The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1888-03-24

Al ldSt she IiedIu a. SG6p coming anu
Owen walked into the house, like the
ghost of himself, his tall figure looking
gaunt, his face dark and rigid with
trouble. He was staring straight before
him as if seeing nothing, and did not
perceive Maureen till she placed herself
right before him, and put her hands on
his arms.
"Owen, in Gods name, what are you
going to do?''
| He shook himself up as if out of q
long sleep.
"Mhat are you dong here at this
hour Of the night, Maureen?" Run
away home with you at once. I would
go with you, only"
Only for What, Owen?'
81 have other business to attend to. +"
| He turned away his head as he spoke,
and dropped her hands and would not
| look at her where she stood, silently,
her arms hanging by her side, all her
soul III her eyes, that followed his every
! movement.
IL know what your business is," she
said with long sigh, sit is mono after
your own heart"
s'God knows If dare speak Of God
now,-it is none after my own heart.
But am bound by my cath and the lot
was fairly drawn. 1t had been decided
that tyfant must be got rid Otto
save the lives of the people, before my
opinion Was asked in the matter.
Somebody must do the deed, they say;
the lots were drawn, and / am the
man.'
| sYou are not the man; you were
never born to be murderer. God can
save His people without help from
ccims Coma with me, dearest, and let
some blood stained wretch do this deed,
it tho deed must be done. Let US hurry
away, and get out OF the sea, before
any ore knows we are gone u
'tBreak my oath, sneak out OF
danger, leave some one else to take the
penalty aud The sin ON his head? Maui
reen, you know I ami no coward, Time
is up, and [ must start. Go home and
pray FOR me il you love me; pray for a
man who cannot pray for himself"
II will pray, am praying tor you;
but will not so home"
/! She made swift movement and
closed the door and stood with back to
il. facing him.
''{'llis will save no SIM said Owen,
gloomily, "Lhere will be two lives lost
| instead OF one. Would you doom me
| to the death Of coWiard?''
Mo, would save you from it. oh.
my dear, when we die let us go with
clean souls before God. Other peoples
crimes are not cur business. Owen
She snatched the crucitlx which hung
within reach of her hand on the wall,
a rugged smoked-stained image
telling It's pathetic story, all the more
sincerely and tragicaiiy for its primitive
rudensss Of form and expression.
Placing it as a bar across the door she
gazed at her lover with eyes In which
their usual sweet beseechingness had
given place to lock of agoniZed resol-
utlon.
"Maureeu, do not try me GOO far.
The very last moment has come. Let
me make my wsy out"
eYou cannot she said family, lyon
will never dare to pass that BAR
He had taken up his gun in prepare.
ton for his dismal errand, but now pnt
it down agail, Ola the table. Approach
ing the girl he lifted her gently from
her feet in q determined grasp and re-
moved her from the doorway. Feeling
herself powerless TO struggle further,
AIaureen uttered a moan Of anguish and
slipped from his arms in swoon across
his feet. With an exclamation Of nor
ror Oven raised her tenderly to his
breast,
MY darling" he mur1nured, and is
this tbs ending Of all our faithful love !!
Cruelty from me to you, sin and horror,
death and parting? Oh, may God who
created us, have mercy On us!''
.EIs laid her on All Old "settee" in Che
corner, bathei her hands aud Face with
cold water, ana then seeing signs Of re-
turning life, he kissed her once. turned
away hastily to the door, and slowly
and reyerentiy removed the erucidx
from the spot where it had been liked
as bar. Holding the sacred image i'll
his hand for moment be gazed at 1t
with eyes full of agony: then restored it
mechanically to its time honored place
on the wall. The next instant he had
laid hold Of his gun and WAS gone.
Scarcely had his footsteps left the
threshold before Maureen was on her
feet and following him swiftly. The
moon had set, the night was dark, he
never turned his head to look back
ward, while The girl, wrapped in her
dark cloak, kept within a few PAGES be-
hind him over bog and heather, hill
aud dale, road aud mOorland, till after