The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-20
everything conspired to aid Roger In bis new

~s~0~~
life.
One day Roger told Suzanne to not feel
uneasy il no was not home as early as
usual, that he wished to look at some coun-
try houses and might be detained. This was
willie they were still at the Hotel Scribe.
The truth was that he wished to wait until
by poor Henriette's grave, which he had
never seen, but which was holy ground to
him.
All the late afternoon hs wandered about
the little village into the woods behind and
beyond the house where he had lived. The
house was closed and the beautiful garden
had run to weeds Desolation and neglect
were marked upon the place, and Roger
could not bear tue sight of his once charm
lag home thus gone to decay. He wandered
to the edge Of the town to the little grave
yard, but until night fell he dared not go to
the tomb he searched. The moon rose and
by IT'S light he discovered grave surrounded
10y an iron grating, and on the marble cross,
hidden by weeds that grew rank over the
poor martyr beneath, he found the name of
his WIFE, He sank down and laying his face
Oil the cold damp grass wept for his young
vile. whose death now seemed nlors real to
him than it ever had before. He gathered q
handful OF the rank, coarse weeds and kissed
them and placed them in his pocket and rose
to 60, with heavy heart, for she had died
believing him guilty. He had turned to go,
when II. Thought he saw wOmal's & cure
moving among the graves. His heart stood
still, alil he looked with wild eyes toward the
phantom, if such it WAS. He watched and
she walked from one grave to another,
searching everywhere and looking at all the
inscriptions on the stones as she went
His heart stopped beating, as something in
her walk OF movement told him that it was
his daughter, though long cloak and hood
drawn closely over her face completely hid
her from view.
If it was Suzanne then she had forgotten
nothing. She knew all, and for ten long
years had So dissimulated that he was en-
trely deceived, i'll spite of all the efforts he
had made to discover her mind.
His emotion was SO strong that he was
obliged to seat himself upon a tombstone and
wipe away the thick drops of cold sweat
from his forehead.
Il will know if it is She" said he; II must
knew II it is really Suzanne she will 60 to
her :uothel's ton,b."
As Iic was about to go back, there, near him,
styyi TIC same dark shadow going toward the
gate.
"Maslama. ,nadsploiselle, for PHYS sake, one
word
The shadow Lssr. hut tAst voice fright
eoed her, for she began to run swiftly and
disappeared from view.
81 will know. will be at the station and
await if necessary all night. He ran all the
way and reached the station, seeing no one
but men on the way; but there was no ons
there. The train did not leave for quarter
of eli hour, and he waited and watched and
he waited and watched again until another
one had gone. Then he decided to so homo.
and there he would surely find out if Su-
zanIe Was or had been out. When he reached
the hotel il was nearly II O'Clock, and Eu-
zanne was not in their common parlor Then
The father went to Suzanne's bed room and
softly tried the knob. The door opened, but
The room was dark
''Slle has not returned" thought he, prey
to violent agitation.
Just then the voice of Suzanne broke the
Stiffness:
as that you, father?"
A joy beyond words beamsd i'll his eyes as
he heard that voice. She was there asleep
quietly In her bed and he had aroused her.
So lie was mistaken. He thanked God in his
heart
Eyes, dear, it is l. I thought heard you
cry out"
"No, father, was asleep"
"Sleep again, my darling; sleep" And 20.
clad aid reassurcd. he father kissed tbs
daughter and retired.
Suzanne gave a sigh of relief when he was
gone, and said: Ole did not know me, hap
ply"
Roger had not been deceived, for it waa
Suzanne who had been il the cemetery and
kissed the cold iron that surrounded the
grave that held a mothers precious clay.