Daily Republican., 1888-03-05
HER w EDDINa RING.
Her hn,hnrd VIVA dsnd.


Hc had died n gambler, but he vcu'd
never win or losa again, and Fever
more would Margaret keep her lonely
watch for his dear sake. STAngers'
hands had laid him to rest In the quiet
graveyard; and row, with tsnFless
agony, Margaret knelt bsbide hor tlsep
ing child.
They had nothing left; and without
food her oiild must die.
Suddenly o burning flush moun,ei TO
her brow, and, atarting 10 her feat, she
drew the wedding ring from her wasted
nnGcT, and, kissing 1t pnsAlonataly,
hurried from the room, as II fearful
thtt her resolution might give way.
A little later, with few francs
clAsped la her burning hand, che
hastened. not TO the poor room aha
called Der home, but to the gaming ca
loon wh,rs her huebs1d had died not
many days bsfose
as II no: trno," she kept repeating
TO herself, THAT a new player always
wiut2 Then shali Wlni-and, mutter.
Ing the same words again aud again,
she passed unohAllengsd through tho
wide-0pen door, up the splendid stair
case aud intJ large sAloJu Nhsre men
and women, In silent earnest, wero
gambling q, the tables
Margaret staked two or three francs
with foverlih haste
Tho American ofiicsr, Captain Cor
wyn, who had witnessed her husbands
deSth, nov staod itt,ntly regarding
her. He moved ras,lesaly, rs II len.
pslled against hls will to intorfefe.
Unknown TO hereelf Aod all around
FOYER had taken hold Of tie weakened
Nv.A uNI0 Al
and fictitious courage TO the despairinR
girl, and with daring recklessness abe
itaked and Won, until . email piic of
gold lay before her dazed eyes. Theu
the Tendon CT the nerves gave way,
aud with n low cry she fell for ward in
dead fsiut
SpTinsing 10 her eide without O mo.
ment's delay, Captain Oorwyn, wh1
had been anxiously Watching all that
occurred, liitnd the POOR girl IN his
arms aud carried her out u tina stihiug
atmosphere OF the saloon, followed BY
q young medical student to whom he
hhf been talking
Finding their efforts to restore her 10
CONSEQUENCES unavAilius, oorwyn said
hurriedly 10 bis compA uior:
Bring her doEn TO my oarriays-,t
IL waiting. My Blater will do what we
cannot" Then, once outside, he called
to the ooachmsn, "To the Hotel D!eu,
and drive quickly"
-
Again n girl was leaning from an
open easement She wore q gown Of
soft gray material that fell In cliDgiug
folds round her slight form, and her
hair, cut quite Ihort, covered her small
head In tilken cutls. The soene upon
which che wAB gazing was peacsfl ii
enough. II WAS The rosa garden Of Gne
old manor hCute In the bend OF the
Hudson and child WAS playing among
the flowers.
Two years have passed since Msrga.
ret Leslie Vhs brought th9 ere, and Cap
tain CorwyB'5 widowed sister IL her
friend. A. FRS. the captain came often,
bat suddenly be had del arted. On this
DAY he was returning to hia siater's
home after two years. Margaret had
not Huessed that he had gone became
he loved hsr too we'll.
Now l er heart was beating wildly rs
she tried vainly to assume a oalmness
abe could not feel, soft rose tin. deep
eued on her chtsks aud the love gdt
stole into her tender eyes.
Just then aome one entered the raso
Rrrien, and the child. his little hands
full OF flowers, looked found wonder
inely, and then ran boldly up to the In.
truder.
"Are you my own papA come bsok
from the frontier" he asked: and the
words reached BisrEsret, bat che could
not see to whom they were addressed
The answer, however, 6lled hor soul
With dismAy, for the Intruder, catching
the child 10 his arms, was evidently ap.
preaching, and mans voice said meE-
dsciously;
"Yes, my darling; 1 bm Your own
papa come bpck from the frontier ;
Aud then, with few whispered words,
they passed along the lawn where Mar.
gRret was,
Bic lad dropped on her keess and did
not SEQ thin.
The ohlld's footsteps drlftei away
from the door, but strong hand grasp.
ed the handle. A frank, impsIious
voice uttered her name;
margaret, have ple1ged myeelfi l
could mot help 1t, tho temptation was so
great. WIN you cave mt2"
"How can save your" tailored Mar.
2aret, trembling.
"By helping me redeem my pledge. l
cannot face Harry without my wife. -
"Your wiftl" cried Margaret. Glow
long have you found you needed
one2"
"5inoe the day / carried You out OF
Monte Carlo" he said. "My darling
have loved you ever since"
And little Harry found that o tender
father had indeed come to him from
the frCniler,