Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-08-16

L shall have to face the great Judge.
What shall / answer about my duty as
wifef"
you viii get better, Ismay: do not de-
spair."
But some time or other I must die.
What am l to say? You tempted me-
what shall 1 say"
DO You wish it all undone, Ismay?" he
asked
Yes" she whispered, family II would
give my life to undo it; but it is too late
Paul says so. / went to ask him to take
me b ok; would willingly have been poor
with him. But he is rich now. He would
not take me back; and it is killing me.
am afraid to deny life has been so
empty, my sin SO great"
Then she fell back faint and exhausted.
lie rose in alarm 10 eau IUr neIp; Out SIG
caught his hand.
Tell me before you go-you tempted
me-you are old and wise-teu me- what
answer shall give in extenuation of my
SIM"
May Heaven pardon mep' said the old
man. Il do not know"
He could not bear it; he gave one more
look at the closed eyes and the white face
and then hastily quilted the room Those
words haunted and frightened him-"You
tempted me. What shall say?''
81 might have adopted the child, and
have left husband and wife together he
thought. 81 have done wrong. For a
Carlswood to acknowledge that means
that he must frankly own it and atone for
it. l. who prided myself on my long de-
scent, on my unbIemished honor, on my
stainless name-I must go to this man and
ask his forgiveness"
He went again to Isnay, and from her
learned where Paul was.
His wonder was great at finding in the
new member, the gifted orator. the imam
of the people" Paul Waldron his grand
child's husband. He dared not wait to
express his surprise She was in great
danger, and he believed that her husband s
presence would save her. Her life seemed
ebbing fast Heaven help him if he should
be too late.
Once more Paul was disturbed at his
booKs-this time it was by the unexpected
announcement of Lord Carlswood." He
had heard nothing of his wife's Illness He
had resolved upon leaving England after
that interview-he could not look upon
her face again.
name, and stood ready to receive his visi-
tor. At last they stood face to face, the
injurer and the injured, the proud peer
and the proud commoner. Paul saw a
stately figure bent before him, g. grand old
face quivering with emotion and pale with
dread.
In his courtIy, high-bred fashion, Lord
Carlswood held out his hand.
81 have done you grievous wrong, sir, "
he said, land am here to ask your par
dom" Lord Carlswood was gazing into e
face as proud as his own.
81 have no pardon to give, Lord Carls-
wood" was the naughty reply. 1T is too
late to ask it.''
you must not refuse me-" said the old
nobleman.
Years ago. Lord Carlswood you tempt
| ed from me my wife, whom l loved as no
man ever loved woman before; you took
| from me my child; you laid my life bare
| and desolate; you robbed me OF every hope.
! For such wrongs 1 have no pardon"
The old man bent his head with a hui
mility rare in him.
81 did wrong, sir did not think so at
the time; see it now. | did a gri1vous
wrong. / am an old man, and l ask you
TO forgive me-"
You ask an tmpossibility," was the
stern reply.
81 come of proud race" continued the
| old man; mo man springing from it ever
bent his knee in supplication to his fellow
man. l do it to you"
| Paul half turned away; he saw tears
gathering in the old nobleman's eyes.
| 81 shall look upon myself as an assassin
unless you give me your pardon" he con
! Linued. at was | who wronged you, not
| Ismay, your wife. | tempted her-I stud
led every foible, every weakness of her
character. / lured her away from you,
and it is not just that she should bear the
! blame"
Paul stood in silence for few minutes,
and then he said
81 do not understand your motive for
asking my pardon"
| Lord Carlswood looked at him in sur
prise.
"You did not know that Ismay was i'll
Ismay is dying, sirl l am sure, if you
would go to her, if you would speak kind
ly to her, she would live-she would get
better You must not refuse me. For the
love of Heaven, come and visit herr'
"Ismay dyingr' repeated Paul, inter
rupting the passionate flow of words.
Come with me; if she dies, | shall fee
that have killed her." and Paul saw thai
the old mans eyes were full of tears
an the presence of death" he said, kind
iy, "all human love and hate disappears
will go with you"
"And you forgive me2" said the low
voice
There was short struggle, and ther
Paul laid his hand on the trembling arm
Il forgive you," he said; and they left tn.
house together.