Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-04-04
At the Eleventh Hour. or. A " oman-s
Honor.

| AucL Sambcu ulATIlcU Odlc MuuTOe
in q fit of piQue, because she had
Quarrelled with the man whom she
loved better than life. King Burdo
had been her ideal since childhood, but
they had spoken bitter words TO each
other one night and parted. In a
month from that time she was married
while the man she had really loved
iourneyed to foreign land to find some
Lethe for memory.
They had met at a ball one night and
there the mistake that had separated
them was explained. Gale Munroe saw
tears on his wife's cheek as he helped
her into the carriage, and whether he
| suspected Anything or not, Mrs. Mum
roe went to no mora festivities.
One night King Burdo stole into The
husband s grounds to bid his lost love
farewell forever. he saw her in The
distance coming through the trees to
meet him.
Her dress was white, but whittier her
beautiful face as she advanced with Ian
guild step through the sunset.
The old love, augmented by, pity,
rushed over him like a wave He for
got that she was another's-tbat by her
own act they were parted forever.
With low cry of pam he starte!
forward flung himself on his knees at
her feet. .-....
.'Inez, Inez, my love, yo1 are dyingr'
he burst out, as she, with start and
an inarticulate cry, put out both hauds
and clung to his. "You have suffered
since L saw you last; you are like
death.'
She looked down at him with eyes of
woridless misery, but misery that had
chilled her life.
81 am going mad, think" she said
slowly; and she drew her hands from
his and put one to her bosom. one TO
her brow. Another month of this
life i am leading. and either heart or
brain will give way. Why have you
come heref You cannot aid me. To-
day he struck me; [ am used to curses,
but not yet to blows. Lookl''
She pushed up her loose sleeve and
showed him long dark bruse on her
arm from elbow TO shoulder.
His head fell forward, his teeth set
hard. This was the woman he loved
who, but for a foolish quarrel, would
have been his wife.
In the flush of the sunset, IN the
sweetness OF the dying day, he strug-
gled with temptation, but only for d
moment.
Lifting his face, which was colorless
as her own, and raising to his feet, he
bent toward her.
"1nez, you were pledged to me; you
love me still; have never ceased. to
love you. When 1 came here 1t was
to bid you farewell. but cannot &c
alone. You must go with rne.'
She was frightened at the thought oI
such thing, but aftdr an hours
! pleading she had consented TO goI
The next evening a carriage contain
| ing King Burdo and Gale Munroe's
| wife was speeding on towards the sta.
ton, ten miles away. They had not
| gone very far when one OF the springs
of the carriage gave out, and they were
compelled to stop at the village smIthy
| to have it fixed. IneZ sat down on the
| porch of little cottage to wait while
the work was being accomplished.
From where she sat sine could look into
the main room of the little house,
where sweet domestic scene met her
view.
The woman was no longer young,
but she had sweet, motherIy face, In
her arms she held child, while two
little white-robed figures lisped out
their evening prayers at her knee.
Lead Us not into temptation
came the words, and Inez, thinking of
her guilty life, sobbed and covered her
face. At that moment King laid his
| hand on her arm.
'Come." he said. 1--WE are still in
time"
SfA stood up white as death, but no
longer weak and tempted.
Yes, there is time. You shall take
me, not TO the train, but back home.
Ii you care at all for me you will nol
say word, but take me blackjack
home"
He knew 1t would be useless to say
anything, and he drove back silently
to the home she would have left for
ever. where they parted.
In pity for her pain God struck of
her fetters, for when the morning came
Gall Munroe was found dead In his
bed. Inez Is now the wife of the man
she loved, but she never looks back on
that ride without shudder.