Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-05-17

WI WcChb hWu uos RubsVN 0OhVAO y
knew l had married the worst Of NO.
men.
Her friends visited us. What they
let fall revealed much Of the untruth
she had told me. She had again and
again told me she was my own age.
She looked older, but I had believed
her. In reality, she was eight years
my senior. At times she would rate
me like madwoman, when I mildly
protested against the character Of her
associates.
"At last l left her and began q suit
for divorce. settled upon her all I
was worth, and prepared to begin life
over again. But failed in my suit, for
the reason that certain witness died
before IL was called up. was then
plunged into callous despair. lived
BY myself in embittered solitude.
"For three years had lived with her;
the next three years we were apart
Then a friend Of mine. who was inter-
ested in ME. suggested other proofs
which might aid me in my cause.
Again I undertook to free myself.
MY lawyer, an old man. when mid
way in the case, also died. II seemed
as though the evil power the woman
exerted ever followed me to wrest my
weapons from my hands. Ayear pass
ed, and, my Rosa-we met. resolved
to make one more effort to separate
myself legally from my wife. This
done, meant to tell you all.
ii had taken steps for that purpose,
when the incident occurred which di-
vided us. Until all is over. l dare not
see you. She will surely make an At
tempt upon your life. But soon, soon,
hope, my Rosa Vou will forgive me,
dear one. for still calling you mineP)
soon l hope, all will be over. Then. II
you can forgive the deception, which
was maintained for your sake, love, for
would fain not have sullied your ears
with this tale until could ask you to
become my wifc-then, II, when all IL
over, you will"
"Allan!' The word, the shrek Of
warning, came too late.
At the feet Of the frenzied girl lay
her lover, bleeding, dumb, while before
her, vituperating and menacing, stood
the creature whose terrible face had but
once before met her own.
She had seen the swift-striding figure
the uplifted arm, too late to save the
man she most loved on earth tho blow
which felled him.
But his start of horror at Rosa's
glance had made him partly turn, 30
that the knife aimed to strike the heart
had penetrated the shoulder. The dag
ger had fallen to the earth.
Rosa, with power born OF the emer-
gency, snatched 1t, and lifting her arm
high above her head. advanced upon
the woman as though to plunge the
weapon in her breast
Death-like was her face; her eyes
CLEANED with fire savage as that Gre
ated by loves defence must be.
"You have killed him, him whom
love! Fear now for your own life"
But the woman, in abject terror, had
fallen upon her knees. This posture,
and the sudden thought that the assas-
sin must surely be q maniac, stayed her
hand.
"Fly!" she almost screamed, In her
overwrought voice. "Fly,n II you would
save your own life!"
But they had been heard, and some
men appearing upon the scene, Rosa
briefly explained, and the murderess
was taken into safe charge.
The bloody weapon fell from Rosa's
grasp as she bent over that beloved
form, whose white face lay turned To-
wards her in dumb appeal.
She thought him dead-lost to her
for ever-as she bent low there, sob
bing and moaning.
But the wound was not . fatal one;
the slight movement which Rosa's CRY
had caused had saved his life.
1t was weeks, however, before Allan
had recovered his former strength,
which much loss of blood had 90 re-
duced.
Visits from his brave Rosa kept hope
alive, and when at last he had fully re-
covered, he received from his lawyer
the papers which made him free man.
The attempt upon his life brought
down a sentence Of many years. I'm
prisonment for the perpetrator; but, by
reason of Allan's intercession. she was
pardoned, upon condition that she
would remove to distant part Of the
country, where indeed she might live
very comfortably upon the property
her husband had formerly settled upon
her.
At last, then, Allan Faulkner was
able to begin his life anew.
Dear had been the price he had paid
for the generous impulse of his youth.
Ten of the best years in . mans life
had been passed in deep misery or iso-
lated solitude.
But he felt at last he had bis reward
in the gentle lady by his side. In his
mind she held place doubly exalted
because Of his previous sad experience.
"Why do you love me so. AllanP"
was Rosa's oft-repeated question.
Because, darling, you are confiding
and true. Because with your beauty
you link frankness and soul that will
ever remain young, because 1t 10 pure.