Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-07-29

memory her love for the man who had -ir-
duced her to secretly wed him was only
reality.
-Four o'clock was Ginning when she reached
home. Long before this had Mrs Stran.p-
field grown weary of watching at the win
dow, and with deep anxiety had gone back
to seek the girl in the town Polly was SING
ing in the kitchen as she scrubbed the floor
SO that Mr.. Strangfield in the parIor did not
hear Jenny enter, nor her light footstep az
she went upstairs
AT her bedroom door she halted. with sucb
shock of surprise and CONSERVATION as the
sight of dead man might have produced ON
her; for all about the window the floor was lit
tered with her husbands sacred letters. heed
lessly tossed and lying open, with their rib
bon-bindings among them.
She well knew whose hand had done this
and, recovering herself, entered the room.
closed the door and removed her hat. moving
softly, and all the while looking at the letters.
This done, she knelt down and gathered to-
gether the precious missives, pressing them
often to her pale lips, and narrowly inspect.
ing the carpets for bits of the dry forget-me-
nots and other fragments of flowers which
had fallen from the letters under Strangtield,s
angry handling of them
her desk when she heard her fathers steps ON
the STAIRS. He entered his bedroom. INT
speedily emerged, being struck, perhaps. to
find Jenny's door closed.
He turned the handle sharply and ex
claimed:
"Ah You be here, them Your mother has
gone to look for you. You are well prac-
ticed in treading softly. Where have YOU
beenp
u have been TO the schoolhouse to seek nv
husband" she answered, returning his starn
gaze with look of despairing resolution.
"And you have not found hing
mo, father, mol" she replied, with a shrek
In her voice.
III he be your husband, why has he left
yous" he said, speaking as judge might in
preface to condemning man to death.
She shook her head and locked her twitch-
ing fingers, no longer meeting his eyes, for
the bitterness in them was insupportable.
He approached the bed and leaned heavily
upon the frame of it.
"Womanl in my heart you are condemned
for treachery TO me and your mother. Yet
! have said to myself, in the words of the
Preacher, BE not hasty in thy spirit to b.
angryP and now, If you find me So YOU
shall rebuke me- Jenny, for what you have
this day told your mother, l hate my own
flesh that you should be part of it. Yet |
will be merciful You shall prove to me that
you sin is not the dishonor of your parents
name, nor the destruction of your soul in the
eyes of Almighty God. Do you heed mes
You shall prove this"
She made no answer.
Speak" he cried "ShJw me how this
may be done"
She looked at him with terrified eyes, for
no courage that she lad could combat her
instructive fear of him. He waited for her
reply
Tell me what ] am to do, fathers indeed,
will obey you. l nm truly his wife. God,
who hears me, knows raat am not speaking
falsely. With this ring he welded me,
fathern
And with trembling hand she sought in
her pocket for her purse.
Nay nay, have no wish to see it, Such
matter signifi othing. Better tricks
than such tokens cannot fool old eyes Tell
me where you Were married"
"In London, father"
"Ay, in London. At what churchp
u do not know the name; it has slipped
my memory. Or my husband never men
toned it" she replied, with an expression on
ner lace Inab SnOuid nave tOlu her father 10
press her no further.
by whom were you married2'
II did not see-I was frightened The
church was dark and did not lift my eyes,
and we were but a moment signing our
names"
A look of savage incredulity-the skepti-
cism of man stirred to the most hidden and
deadly forces of his nature-shot into his
face. He gazed at her for some moments In
silence, and then, in voice that, for the
hollowness of it, sounded as though it rosa
from under his feet, said:
ut is as before said-you remember moth
ing. But their wedding is thing all women
remember; and it is strange you should so
soon forget yours, when your mother will
tell you everything that befell on her we'd
ding day, twenty-three years ago Would
you know the church ii you saw itF'
eyes, father, IL think SOL do not know,
father
Tomorrow you and will go to London"
said he. "Make up little box of things, for
this business may keep us. In the morning
at seven. we start Be in readiness"