The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-01-19

for YOU don't believe IN my innocence. .
Mrs. Bristol rose and left the room,
too full of sorrow to say anything.
Just as she left Lenora's room, Jean
nette's room door was closed; that vile
murderess had again been listening at
the keyhole, and heard every word that
was said in the blue rooms.
| ooh, am so happy-so happy! All
is over now, and oil is mine! Blessed
be the moment III which | thought
OF that letter, for it sends her away i'll
disgrace When Ray returns l shall
have the satisfaction of seeing his love
crushed, and, surely, he viii be
ashamed of ever having loved so vile q
womanl"
While she paced up and down her
| room, she seemed to be treading on
air, and already she was planning in
her mind just how she would have her
trousseau made, and Just who should be
| invited to her wedding.
"Ohl won't it be glorious, and the
victory is So" but she did not finish
the sentence, for the horrible vision OF
the dead nurse and Simple Tim APP
peared, whispering in her ear, "No!" in
its ice-cold breath Jeanette reeled
and staggered around the room, and in
some way reached sofa.
1t had grown quite dark ont of
doors; the moon shone only at inter
| walls, for occasionally its face was GOV
cred with passing cloud.
A number of the rooms i'll the man
sion were brightly lighted, but in the
blue rooms the gas had been turned
almost out about nine o'clock.
At that time a tall, handsome young
man, with sad, haggard face, might
| have been seen emerging from under
the tall trees by the side of the drive
that led to the city,
He had seen the bright light in the
| blue room, and then saw when it was
| turned low. He FASTENED his steps
| but was some little distance from the
mansion when he saw the great hall
door open, a fash of light, and then it
suddenly closed.
"What can that mean? No one
came out. Perhaps they are looking
| for me; but no one knows that | am
| coming, for | did not send them word,
| but intended to surprise them.
Makes no difference; l must hurry,
| for | can't wait any longer. but must
see my little love!
ooh, heavens, has she thought of
me half as much as | of her, and will
she be my wife or not? l must know
to-nightl'
BY this time he had reached the peb-
| blcd drive in front of the mansion.
| JUS then the moon seemed to dart
| from under dark cloud that had been
| hiding it's face for some time, and every
object could plainly be seen.
\ faint sigh reached Rays ear, and
/ it seemed to come from the lake.
As he looked toward the part: ally
| frozen body of water he saw little fig
ure, clad in long white robe, with
bright golden curls loosely tossing
| about III the wind
1t was Lenora, and her little feet
We're swiftly carrying her far out in the
| lake to the edge of the ice, where she
! intended to loose herself forever from
| this wicked, troublesome world in
! those deep, cold waters. She stopped
| for breath q minute, and turned to
| take one last look at the mansion.
ooh, beautiful mansionl the home
OF my darling, my hearts one idol,
must take one last look at you before |
am lost in these deep, cold waters. >
And then, clasping her little ice-cold
hands as she knelt there, she prayed:
Father, my Father in Heaven, lis
ten To me now, for | Will soon be with
you in your beautiful home III Heaven.
L have no home here, aud no one TO
care for me; they are all hunting me
for my life; they call me a murderess,
but Thou knowest / am innocent.
Jesus, the only brother / have in Heav-
en- OF on Garth, loves me, and will take
care OF me when ] am with Him. For
give all who have wroGged me, and
forgive me ii | am doing wrong to-
night; but, oh, Father, l cannot stay
here. | am coming, now, to Thee i'll
Heaven"
As tha moon shone down upon the
little golden head, Ray recognized it,
and quick as flash he saw that she
was going to take her life.
He knew that sol .ething terrible had
happened, or she would never do such
a wrong, as he sd her fitting along
over the snow-covel d ice to its very
edge. He dropped his valise and
started after her
ooh, God, tina, &c NY little darling,
my angel, as pure as thoss she viii
join if she reaches the edge before ]
can get to her | know she is innocent
Of any wrong, for, thank God, | have
the proof, and | will save her or die
with her"
He ran toward Lenora as fast as he
could, still carryinga bundle under his
arm that he had forgotten to leave on
the bank
The poor little prosecuted girl was
far in advance of her anxious pursuer
when she disappeared from his sight.
Ray advanced all the more rapidly
toward the spot he last saw her, and as
he drew near he saw her as she knelt
there on the snow, with her little hands
tightly clasped, while the moon s
bright rays displayed every feature of
that beautiful, angelic face.
God of heaven and earth, keep her
there until l can reach her and carry
her back IN my arms, to rest there
eyermore.
The murmured petition had scarce
lv passed his lips when the little
shivering form darted up and ran on
and on nearer the edge of the ice.
Ray increased his speed, but the ice
was 50 thin that it would scarcely bear
his weight, while the light, fairy-like
Lenora could skip along Oh the thin
crust.
On she went, rising and falling as
the h aavy waves rose and fell; still
her slight weight did not break the ice.
stop! stop! For Gods sake stopl'
rang through the air, out on the deep
blue waters, in a strained, agonized
tone, as if they were the last words OF
a desperate, dying man.
Those words had no effect upon
Lenora, and now she was within few
yards of where she could no longer
remain above water. 1t seemed to
Ray as if she We're walking on the
waves, far out in the lake. He had
gone as far as he could on the thin ice
L