Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-04-22

Almost every afternoon Tor many
days afterward found us on the river,
often lingering in the shadows of the
Palisades, when darkness had descend
on the bosom Of the waters. And the
suspicion that Philips love was being
transferred to another, struggle as l
might against it, daily grew into the
bitterness of a settled conviction.
The day had been oppressively sultry
and portended an approaching thunder
storm. To seek relief from an aching
head / threw a shawl around my Shout
ders and left the house. The very still
ness of the night was painful to me, and
not breath of air was stirring among
the foliage of the trees, The full moon
of the summer night threw the long
gaunt shadows of the sycamores along
the grass, and the shadow of a man
and woman, too, standing by the or
chard gate. My heart gave one sudden
bound and then it seems to have ceased
its beating. My recreant lover was
standing there, his arms enfolding the
1.-THE and graceful form of Gertrude
Harland. The simmer of the moon
light lit up the pale beauty of her face
as it rested on his breast, and her arm
coyly stole around his neck as he
stopped his head and pressed kiss of
such passionate intensity upon her lips
as mine had never known | saw no
more-I remember no more until /
found myself in my own room lying
prone upon the bed and fully conscious
ut last of how basely had been duped.
Presently l heard knock upon the
door and my cousins voice calling me
in accents which seemed to ME then rs
if modulated to laughing mockery. l
did not answer her, for | dared not
trust myself to meet her face to face
and listen to the fippant utterancos of
a woman's insincerity from lips that
his had pressed so lately.
In the lull of the storm at times l
heard the voices in the room below;
and then as its violence increased, and
the ram dashed in fierce and fitful gusts
against the window panes. l sank intoa
troubled sleep.
How long | slept l know not, but
was awakened by clamorous knocking
at my door and the voice of our old
gardener calling in terrified tones:
For heavens sake, Miss Maxwell, open
the door. The house is on fire, and
there amt a moment to lose, if you will
escape"
My father" l gasped, as l reached
the open air; ''where is my father?'
He was summoned to the bedside of
some poor fellow who was badly injured
by the storm, and he amt got back yet;
but | must go now, Miss Maxwell, and
try and find some help to save the house
If possible.
"One word more. Are my cousin
and our servant safe?"
Poor young lady, she was almost
scared to death. Yes, they are both
safe; you will find them somewhere
round"
As the old man hurriedly left me
sheet of flame leaped from the upper
window with an angry roar, and for a
moment lit the scene around with an
awful brilliancy, and in that moment |
saw the figure of my cousin rushing
toward ME. She clutched my dress in
both her hands and, crouching at my
feet, cried OUT
"Oh, Mary! Mary! for the love of
heaven, try and save him.
Save whom?" | asked rs | looked
down on the white, upturned face of
the girl who had wronged me- is
there any living soul within that burn
ing house?"
philip! The storm was so fearful
your father insisted he should remain
over night. He is sleeping in the visi-
tors room"
''Philip-Philip Gilbert, the man your
beauty lured away from me, sleeping in
my house? Do you love him, Gertrude
Harland?n
"As God will Judge me, yes. know
we've wronged you, Mary; but on my
knees, though you never may forgive
me, l appeal to you to try and save him
from this frightful death"
No, could not forgive her, but I
would try and save his life at the risk
of my own. looked round in wild,
despairing way. but no help was near.
| remember rushing into that burning
house and attempting to climb the
stairs, but the woodwork had already
taken fire. Tongues of flames coiled
round the balusters with cracking
noise, and the heat and smoke drove
me back. Again l essayed the forlorn
hope, and reached the landing above.
dashed my puny strength against the
door of Philips room with unavaling
effort, and in the frenzy of despair call
ed out to him by name. Suddenly the
door was opened, and Philip half-un-
dressed, was standing there, and a sob
of joy escaped my lips, and, sinking in
his arms, l remembered no more.
When returned to a consciousness
of rational existence, they told me that
the excitement of that night had SUI
perinduced brain fever, and that the
angel of death had lowered around my
pillow for many nights and days. The
summer was over, and had gained
just sufficient strength to como down to
the sitting-room in the evening, where,
seated in an easy chair, l sought to for
get the past in the pages of some IA
vOrite book. 1t was thus that Philip
Gilbert found me one afternoon. Ihad
not seen him since the night that he
and l SO narrowly escaped frightful
death.
MARY" he said, I've called to
thank you for the noble herosm that
saved worthless life. That worthless
life is yours, Mary. Will you forget
the past and let me try and make your
future a happy one?"
"And what would Gertrude Harland