Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-02-02
A STRANGE TALE.

rocky bed IKE SOME gigantic serpent
half overcome by the lethargy OF
sleep.
Here and there the moonbeams fell
upon the surface of the water, great
spots of silvery Wilderness amidst the
dark shadows cast by the heavy foliage
of the cedar shrubbery, which grew
between the almost perpendicular
rocks of the high banks.
Fifty feet above the surface of the
water they reared themselves, and at
one point they jutted forward as if to
salute each other, while the river be-
meath them deepened and narrowed.
At this point bridge had once been
thrown across--a bridge which had
become a complete ruin, one timber
alone remaining to mark the spot, one
long and narrow beam-it could not
have been more than six inches in
widtn-still maintained its place, and
in mute language informed the strang-
er that once there had been connec-
ton between Rocky Hill and the
mountains on the other side.
Upon the surface of the river there
was a small rowboat, containing a
slender crouching form wrapped in q
1 dark cloak.
/ From the top 81 the bank upon
either side this rowboat would have
been invisible, but it was there, max
ing its way up and down past the
rocky buttress which upheld the beam,
always avoiding the moonlit spots up.
on the river.
The sounds of carousal were usurp-
ing the place Of the quiet of the night;
the drunken jest aud the coarse laugh.
ter breaking in upon the sentimental
notes of ''Home, Sweet Home, sung,
you would have averred, by some
| lonely youth who was far from the
scenes of his boyhood, came plainly
to the ears of this silent watcher upon
the river, who, it seemed, could not
tear herself away from the sounds
which came from the saloon upon the
rivers bank
Once only did the moonbeams fall
upon her fair upturned face.
1t was the face of "a woman who
should never have been in that wild
lonely spot, listening for the sound u
voice that had grown to address her
with refined words which were the
cruellest of the cruel, waiting there
upon that lonely river, fOr-she knew
not what.
Muriel Warner was the daughter of
wealthy parents. She had married,
when very young, a young man whom
she had worshipcd as the embodiment
OF manly beauty Friends and rela-
tives had crowded about her with en-
vious congratulations, aud for time
her life was perfect happiness.
But change had come. Fred War
ner was not what he had seemed.
0Ujs iew short weeks of happiness,
aud lhe handsome husband plunged
Into tire Widest dissipation.
Friends remained to her rs long as
the money remained, and then they
began to hint that perhaps Muriel was
not altogether bIameless,
This was something which the
spirited wife could not stand. She
broke with relatives and friends, and
chung to the dissipated man who was
Der husband
From one city to another he had
dragged her with him. and now he
had deserted her, and she had followed
him.
His was the cultured voice which
warbled Of Home, Sweet Home, "
wh|hs his wife was penniless half
crazed creature out upon the river.
And she was penniless, for, regard
less of food or shelter, she had paid
out her last coin for the use of the
boat which brought her, unseen, yet
nearer to him.
A quick sharp report broke in upon
the mellow voice of the singer.
1t was repeated again and again.
1t was the report of a revolver.
Muriel could hear the excited shouts,
the heavy trampling Of feet, the bang
ing of a door, and then the weird cry,
"Murder!'
Half paralysed, the frightened
woman rested upon her oars just
under the beam which had once be-
longed to the old bridge.
The sound Of heavy feet rapidly
approaching, came from the bank
close at hand, and then a dark form
rushed out between her and the moon
lit sky above her
1t was mans figure, and he was
attemp ing to cross the river upon the
narrow beam.
Excited shouts and the tramp of
hurried feet followed him to the rivers
brink.
Stop shouted voice Il arrest
you for mt der.
No reply came from the escaping
figure, whica sped nimbly along its
narrow way.
A sharp chorus Of revolvers fol-
lowed; shot after shot was fired. and
then the dark figure wayered, the
hands grasped wildly at the arr and
then there was "A fall.
The water deluged Muriel with 4
shower of drops as the body entered
the water. Shouts and the exultant
retreating voices held her attention
until she felt something creeping into
the boat behind her.
She turned and uttered faint
shrek
4 man, and more than likely the
murderer had taken possession of her
little craft.
Give me the oars" said stern