The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-09-25
rently. lie slept on. with a disgust.

pass an arm under his head and
lift it to his knee. There was
no change in the limp lethargy.
The young man laid him down, and.
rising. stood of and looked at the pitia.
BILE wreck. Testers frenzied TRADE had
disabused the listeners mind Of the sus-
picion of suicide. He could no longer
doubt that here was the unraveling OF
the complex design that had vexed his
heart and head. The popular preacher
| was not the first of brilliant parts and
high position who had fallen a victim to
debasing and insidious habit. but his
| skill and effrontery in concealing the
truth were remarkable. Yet-might
i not March have OWNED the nature OF
| the mystery before this revelation? The
! peculiar brilliancy Of the deep-set eyes;
his variable spirits; his fluent and, at
times. erratic speech: the very charac-
acter OF his pulpit eloquence-might
have betrayed him to an expert. Ills
! wife's nervous vigilance and eager ASST
/ duty Of deyotion-aboye all, the episode
| Of the midnight toilerS, and the con-
| fiicting stories Of the need Of that toll
| finally-and he recalled it with burst
| ing hcart-Iietty's declaration to her
| lover that there were insurmountable
obstacles to their union--were as clear
as daylight now. The sudden illness OF
| that memorable Saturday night was
stupor like that which now chained the
slave Of appetite to the earth.
How often and with what excess OF
| anguish the revolving scene had been
enacted only the two unhappy sisters
! knew. unless the still more hapless
daughter were in the secret. Her wall:
20. God OF mercy.it has come at last- was
key TO depths Of suspenseful endur-
ancc and labyrinths Of unavailing decep-
| ton.
Cnavailing. for the instant Of detec-
tion was the beginning of the end. Tho
man was ruined beyond redemption. A
whisper of his infirmity would be the
loss OF place. reputation and livelihood.
and his innocent family would go down
quick into the pit with him. This was
the vision of impending gloom that had
disturbed what should be sunny deeps
in the sweetest eyes in the world to
him. This was the almost certain pros
pect that made her write: Il can never
be more than your friend.'
The Gilchrist was clean. honest blood.
Hetty testified her appreciation Of this
truth by refusing to marry him. He
could think how his mother would look
when she heard the story and how Fair
hill gossip would gloat over the newest
thing in clerical scandalsy'
Why should it be made public? WHY
should he not help to keep it quiet in
stead of pulling down ruin upon the
helpless and unoffending? Hetty had
written: I'm mercy to the innocent
He seemed to hear her say it now, in
his ear.
A faint melodious chime just vibrated
through the sultry air. The fine bell on
the "Old First had struck the half
hour. The church in which he was
baptized: the church Of his mothers
love and prayers. At thought Of the
pulpit desecrated by this fellows feet.
rush Of indignant contempt surged up
to his lips.
"Sacrilegious dog he muttered.
touching the motionless heapat his foot.
Homer shambied back out of breath.
He had brought a lantern.
''Now-it's powerful shady under the
trees" he replied to March's remark
that the moon gave all the light they
required AN theirs somethin' come
ter me. as want ter see!'
lie set down the lantern, Rugged the
tree bole and went up foot or two.
Then were heard scratching and rat
thing overhead.
"Now-would We a mind holdin' this
tell git EN- alp
The ''all" was four bottles and a tin
box. Two phials were long and empty
4 name was blown in the glass. March
held one down to the light.
Elixir of Opium
The others were larger and Of stout
blue glass. A printed label said ..Pbos-
phate." March pulled out a cork and
smelled the contents. Opium again!
The box held the same drug as dark
paste.
Il mistrusted them horse pilates a
coople O times" said Homer impertur-
badly sagacions. Lilo war too evcrlast-
in fond Of 'em. He skecrei me with the
devil inter goin' ter the drug store with
paper ter tell EN- for ter give me that
ar one designating an empty phia,.
'Leastways one like it. An Miss Hetty.
Sue foun' in it in the garding, where /
drapped it, Then twas she tole me
nnyver to 60 nowhar 'thout twas she
sent me. An ! amt sence! An he's
treatened me orful many time cause
what She said TO me that time. CUES
he bought EN- in New York, mos like
ly. He's sharp un-Mr. Wayt isl
March eyed him snspiciously.
'.llow did you know where these
things were, if you had nothing to do
with hiding them?"
Now stolid under the implied
doubt or not noticing it-''you reklec'
the Sunday night me n you was talkin'
here. n he come along, an ! Skinned
up the tree? / bet'-with more ANNA
ton than March had ever seen him dis
play before-''he was a comm fur a
drink then! Twas the very night be.
fore, when Miss Hetty, she come all the
way up to my room, an seq she: Homer
seq she, Mr. Wayt has done it agin,' she
say. An SO he had, an him lyin' on
the study floor jes' as you see HIM now
an Mrs. Wayt q cryin' over him. You
see she'd blieved, sure an certain. he'd
nnvver do So no more. But mistrusted
them horse pilates. Now, that very
night-Sunday night twas. m me an
You was talkin' here-as was a slid
in down the tree kotched inter a hole,
an somethin' sort O. iinglcd. like glass.
| nuvyer fought no more bout it tell
| jes' ez come up tonight an see him
sprawlin' thar, an ! smelled the stuff.
I'll jes' hide 'em in the grass. an to-
morrow early I'll bury EN- in the
garding. But it's o quare cupboard,
| that is"
While talking, he was busy spreading
upon the turf heavy shawl, such as
were worn by men thirty odd years ago
| "Sow-ef you'll lend a lift TO him." to
the wondering observer.
| The plan was ingenious, but Homer
dexterity in carrying it out, and the
sang fold he maintained Throughout, be-
tokened an amount Of practice at which
March's soul rccoiled. 1t was fright
| fpllu roal,st;c NJ. W.r-< y,o, lc;I -.