Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-01-08

| uon Know how he ever can.
But after what had happened she fel
a strange reluctance to meet him, ans
1T did not seem to her she could eve
look Mrs. Mercer in the face.
She went the very next day to max,
a Compromised visit to some friend
who lived in distant part of tn,
country.
When she returned, some month.
later, 1T was to get ready to be married
She had found her fate at last. Sh,
loved with all the strength of he
nature John Arundel. the man she wa.
going to marry.
The MERGERS had gone away, no one
knew where, and Rena felt herself tn,
cause. But with her remorse for tina
mingled an undeniable sense of re
lief that they were gone.
She married in due time, and went
away ON the bridal-tour.
i One afternoon, as She sat Iookinc
from the window Of the hotel where
they We're stopping for a day or two
she saw lady and gentleman come in
They We're Fred Mercer and his
mother. Both were very much altered
she saw, even in the brief glimpse she
| got of them as she drew back quickly
her face white.
Had they seen her?
In five minutes she knew. Some one
knocked. 1t was Mrs. Mercer. She
spoke very coldly and hurriedlv.
my son is just out of the insane
asylum. she said Ellis father was
SO; he killed himself. 1 ought to have
told you, but could not bear to tell
anyone. The doctors pronounce Fred
cured, but he is very excitable Rena,
don't let Fred see you. I'm afraid he
has already, for he positively refuses to
leave the hotel -
"He sha'n't see me-, y Rena answered.
her white and trembling lips refusing
to utter another word.
The conviction smote her that he had
seen her. and that he would try to
| speak with her. She had not forgotten
| his last words:
IF / can ever make you SITTER as
you have me, will do it.
Her husband was asleep in the next
room. She passed into it, and stood
looking at him.
A fair frank-faced man he was, with
curly brown hair, and lips that smiled
even in slumber-not much like that
other Of whom she was thinking with
such dread.
III he ever does hurt me, it will be
through you, my darling" she thought.
One window of this room looked
upon small flower-garden belonging
to the hotel. As she stood she raised
her eyes to it, and she saw Fred Mercer
standing on the terrace outside, and
gazing into the apartment. With one
hand he held the curtain back. with
the other he motioned her to come to-
wards him.
Involuntarily she went, though his
death-white face, his glittering black
eyes, turned her sick with fear Was
he mad again? Oh, if her husband
would only wake!
Her visitor loosed the curtain and
laid a cold hand upon her bare and
shrinking arm.
'I've come to keep my word,n he
said in whisper THAT is your hus-
band there, is it not?" and he took a
pistol slowly out of his breast and
pointed it at the sleeping man. utter
one sound, he said, land | shoot
But the caution was needless. Rena
was too frozen with horror to either
speak or move.
You love him, | suppose?" he went
on. Sat last, at this moment, you
suffer some, at least, of those pangs
You once made me endure.
Rena could not have moved or
spoken if she had tried.
She just stood and stared at him.
and wished John would wake, and
prayed inwardly with all her soul:
Dear God, don't let me faint. 1t
isn't John who is to blame, but me.
and you know am wicked girl bet
ter than | can tell you.
Which was indeed very true.
However, to make a long story short,
Rena Arundel did faint, and her hus-
band was awakened by the sound of
her falling.
Fred Mercer stood inside the room
now.
Il am an old acquaintance of your
wife, he said in answer to his stare af
amazement. '.She was standing at
the window talking to me, when some
thing frightened her and she tainted. y
AT this moment Rena opened her
eyes.
She was in her husbands arms, and
he was saying to Fred Mercer in very
stern voice:
81 know all about you. The best
thing you can do is to leave
Rena shuddered, but to her amaze
ment Mercer instantly passed through
the low window, and, standing out
side, turned and looked at her.
81 beg Mrs. John Arundel's pardon
for keeping my word SO literally to
her. shall never trouble her again.
And he was gone.
Rena chung to her husband con-
vulsively.
I'm the wickedest girl that ever
lived, John. Fred Mercer has Just
come out of the insane asylum. There
is madness in his family, and if he goes
back again, it will be my fault. .
HE won't 90 back-no fear, my
darling her husband answered sooth-
ingly.
There was a long silence. and then
Rena, without lifting her head from
her husbands shoulder, said:
John, | am wicked girl, am
notP''
John Arundel laughed.
You are my darling"
at is million times more than l
deserve, she said; land you are the
best man that ever lived to love me SO,
knowing my faults.
Il don't think you have any,"
THAT is just the way you men all
talk; and you help us flirt-you know
you do
Il don't doubt it, my darling Men
are as bad flirts as women, and think
they do just as much mischief.
Eyes, suppose so, Rena answered
sadly
And here is where / believe in Rena.
They were in society, and she was
much admired, but she never became a
married firt.
She had girls of her own in the
course of time, and they got the benefit
of her experience and remorse, in such
earnest and oft repeated words of eau
ton as they never forgot.
The Bunko Game in Colorado.