The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-07-24


duplicating her husband in any way;
but inducing the girl to provide for her
the disguise of servants dress. and to
accompany her in cab. to the address
named in the note.
Leaving the girl at the foot of the
stairs the unhappy little wife stole up
one flight, and listened.
a tall, bony-looking woman came
out of room opposite, with her apron
to her eyes. 1t was the landlady of
the house, who had been bidding her
dying lodger last farewell, and who
failed to see the intruder as she passed,
weeping to her own room.
The door of the sick-room being left
ajar, Mrs. Strong saw and heard with
out any difficulty.
On the bed lay wasted yet beauti-
full woman, young and still attractive,
but dying-dying fast. Beside the bed
sat her husband, holding the sufferer
in his arms. wiping the cold drops from
her forehead with Il gentle hand, and
talking to her in a low tone.
"Eloise, be at rest, be at peacem he
was saying. For our dead mothers
sake | forgive You. even as she would
have forgiven you, if she had lived
''1on swore that you would not,
Robert!'' gasped the dying woman, with
look of pain.
Hush. dear. Forget it, as / do l
was bard. and cold, and proud in those
days, and I thought | could never see
you as YOU are now without forgivin@
YOU. But. Eloise. since then, |. too
have learned TO love, and know better
how to pity you. The man you mar
ried was unworthy of you, but you
loved him, and for years you have
suffered for his sake. | honor YOU for
it now. Eloise, as much as | blamed
you once. | only wish | had found
you sooner. SO much suffering. of
body and of mind might have been
spared if you had only written to me
before
Il was proud. too, my brother" she
said, family. But, Robert, what has
changed you so? You are as gentle as
a woman. / hardly know you now"
u tell you that |, too, know what it
is to love, Eloise," he said sadly. Il
have a dear young wife, whom treasure
like the apple of my eye. She does not
love me yet; she feels only gratitude
towards the man who rescued her from
poverty. But, one day, | hope to win
her heart. Eloise, if you live"
Il shall not live. | shall never see
your wife Robert. But, my boy
She shall be mother to him, dear.
She will love the child, even if she can
not love me, and he will be a link"
Touched to the heart with contrition.
the little wife retraced her steps, and
summoned her servant, and drove to.
wards home.
On the last moments of the dying she
felt that she had no right to intrude.
But for the living-for the living
who loved her-surely she might be
taking thought and care.
Two hours later Robert Strong
opened the door of his own house with
a latchkey and crossed the hall noise
lessly towards his study. In his arms
he bore heavy-looking bundle. His
face was pale, his manner anxious, and
he looked round once or twice, as if
dreading the presence of some unseen
watcher, though the house was still,
and all the servants had gone to bed.
Turning up the gas in his study. he
laid his bundle down on the sofa, and,
throwing back the heavy cloak, dis,
closed the pretty face of sleeping
child some three or four years old. He
stood looking down upon the infant
for some time, with thoughtful air.
What will she say?' he exclaimed,
at last, aloud.
And suddenly he became aware of
the presence of his wife, who stood just
within the study door, looking at him
with fearful, tender gaze, such as
she had never dared bestow on him be-
fore.
Say! Oh, Robert, what can she say,
except that she loves you, and wishes to
do, in all things, exactly as you think
best" she murmured. coming nearer,
with look of timid love not to be mis-
taken, even by his longblinded eyes.
His pale, calm face flushed suddenly;
his deep blue eyes grew bright and
full of tenderness.
My darling, do you mean what you
say?n he asked, holding her little way
from him. Think l have long
fancied that YOU could not and did not
love me. am so many years older
than YOU
and so many years wiser, better,
dearer," she whispered. ''Oh, Robert
if you had been poor day laborer 1
would have married you all the same.
! never loved anyone else! Is that
enough?n
He opened his arms Blushing and
smiling, she flung herself upon his
breast, and their lips met in kiss such
as during all the months of their mar
riage they had never exchanged before.
This child is the son of MY only
sister, who after my mothers death,
made "A secret marriage that nearly
broke my heart he said, after long
pause. Poor Eloise died, an hour
ago, in my arms, forgiven and at rest.
My darling, will you love the child for
her sake, and for mine? | promised
her that YOU would be Il mother to the
boy"
Il will be all that you ask or wish"
said the happy wife, kneeiing beside
her husbands chair, and laying her
bright head upon his knee. But now,
|, too, have something for you to for
give
And she told him the story of the
strange letter; the story of her ieal
ousv, and of its sudden aud final cure.
He heard her in silence to the end, and
then he raised her from the ground,
and held her to his heart once more.
You will go with me to see poor
Eloise buried, my love" he said, with
gentle kiss.
And nesting quietly in his arms.
with her white hand playing with his
still soft curling hair, the young wife
knew that she was forgiven. and thai
her husbands heart was all her own.
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