Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-01-15


in trouble and in secrecy Now will you cr
your husband dai e to lay claim to him-darN
to swear it belongs to youa Answer me-
ooh, dear! Oh, dear, dear" CALCULATED
Mrs. Rawlings. Beatrice's face was pale as
death. She breathed quickly. US one in pain.
Now, that her hand was forced, now that the
guarded secret OF her life was wrcSted fYo,A
her, she seemed to speak like one who, hcv!H6
told the worst, cares little what follows.
Save myself and one other no ono L,.o,v~
of its birth. loved it and longod to Ia,
it ever with me. But for years | scarce
dared to see it. Then came a chance |
schemei so that it might come to me and u,
always with mo, and yet no ono need l-:oW
it was my very own. injured no ono hys1
doing. had my child and could love it q, !
care for it. l was all buS happy. And non.
for what can lie of no benz fit to you, y,tl
will force ne to tell my tale to tho wo;l n e.
part with my child Yet you are womn,',
and must Lave a woman's hearth
She looked at Mrs Rawlings and say ia.
tears were in her eyes.
81 believe You are kind continued re
trice i'll softer voice. "You have ,c.c.I
me to tell you al. But 1 believe you vii
keep my secret and help mo to keep it. 81,
did not mean to sue, nevertheless there w.
an imploring tone in her voice. Mrs. Erv
lings clasped her plump hands togethC.'; III
tears streamed down her cheeks. In spltn {!
years of practice in plating up those r!ys-,
ricus white integuments whose fnnc;r,.l
shapes adorn shops where pork is sold, tle
worthy woman was still humane at heat.
ooh, my poor young lady! My poor y,uug
la6y!" she cried. you SO young, so proud
locking, SO beautiful To be led astIayl Or.
deari oh dearl What villains men arc, bot,
high and lowm
Miss Clauson flushed to the roots of her
hair. oseemed about to speak, but checked
herself. "You are satisfied nowT' sha askei
after pause.
"Oh, yes, miss. Oh, am SO sorry for You.
You were right to trust me. Not q word
shall Pass my lips"
But your Lusbandp.-
"Oh, dearl oh, dear ] must do the best
can. must tell Linn it is not ours. lie will
be 80 unhappy. He's good man and Il Kind
husband, but rather excitable. Iassure you,
miss, he was fully convinced that sweet little
COY was his. | owr wasn't. but humoreJ
h:rl, SEEING the thought made him SC happy.
Anyway L would have loved the boy Ike
my own. Now promise you there hall DO
no more trouble. But my poor man, he VIII
be disappointed"
"Will any sum Of money" bean Boa
hSce rather timidly.
''Oh, no, miss. Although Rawlings has
neglected business dreadfully for To last
two years, and his brother is grumbHar, We
are fairly well-to-do people with trlY bt
saved. Ga, no, my man is single-eyc'. He
only wanted his boy
How was your child lostg' as,.rd Bc2.
trice.
Mrs. Rawlings looked rather con.usa!
81 can't help believing, miss, that t. T. ~
little fellow was drowned and never - !.
But Rawlings he won't have it SO. :
he was stolen and we shall find liz. son
day"
After this Miss Clauson thanked her 'cstas
with grave dignity. Then she dr. . q y
veil and attended by Mrs. Rawlinc, e..
back to the cab and Sylvanus. STE L..
gained her end, but ct price only l-....l +
herself What it had cost her to rey / T..
secret of her life to that strange wo:.2c.I c; !
scarcely be over estimated. Such was hr
feeling of degradation that she almost wished
that her uncleS had been in the rOor,i when
yesterday she went with the child in her
hand to tell them what she had to-day tod
Mrs. Rawlings. Sand after ALL she niu--
INJURED with bitter smile on her f2ce, ut l.
but staving off the crash which must conc
sooner or later Here she sighed involun-
tarily. Mordles quick ear caught the sound
Nothing unpleasant happened, hope he
asked.
my business was not of the pleasantest
nature, but / accomplished 1t successfully
replied Beatrice.
He said no more. By her desire she vas
set down at one Of the principal shops in
Blacktown, an emporium Of articles of ferni-
nine need into which Mordls could not ven
ture to accompany her. She thanked him
for his services, and he knew that those
thanks were dismissal He strobe back to
Oakbury looking very thoughtful; indeed it
was net until he was well into his own parish
that TO remembered the necessity of Iesuu.-
ing his usual cheerful air. sit must have
been charitable" he muttered. But why
the secrecy Why tho Cat and Com
passesf"
Saturday came. All that morning, the
busiest Of the week, Horace and Herbert
were fdgety and uncomfortable Long be-
fore the hour fixed by Messrs. Blackett e.
Wiggens for the appearance Of their clients
carriage the brothers were glaccin3 down
the drive Miss Clauson, however, cppcar.sd
calm and at her ease Her wona;'s instinct
told her that all danger from the claimants
was ut en- end. About Q O'Clock Horace
turned to Der. "My dear lie sald. hes
Mrs. Miller made any preparation for the
child's DEPARTURE
'None whatever. He will not bc sen. for
It was but an idle threat
Horace and Herbert exchanged gli..lces.
They knew it was no idle t;.r1ct. ins the
little knew how the fulfInse=it had bcaa
averted.
Three O'Clock came-fouI-fve o'cIoc,.
but no carriage, no Rs wings, no Blac.-et-
no Wiggens. Sunday, Monday End Iueaday
passed without any sign or MANIFESTATION o.
hostility. The ralberts were then bound &c
confess that their niece had judged Alright.
beatrice appears TO Be remarkably clear
sighted, said Horace.
Remarkably so" answered. Eerbers-
But had Sylvanus Mordle, who spent ths
evening with them, committed n breach
faith and mentioned bis excursion WITH Mia
C.auson, the brothers might have suspected
they bad credited their niece With a quality
TO which she had no title.
TO BIZ CoyTIs ED