The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-25

@@&sk&
"Oh, Raymond, kill me! Crush mef'
| And with these last words she lay prone
upon the floor as if dead. Raymond placed
her in a chair and sprinkled water in her face
and then when she began to revive he rushed
| to the woods to wrestle with his misery alone
| All this while that he was with his mother
and going through this painful scene, there
had been an unseen auditor, who heard every
word, and that was PIERRE who crouched dazed
and stricken behind the portiere. Without
wishing to he had surprised these terrible
secrets, and here too for the first time, he
heard of Raymond's love for Suzanne. He
rose feebly and crept to his own room, and
threw himself on the couch with groan and
tried to range in his mind the things he had
heard. But all was a confused mass of sound
and sense After awhile his mother came to
his room. She had never done so before
Was it that her wonlan's heart cried out fo1
some one to love her, to believe in her?
"My son, have come to say good night
hope, Pierre, that l have always been q
good mother to you"
"You have always been kind and indulgent
and full of affection"
"You are a good son, Pierre; but feel to-
night as if had not loved you as tenderly az
you have always deserved. And if have
ever made you feel that have loved your
brother better than you, pray you pardon
me for it, above all, tonight"
"And why tonight more than any other
time!"
because feel very tired and very i'll, and
I feel that l have not long to live, and I Dc
not wish, after am gone, that you think
did not love you"
IF you are not well, mother, we will &C
away somewhere. A change perhaps would
do you good. will see the doctor to-mor-
row."
mo, dear, do not wish to leave here. Now
shall 60 to bed; but, Pierre, before I 60
want to hear you say, Il pardon you"
II have nothing to pardon"
"Say the words, my SON, say them"
"But, mother"@
"Ah, you refuse; you are jealous still Of
the affection l have for Raymond. Oh, my
son, feel tonight that you are even dearsr
to me than he, and it is for that that beg
your pardon"
But Pierre had lowered his eyes and stood
cold and rigid, making no sign, and she left
him. scarcely able to drag herself along, and
his heart melted at the sight of her feebleness
and he went and sustained her to her ROOM
When they were there she said, again trying
so hard to smile:
$50, then, my son will not pardon biz
mothers"
81 cannotl" cried he; 81 cannot. I heard
all. know ALL"
"Ahr said she, simply; then she burst into
laugh SO harsh and strange that he started
and cried:
Mother! Mother"
Mother, mother; oh, yes, mother" said
she, shaking her head, but still laughing with
shat awful strident sound. Suddenly she
stopped, and her head fell forward and her
arms hung Imply down each side the chair.
'Great God"
Even to his inexperienced eyes this was
death, and'he rang and in haste sent for Ray
mond and doctor, and then returned and
with the aid Of the servants got her into bed,
where she lay dying. When Raymond heard
9he gun shots he knew at once it was a note
OF alarm, as that was their method Of COM
nrunication when either was in the forest and
was wanted at home. He reached there, and
found his mother apparently dead, though she
revived and said feebly:
Raymond, Raymond. my best loved son,
will you do me one last favorl Go to Roger
and tell him am dying, and bring him here.
cannot face God without his pardon. Bring
him. oh, Raymond, and Pierre will stay with
me- Dear, noble fierre, whom never half
appreciated. Go. my son, in Gods name.n
Raymond rode as for life to thu White
House and told Roger, who looked at him
coolly and said:
"And Suzanne? Am 10 leave this inno-
cent child to die alone while go to the bed
side of that guilty woman3"
Let me watch beside her. Nv mother
must not die without your pardon; she has
mine, God knows. Go to her and let me
watch by this dear one whose life is 30
precious to US ALL"
Roger clasped his hand warmly, and with
out another word led him to SuzsSnne's bed
side, saying to the nurse:
This is her promised husband. I. her
father. authorize him to stay here until NV
return" And he rode away like the wind.
leaving Raymond on his knees by Suzanne
holding her burning hands in one of his.
while with the other he softly rubbed her
forehead. which felt like fire under his touch.
She grew calmer and quieter. and after a
while the restless tossings ceased and she fell
into gentle slumber, and the tense. dra wn
look about her brow and mouth relaxed. Ha
did not move or scarcely breathe az he knelt
there, his whole Soul melting into the love
and sorrow he felt for her Alighted youth.
And whether he infused something of his
own young life and strength into her or alb
sorbed by force of will or that occult science
which we call magnetism, the fever which
had so sapped her youth and strength. ".
know not, but IS the hours went by she grew
easier and better, and when morning came at
last che opened her eyes in reason again
In the meantime Roger rode toward the
dying woman a. fast as his horse could 90
Julia listened, listened, but no sound Of
horses feet broke the stiffness of the niobt
and she writhed in her agony as she cried:
he VIII not come. He will not pardon
me. Pierre. pray you, go to the window
DO you hear thema Go down in the court
yard and see if they are coming. On;ct
Pierre! cannot see. They will be too Late
IN, why do they not come, and RAYMOND,
he did not stay for that one little word that
might have soothsd my dying bed. he did
not pardon his unhappy MOTHER
Pierre went and looked He looked severa,
times, but they did not come.
HE will not comet" cried Julia in aoon,
and already her features took on that e,vf',,
pailor OF the dead. when horses boofs WON.
heard "One, only one," she whispered
de VIII not forgive. Oh, Pierre. Raw.
mond!n
Steps came rapidly up the stairs. but ina.
q tae door opened and Roger Laroque stepped