Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-12-09

her in her unsus pected sorrow, when
CHANGED to glance into the room and saw
that she was alone, standing before
photograph upon velvet draped
easel.
felt my heart-strings tighten, and my
head grew dizzy, and for a moment |
thought should fall.
1t was the portrait of my lover Sydney
Rutherford.
Yet So hated him.
She had said so not an hour before.
What did it all meant
Then | remembered the anonymous
letter, and my mind was made up.
/ | would know the worst
The sun was setting slowly behind a
gorgeous screen of red and purple and
ameythyst, over which veil of misty
gold had been spread.
tied my big sun hat, and went down
to the Three Oaks.
1 A lovely spot.
I A bend in the shore hid the road and
| the big, white house, which was our home
! from view.
/ At my feet the blue ocean coming
/ in upon the white sand. thin drawing
back again, as though in fear, only to
rush back to the beach once more.
| There was a sheltered nook near the
Three Oaks, which clustered together, a
SORT of a cave in the rocks just beyond.
/ crept inside, and then sat down to
wait.
confess | felt horribly ashamed of
the position as eavesdropper
only wanted to make sure that sgd
ney my Sydney-was coming here, and
| dared not think further.
There was the sound of a ringing foot
step down the long white beach and a
moment later --. An yes! it was my
lover, his face quite pale and anxious.
He glanced furtiyely around as though
looking for some one; then he threw him.
self down of the foot of one of the
oaks to wait
From my hiding place | could not see
the female figure approaching from the
opposite dire elton.
Suddenly Sydney sprung to his feet. |
could catch the tutter of Il woman's dress
"A plain black gown-then he took her
hand and led her around TO the other side
quite out of my sight and hearing.
waited, despising myself beyond ex-
preston for having needed thai letter;
but still, with fierce satisfaction az my
heart that | would no longer be deceived,
that knew his secret at last.
He loved Clarice. there was no doubt of
it, though | could not affirm that it. was
she whom he had met.
At last they were gone, ard | was able
to slip from my place of conceaiment and
hasten home.
little later, Sydney rutherford came,
but | shrank fron the thought of receiv-
ing him.
SO | sent word that | had severe
head ache (heart-ache would have been
nearer the truth and begged him to ex.
cuse me.
Later | slipped from my room, down
the back stairs, and out into the moonlit
garden.
1t was very warm, and my head was
throbbing now with slow, mutllrd
ache.
found my way toa favorite arbor, and
had just slipped in, when close by, just
outside the eabor, heard cousin Clarice's
voice.
Sydney" she cried, and her voice
quivered with pain, why do you hate me
SOY"
Hate you, Miss Claricey" my lover
MADE answer II could never do that,
dear
And then she burst into storm of bit
tears.
You know hat love your l heard the
low voice say. "Oh, Sydney, my heart Is
brokeuw
Miss Haight!'
How stern his voice sounded!
Good HeAvensl you are mad! Iou
forget | am betrothed to your cousin
Hope the dearest, truest woman in the
world. She will be my wife or | will
never marry
arose and slipped back to the house
and my own room, strangely comforted
in spite of that mysterious meeting un-
der The Three Oaks.
The next evening, just at the set of
sur, my feet strayed thither uncon-
sctuusly.
had kept my room all day; l did not
want to see Clarice Haight, not after
/ what had overheard 1 could not bear
! IL.
reached the beach and the trysting
place, and fell back with a little cry, for
Sydney was there before me.
In moment more know not how or
why, had told him the whole sto:y, and
shown him the anonymous letter.
WAIT with me, Hope he pleaded,
"ard you shelf see whom | have been
meeting 1t would all have been ex-
/ planned tonight
l slipped INFO the shadow of the cave,
and once more waited. little later there
came light footsteps, then the rustic of a
black dress.
Hope" cried Sydney,
glanced up and uttered cry. The
woman was my own dear mother!
Listen, my children she began, when
she had seem the letter. seeming To under
stand the situation intuiuvrly. Sydney,
here, has been assisting your uncle Rru-
ben Haight IN SOME very trying business.
Your uncle went away to Europe, leaving
hl~ affairs somewhat uuder cloud. There
was o Charge against him of of--embez,
: element Hush, dear! don't give way.
Well sydney has been working early and
late just as your poor father would have
done had he lived and il is solely 10 his
efforts m Reuhou Heights belief that he
ha- been cleared from the charge, and
viii b. able 70 hold up his head among
honest men once more But YOU see,
Hope, all this business could not hive