Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-04-25
IN AN EVIL HOUR.

The house was blazing with lights.
No gayer nor more aristocratic gather
ings were held in Lunderville than
those given by Mr.. Cranscomb. His
two daughters were beautiful girls, and
won all by their natural charm Of man.
ner, which holds and fascinates when
beauty is no more.
In the midst of the harmonious
blending of sounds. when clocks and
watches licked recklessly on into the
''Wee sma' hours ayont the twarl,"
when hearts beat wildly, when music
strummed madly, when trim feet leap
ed to it s%kurrying time as though each
darling slippered toe were tossed by
some impish sprite--whcn, in truth, all
vas going Merry as a marriagc-bell"
(much merrier in soothD, there sound
ed through the long drawing-rooms a
piercing scream!
What was it?
The answer to this startled question
"a found in the PROSTATE form of
Miss Bnrdlcigh. whose white silk gown
had measured its length upon the floor,
as she lay swathed about like a mer-
maid. pure in her firm blonde beauty,
as though newly washed up from the
bright sea-foam of which she seemed a
piece.
After her came young Faulkner, the
h~andsomest young man in the town.
were well known. She had fallen for
ward from a window, within whose re-
cess she had been seated with Mr..
Faulkner.
The young man, pale as death, lifted
her and laid her upon a sofa in an ad-
joining apartment.
Something frightened her. l scarce
know what murmured the young
man. Something she fancied she
saw"
Even when the young girl recovered,
she turned her head aside with a groan,
and asked to be taken home.
1t was a warn night; the windows
were open, and the one at which Rosa
Burdleigh and Allan Faulkner had been
seated opened upon a narrow wooden
balcony, whose steps led down into a
finely kept garden.
The noon had bathcd all things with
her snowy light, leaving queenly roses
to weep in silence at their submerged
beauty, and naughty, gaudy, garish
beauties of the day to sulk in moody
rebellion. Only the fountains. well
coined the ethereal radiance that turn
ed their glancing waters into wrcaths
of diamonds.
Near the gateway of this garden,
broken by terraces and clumps of foil
age, stood a woman.
She looked a woman fully forty years
of age, though she was one who had
evidently never felt the innocent glow
of youth.
She was now casting glances full of
evil at the house she had just left.
A sneer settled upon her mouth.
> 'She faintcd,' she said. 1.-The fool!
Good for her! I had thought to kill
her-but in %life-life l shall have a
greater revenge on him."
As the woman spoke. she still felt
and smoothed the deadly weapon she
carried-a small but costly revolver.
It was, indeed, not a pleasant face,
this one that had peered in at Rosa
Burdleigh.
Nor were the words that she had ut
tered pleasant ones
Leave him, or your life will be the
forfeit!'
What did she mcan?' was the ques-
ton which rose to the girls lips, when
for a moment she and Allan were again
alone.
II cannot tell you now. love. Wait,
and I will explain ALL
The following morning Allan Faulk.
ner left Landervillc; and Rosa Burd,
leigh, watching us weeks and months
passed, remembered still these last
words-"Wait, and l will explain ALL
Had she not waited faithfully? Was
it not time she should have this mys.
terry explained, which had so cruelty in.
terrupted the fairest and sweetest love.
dream that yer girl knew?
As time wore on she grew dcspon-
dent A persistent voice seemed evel
to mock her hopes: "Wait you for g
lover who leaves you thus, without
word of his return or promise of con
%stancy?" But her heart answered ev
err: Eyes, yes, she would await him
through all the future years of he1
life" Who, indeed, could take hi:
place?
One day there came a note to her. L
bore no signature, but there was NJ
! need. Well she knew its author:
"You remember the dell we oft look
| ed into on our rambles. The merry
brook runs through it. l shall wander
there at two o'clock tomorrow. Oh
forgive me, darling. this wretched Dla1
1or seeing you. come, n Will tel
you all"
Rosa went.
Pale, embittered, and care-worn, AL
Ian advanced to meet the girl he idol
lied. She, too, was changed.
He stood holding her hands in boil
of his as he told her his story-tht
story he had meant to tell her SOM
day, but which not fear of her displeas
ure had prevented, but dread of tn
shadow it would cast upon one so pure
minded as herself.
Rosa, I am twenty-nine. When
was twenty-one, l met a woman,
widow, who enlisted my interest by tn,
story she told me of herself. | was
mere boy in experience. 1 believed
her. She said her early life had beel
one of poverty and ill-treatment; tina
her husband had been a drunkard, AM
abused her, that he had been dead tw
years, and that she was forced to ear
her bread in the manner l then per
ceived. She was engaged as a book
binder when l met her.
II was sympathetic and impulsive
She used every art at her command t
please and f1atter me. God knows wha
power the woman brought to bear up
on me-certainly l had meant t
marry her-but she talked in such
] way that I began at last to feel I mus