest you could on my trial. but
the facts were too strong for you. I have now
q last favor to ask you. Idle, as you know,
at noon tomorrow. You as my lawyer, can
see me at any time. Will you come as soon as
you receive this and win the gratitude Of the
man you know as JAMES Fox?"
"Theman know as James Fox, NUT.
tered the lawyer; ssthe smooth, plausi.
BILE scoundrel who actually made me be.
ieye him innocent of the hideous MUIR
der for which he was convicted. I can
find extenuation for some murderers,
but thiscold- blooded assassination of an
old man for money only was revolving.
How he deceived me, though, for q
time, and how he exulted oyer his sue.
cess in doing SO when he saw facts were
too strong. Shall I go to him? I sup
pose must. II is still very early"
1t was not yet midnight wnen 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 ar
ranged, his mustache faultless, his hands
white and refined looking. He arose
from his seat upon the bed as his law
yer entered the cell.
81 knew you would come" he said.
courteously, tthough 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?"
mot If l can grant it," was the re-
ply.
.sThis," said the murderer, /" ia not
my first offense against the law. Some
years ago 1 was sentenced to term of
years for forgery. By strange accident
/ escaped the penalty. On the same day
James Fox was sentenced to two years
for petit larceny, and we were sent to.
gether to prison. James Fox-my COM
panion, understand, not myself-was de.
ranged, 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 I saw the advantage to be
gained by the deception, and allowed the
error to pass. Ny companion committed
suicide, and escaped with two years.
imprisonment instead of seven. But I
feared recognition, and went to Canada.
There . lived by my wits until year
ago, whenI returned to try, to raise
money for my wife, and thought Isaw
an easier plan by committing the crime
for which I die tomorrow. But I want
to see my wife. I wronged her-I
robbed her-but heaven is witness I
love When she 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 Langtonif felt as if 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 for
ever. Never would she let him marry
! the widow OF murderer. Very rapidly
all the terrible facts passed, one after
the other, and he said: If you love her
why add amisery to her life? She may
live down the old pain you caused her;
why; for selfish qualification. will you
make her whole lite misery?'
s'She was my wife. I would bid her
farewell"
.sShe is not your wife. Your own
crimes have released her from any alle-
glance to you"
ssYou know her ?"
eyes. ] know what she has suffered.
and beg of you to let her still believe
you died years ago."
~ 'tShe is happy?"
ttScarcely that. Such wounds Of
hers never heal entirely, but it is cruel.
ty to tear them open when they are
quiet"
Has she married. 2"
s'No. She is still your widow.
"It is hard to deny myself one more
sight Of her face, and the hope I had
that she would say she forgave me-"
"Think of her, not yourself"
There was. q long silence in the cell.
Every throb Of Gerald Langton's
heart was pain to him, but Alexander
Hull sat in moody silence. evidently re-
luctant to give up his wish.
at last he spoke.
'sYou have been very good to me
Tell me, now, if you have any personal
reason for your request. Perhaps you
love her r.
II do," was the brief reply. "She
has promised to be my wife,"
"Then it will be James Fox who il
hanged tomorrow. I meant to give m,
real name, bnt 1 will carry my secret tc
my grave. 1t may be in another world
that the little last self denial will be {
plea for me. Go now. You may trus