River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-03-22
CHAPTER xxx.
CUrrpEH AxvnKEf

Gone were the detectives Gone was the
''Namovnan with her precious cargo. Gone,
too, Miss Strong the aunt; even the very
housemaids, the grooms, the coachmen, each
and all were gone and, now, Fairfax was
alone once more in the deserted house, and
tomorrow he, too, would go.
The mellow softless and golden warmth
of Indian summer lay over all the land. For
all the sounds that man might make, Glen
Gore and Eld Field were still as death.
Closed were the doors and blinds and the
curtains drawn. No merry laugh, no hap
Ply snatch of song, no CHEEKY call nor loving
greeting was heard any more within those
walls Life had fed away with Love, side
by side, and al within was dark and silent
as the tomb, save when the black fly buzZed
notify in the window-pane, or some stray,
adventurous cricket, essaying his solitary
song in the death-quiet room, was fright
ened again into silence by the unwonted
loudness of his own cry.
Through the lattice of one lone, open win
dow, half hidden by climbing vines, came
the soft breath of autumn, laden with fra
! GRANGE from the balsam pine, the sweet ferns
or the Indian grasses. Lazy wavelets drOned
on the beach in slow and soothing rythm;
and, FAR away on the hillsides, the herd-bells
tinkled family in silvery harmony, while an
army Of chipping insects in the grass inces-
sanity sang their sleepy, monotonous song.
Here and there a drifting boat waved its
idle wings of white on the sea, that "great
sweet mother and lover of men," who gave
back from her vast, wly-heavlng bosom
the deep hues of a cloudless sky, blue as
the bluest-vaulted dome of dreamy Italy.
Across the way stood lonely Eld-Field,
empty and still.
! Gone, gone, were all those happy daysi
Never more to be recalled Gone with
/ the sad-eyed Princess. Gone with Dolores
and Max and Medji, far across that wide
waste of waters =" Wherel alas wherel"
| And Arthur Fairfax, leaning heavy,
aching head on tired arms that rested in
| the window-sill, peered vainly out into the
soft sunlight. With sigh, he turned his
/ eyes back again and relapsed into sorrow
| full thought.
/ All things reminded him Of the past
'Old faces glimmered thro' the doors,
Old footsteps trod the upper floors,
Old voices called him from without"
/ Bit by bit the stealthy twilight drew near,
and up from eastern waves rose a sad, pale
mOon-he remembered how they sat togeth-
err on the rocks only the other night, 81
/ lently watching its silvery beams playing
I over the rolling pillows. Bright enough it
seemed then-but nowl Was she watch
ing it, too! Would it remind her of the
paste
A tear stole down over his cheek and,
with bitter sob, he hid his face in his hands
and wept. Yesl he was crying this great,
strong fellow, who ever prided himself upon
his stoicism and self-control.
All, hai Arthur Fairfax, how often have
you asked yourself the question; Have
| heart, or notl" What is your answer,
nowi
The crickets still sang in the grass. An
owl hooted family in the distance. Then
few a belated whip poor-will and perched
in tree by the window.
Whippoorwill Whippoorwin !" cried
the bird.
Fairfax looked up
A brilliant path of glory lay Frightening
across the sea, from the moon TO the beach,
and, Just where it ended, lay little row.
boat at anchor, rising and falling on the
| long, lazy swell - that boat in which
the two had floated over the moon-lit
waters, and dreamed the happy hours
away.
Languidly he arose with a sigh, and,
closing the door behind him, passed down
| to the shore.
With thoughts still far away, almost
mechanically he loosed the boat, took the
oars, and slowly pulled out to sea-that
vast plain which bore upon its surface his
| hopes, his heart, nayl his very life. Though
I far apart they were, did not the same
waters wash their boats keel; were not the
same stars smiling down upon botha
On, on he passed, not needing nor car
/ ing to shape his course, Obvious to every
thing but his own melancholy reflections.
The moon rose higher and higher. By
/ Ettle and little, the shores Of the island
passed into the distance.
How much farther out to sea he might
have gone, or how much longer rowed, none
can say; but sudden Earring of the boats
keel, harsh grating of pebbles against its
bottom betolened the fact that his onward
| career was ended.
/ YEARLY raising his head and glancing
about, without surprise, as if it were all
matter of course, he slowly stepped ashore
with the rope in his hand, half-consciously
making it fast to a large stone close by.
He looked around