Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-03-26

By HUGH CONWAY.
CHAPTER NXX

tiness of detail, and of sill inspiration that
one whose wings are worked by religion flies
the highest and freeSt from trammels of
custom and caution. \ InSn or s. woman
inspired with an ethical mission TO hut
manity feels fully convinced that, provided
the ewes are kept steadfasly on the glorious
result, the brambles which have for ages
chokei the path leading to the great goal
viii In some mySterl Gus manner get cleared
out of the way; without faith of this kind
inspiration sinks to the dull level of wisdom
Sarah Miller was woman with mission;
. mission, however, Of q personal not Of a
general nature. Her mission. as she read il.
was to insure the worldly happiness Of her
beloved mistress and her faith in the in
spirsrion which prompted the task WAS such
as to make her bsheve that she would sue
coed.
Every thing in this woInans lie turned on
her devotion 10 Beatrice. Her mind was
like dark, sunless ruin. in the center of
which springs one pure white marble column,
and that column her love for her mistress
The wild words she once used when telling
Frank Carruthers what she could do for
Beatrice'S sake, if any thing, fall short of the
truth.
1t is absurd to suppose that any one of US
is entitled to such alteration from q fellow
creature. Very probably David himself did
not deserve Jonathan's unparalleled devo-
ton any more than Beatrice deserved that
of Mrs. Miller. Nevertheless, if human
affection were doled out into thescale against
personal merit most of Us would fare ex-
tremely i'll in this world. Simple Justice,
lSe pure republicauisn, AMI many other
indisputably correct things works better in
theory than in practice Mrs. MIler's strange
worship of Beatrice must be sought for in
causes other than the girls merits or even
her servants gratituda.
Tbs then was the emisSary who went
forth on behalf of Beatrice, this, the bearer.
of the flag of truce between her and Maurica
Hervey. A strange intermediary yet pos
seSsing some valuable qualifications for tn ,
office, insomuch as she was devoted to her
own side, hated the foe, and, above all, was
full of the belief that in some unknon n way
she would be guided so as to enablo her to
bring the negotiation to satisfactory issue.
She listened with apparent attention to
Beatrice's many and clear instructions; but
her thoughts we're in reality far away. In
this matter she believed she was called upon
to act more the part of u principal than that
of an agent Beatrice, who was anxious to
know how Hervey was TO be found, had to
rest satisfied with the assurance that Mrs
Miller would experience no difficulty in
tracing him. Provided that Hervey was
still in London her assurance was justified.
for as his time on ticket-of-lea had not
yet expired, his address could no doubt be-
obtained upon application in the proper
quarter.
This was about the only detail Sarah had
as yet stopped to consider. She had not vet
thought how her end was to be gained.
whether by threats or by entreaties She
felt that all she had to do was to meet the
man face to face, and then she would fiud
herself guided to act for the best.
Beatrice, who had some misgivings on the
score of allowing her faithful servant to
make so long a journey unprotected, had
carefully looked up routes and trains. She
fancied that Sarah would travel in greater
ease and safety if she went to Eng land via
Paris by the great through express train
which runs across Europe from Constan-
tinople to Paris, stepping only two OF three
times in each country which it traverses.
So Mrs. Miller travelled in such luxury as a
railway train can offer.
She reached London without any mishap.
Here she went to a friends, the one to whose
care Beatrice's correspondence had been ill.,
trusted. After a nights rest had dispellei
the fatigue of the journey she began the first
part of her mission-that of finding Maurice
Hervey.
The task was a simple one. She inquired
until she ascertained where the register of
ticket of leave men resident in London was
kept; then, upon applying at the proper
Office aud satisfying the authorities that she
sought the man for no evil purpose, the ad-
dress was given her She took cab aud
drove straight to it.
Hervey, who had by etfiuxion of means
been thrown from the lap of luxury on to
the hard floor of hare existence, was housed
in what was little more than a garnet. In
deed the money which Mr. Field paid him
on behalf of Frank Carruthers was the one
plank between him and starvation He had
parted with his rings and other valuables.
All that he could call his own was q decent
suit of clothes. This he had chung to tena-
cicusly, knowing tha: If it comes to beg
cling, fairly dressed man has a better
chance OF awak ening sympathy than one
who Is in rags and tatters. The contrast
between decent broadcloth and empty pock-
cts is so painful that when asked one feels
compelled to do something to tone it down
He was sitting in his cherries, sordid
room, smoking his short pipe and working
out schemes of vengeance and plumber much
as he had worked them out in his secluded
state in Portland prison. He was cursing
his own clumsiness and want of foresight,
as indeed he cursed them at least hundred
times a day. He was ,unwashed and I'M
shorn, and his right arm, although nearly
mended was still in one of those shiny
black sings Altogether the man was in
condition of body and mind far from envi-
able
h. I. H. Ia a. -.
ing of the glorious life he would lead as soon
as he could ascertain the whereabouts of his
wife. Then he would be able to soar out OF
this slough of poverty, and eat, drink and be
merry. No wonder then when after the
ceremony of a slight knock, Sarah Miller
opened the door and stood before him, cry
of absolute joy sprang from his lips. Next
to Beatrice she was the one he most wished
to see Now that she was here, Beatrice
must also be accessible. His cheek flushed,
his eyes frightened. If the privations which
he had been enduring had at any time urged
him to promise to himself that if good for
tune brought him again in communication
with his wife his hand should rest lighter
upon her, the thought vanished as his visitor
crossed the threshold. His time of triumph
was at hand, and his one idea was to wiring
all that could be wrung from her whose
youthful folly mad linked her life to his. He
felt contempt for her weakness in having
given him, by sending her servant to seek
him, the chance be SO sorely needed.
Sarah, with her white, thin face, as usual
thrown into strong relief by her sombre
garb, stepped towards Hervey and stood
looking at him with that peculiar rapt ex-
preston which at times came over her fea-
lures As soon as he had recovered from
his surprise at this unhopsd-for visit, Her
vey eyed the woman curiously, but for q
while there was silence between them Still
she continued to gaze and gaze at the man,
not in anger, not in fear, but as one actu-
ated by motives of curiosity. 1t was kind
of gaze which no one coul1 be expected to
endure for long without showing symptoms
Of inpatience
/ i 81 y !,