Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-10-29

One swift glance around, and she rushes
forward and seiZes Isca Arlington by the
arm, tearing the soft, white lace of her
dainty sleeve to tatters in her rude grasp.
The girl falls back, trembling violently,
her large eyes lifted to the cruel face be-
fore here, as though too terrified to utter
a word.
MY child.r cries the woman, tragically,
"my own childn' l have found you at
last.'
And while Isca stands trembling and
speeches., while Lee Grosvenor is too
overcome with establishment to find words,
Mr.. Dinsmore suddenly appears upon the
scene. He utters a low cry of surprise.
'Isca! Good heavens he pants wildly,
''who-what is this woman"
The woman drops Isca's sleeve and
wheels about, confronting the master of
the house.
II am Marion Arlington" she says
savagely; "the wife of Royal Arlington,
this girls father. She is my child, as 1
will soon prove.
Her words are wild-her manner rude
a terrible spectacle to the guests who
less.
tIHC 6OSO NA4'
eve quarrcled--he and land he sent
me away across the ocean. l swore to
come back and punish him. but the years
dragged by, and II only learned few
weeks ago of his death. / have come to
claim my daughter"
There is a wild incoherency in her
speech, and her bloodshot eyes CLEAN
like wild beasts. Isca shrinks away
and creeps forlornly to her guardians
side.
She starts to see how very pale he has
grown.
"Arthur"-she slips her hand into his
Gould this thing be true: Can you-dO
you-believe it? Tell me-oh, shall go
mad.'
There was some trouble between your
father and mother, Isca," he returns,
"Your mother was a plain, unassuming
woman, have been told; but / cannot
imagine her such as this creature. My
child, be brave, very brave; we will inquire
into the affair"
The woman calling herself Marion Ar
lingtOn, goes on to prove by means of
payers in her possession that this beauti-
full proud Isca Arlington is really her
own child at least, no one can question
her proof5-not now.
Lee Grosvenor has been standing
covering like a whipprd spaniel, at a
little distance from the scene; he goes
to Isca's side and gazes coldly into her
face.
Miss Abingdon (how his voice cuts
the silence) Il never dreamed of such
IA disgrace as this. | am forced to
withdraw all pretensions to your hand for
the Grosvenors are stainless; our honor,
our family name is paramount to all other
considerations"
She flashes upon him like proud en-
press.
"You are an honor to your name, sir'
she assents scornfully. "Good evening,
Mr.. Grosvenorn'-bo bowling coolly by way
of dismissal.
Arthur DinsmOre takes her hand in
his own ann and leads her away to a de-
serted room.
must speak or shall die" he cries
wildly. "Iaca, l love you so. Am | too
old, too "
"The best the dearest of true hearts,"
| she intervenes tenderly. "Oh, guardie,
sOuld you marry me with that-that wo-
man claiming me as her child? Think
of the disgrace, the shame, the humilia-
ton to your proud name. And the
Dinsmores are as noble as the Grosyen-
Ors. And
= Kind hearts are more than coronets;
And simple faith than Norman blood"
He is holding her close to his heart now
with tender kisses showered upon the
! sweet upturned face.
His promised wife; and the one true
heart is found at last.
Then the silence of that happy scene
is broken by the entrance of strangers
two rough-looking men, who prove to be
keepers of an insane asylum, in quest of
the woman calling herself Marion Airing
ton.
She is an escaped lunatic-the most
desperate, most cunning case in the in
stitution, so the keepers go on to explain
She proves to be late Marion Airing
tons maid, who had been with that lady
| through all her journey.
The secret of the misunderstanding be
tween Isca's parents will never be known.
The madwoman had planned desper-
ate game. When Mrs. Arlington was lost
at sea- she had stolen the marriage Ger
titicate and other papers, keeping them
| in her possession.
Afterward, losing her reason, she had
planned the plot which was indeed worthy
| of madwoman, to claim the girl who
might tsO the maddened brain had plott-
ed) save her from the insane asylum.
1t is all explained, and the poor, de,
mented creature is taken away; and old
friend crowd around Isca with congratula-
tIons.
She listens with sweet smiles; then she
returns gently:
Out of all evil some good may come.
Had it not been for to-night's occurrence,
| might have missed the happiness of my
life might never have known the real
value of one true, tender hearth