Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-05-08

go in
i followed her. 1t was so completely
the rule for me to spend the evening
with her that | did not even wait for an
invitation Ii was our custom to play
and sing together for an hour or two.
Pauline's first expressed desire after her
recovery had been for piano. Believ-
ing herself to be an heireSs she had felt
no scruple IN asking for all she wanted,
and my instructions to Priscilla being
that no money was to be spared in min
istering to her comforts, piano had
been sent from the nearest town.
All her skill had returned to her.
Her voice had come back even stronger
and more sweet than of old. Again and
again she held me entranced as she had
held me once before, when little ex-
pected the fearful ending to her song,
or that my fate and the singers were so
closely interviewer.
| was surprised, therefore, when this
evening she turned on the doorstep and
said: Not tonight. Leave me, please,
for tonight"
/ urged no objection. / took her
hand and babe her farewell until the
morrow. would go and wander by
starlight and think of her.
As we parted she looked at me
strangely, almost solemnly.
Gilbert" she said, speaking in
Italian-for Priscilla was now standing
at the open door-"shall l pray for the
past to return or that / should never
remember it? Which will be the best
for me-and for you?"
| Without waiting to hear my reply,
she glided past Priscilla, who stood
waiting for me to follow her.
Good night, Priscilla" l said, dan
not coming in"
mot coming in, Master Gilbert! Miss
Pauline will be vexed."
s'She is tired and not quite we'll You
had better go to her. Good night.
! Priscilla came out to the doorstep
and closed the door behind her. There
was something in her manner which
told me she meant on this particular &C.
casion to resume what she could of that
authority she had been delegated to ex-
ercise over me during my tender years
an authority did not dare to dispute
until long after l had been invested with
jackets and trousers. | have no doubt
but she would have liked to seize me by
the collar and give me a sound shaking.
As it was she was obliged to content
herself with throwing world of sorrow
full indignation into her voice.
''She may easily feel i'll, poor young
lady, when her husband lives at one
house, and she at another And here s
everybody roundabout trying to find out
what relation you two are to each other
asking me all sorts of questions and
muslin say you are husband and wife. "
'.No-not yet.
''Well, I'm going to, Master Gilbert.
If you won't tell the poor young lady,
shall. I'll tell her how you brought her
home and sent for me to take care OF
her-how you tended her and waited on
her all day long-how you shut yourself
up for her sake, never seeing an old
I'll tell her all; and I'll tell her how you
went into her room and kissed her ere
you started on that FOOLS journey,
wherever it was. She'll remember
everything fast enough then"
81 command you to say nothing"
1--WE needed too many commands OF
yours, Master Gilbert, to mind breaking
one for your sake. I'll do it, and take
the consequences.
Feeling that the explanation, if made
by Priscilla, would not only sweep away
a great deal of romance, but also might
precipitate matters and make them far
more difficult to adjust to my own salts
faction, was bound to prevent her car
rying out her threat. Knowing from
old experience that although the good
soul could not be driven, she could be
led l was obliged to resort to cajolery.
So l said, as one asking boon:
''You won't if entreat and beg you
not to. my old friend. You love me too
much to do anything against my
wishes"
Priscilla was not proof against this
appeal, but she urged me to proclaim
the true state of affairs as soon as pos
sible.
s.And don't be too sure, Master Gil
bert" she concluded, ''as to what she
remembers or doesn't. Sometimes
think she knows deal more than you
suppose.
Then she left me, and went wander
ing about thinking as to what meaning
to attach to Pauline's parting words.
(Which will be the best for me-and
for you?"-to forget or to recall? How
much did she forget-how much did
she recall? Had those rings on hel
hand not shown her that she was
wife? Could she help suspecting
whose wife she was? Even if she re-
membered nothing about our strange,
hurried marriage, nothing about our
subsequent life together, she found her
self after that interval of oblSion, as ii
were, under my charge; found that
knew all the tragic circumstances OF
her brothers end, that | now returned
from journey of thousands of miles,
undertaken to learn the fatal particu-
lars. Although she might not be able
to accodnt for it, she must by this time
know the truth. Keeping the ring on
her finger showed that she did not dis
pute the fact that, somehow, she was
welded. Who could be her husband
save me?
Yes, by the evidence the situation
offered, | determined that she had ar
rive at the right conclusion; and the
hour was at hand when l should learn
if the knowledge would bring her Joy
| or coY,.ou