Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-05-09

week he was dead.
Itwas nobody's business to follow the
wicked pair, and no one took the
trouble TO do so.
The old man had not altered his will.
and Mrs. Rivers was very rich. Be-
fore long we heard that they were
actually married.
Hildl never spoke Of him. but she
never seemed 10 like any one else.
think she was paler and thinner than
she would have been, but she did not
NOPE.
Ia a house on the heights, pretty
place with a garden about it lived Mr..
and Mrs. Gale. They quarreled per-
pctually, aud she had lost most Of her
fortune. She had taken to betting on
the races; had a lot of men who knew
about horses, and helped her to risk
her money, always at The house. Mean
while, eXtrayagant dressing and living
devoured her husbands means.
The servants said that she could do
as she pleased with himi for after be-
ing ill-humored for "A week, she had
only to be merry, and vow he was the
only man she cared for, to get any
thing out Of him she wanted.
He, for his part, as i saw when /
met him at the station or i'm the street,
was greatly altered for the worse
did not tell IIilda that Richard and
his wife lived in -, but she found it
out during her first VISIT.
/ discovered that she went to an
upper window every morning to see
him pass on his way 10 the city.
Sometimes Mrs. Gale went 10 meet
think llllda always saw him. A sort
OF intuition seemed to take ler to that
upper window at the right moment.
Mrs. Gale was greatly talked about
Of late. They said she took too much
wine--that she was often actually in
toxicatcd.
She drove down to the station alone
one afternoon. Later | heard the
wheels Of the carriage rattling up the
road, and looked up.
The Gales just opposite the win
dow he was trying TO get the reins
into his hand. She struggled for them,
her face was flushed, her hat on one
side. Suddenly | saw her snatch the
whip from its rest and give one Of the
horses a cut over the head. Then there
were cries from the passengers,
screams from the windows, and a
crowd in the road.
Amongst them | saw Hilda, who had
rushed bareheadcd from the house.
81 have had him brought in here,
dear Georgette,n she said few mo-
ments later. "He is terribly hurt.
You are not angry?"
els she here, alsow | asked.
ooh, Georgettc" cried Hilda, burst
ing INTO tears, "she is dead; they have
carried her home"
pitied him greatly in those days
that followed, aud for weeks all be-
lieved that he would die. Hida
nursed him. For days he did not know
her. When he did, the pale shadow
of a man seemed to have very little
left Of life, and as long rs he lived
would be obliged to move about on
crutches. Pity had banished wrath
entirely from my heart.
He was to be taken home very soon,
and was able to sit up and to talk.
Hilda was not so much with him as be-
fore. My husband and | were oftener
in the room.
One Sunday evening | sat reading
to him. Suddenly be spoke:
"Georgettc, he said al have some
thing to tell YOU. If | should die
without uttering it, believe | should
never rest. When | left Hilda / had
made up my mind that she had cold
nature-that she did not love me; and
that, though her pride might be hurt,
her heart could not. | thought Stella
warm and tender and devoted to me.
took coarse aud uuhallowed passion
for puro love. was mad for a while.
But when | am dead-it will be soon,
/ hope promise that you will tell
llilda that | long ago discovered that
she was my only love, ana that when
lost her pure affection / lost the
brightest jewel Of my life. Io,ed
hcr-I love her still shall love her
for ever! Ask her when am dead, to
believe aud forgive me-
And he covered his face and wept
BE utpeage, answered II know
YOU nave her forgiveness.
"GreJt Heaven. aud to think that l
once had her love"
And then from the shadows ut the
door "A form gIided Ii came close to
the chair in which Richard sat. 1t
knelt beside him. 1t was Ililda.
"Ricmrdr l beard her whisper, and
then LETT the room.
A year after that Hilda camo to me;
her face was radiant.
"Georgette, she said, exactly as she
had spoken ON that day in which this
story commences, 1--WE are going to be
married, Richard and l.
only looked at her.
YES, She said; Il know IT, He has
been very bad to me; audi he is poor
aud MANNED, and no longer beautiful;
but | love him.
A Matter OF Business.