Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-29
MONICA.
A TRUE LOVE STORY.

my uncle is at deaths door, he says. III
voice that quivers with rage and excite
ment. Coming home late last night he was
shot at by some rn1fians from behind the
blackthOrn hedge on the Coole road. He
wants you, Miss Blake'' Ito PRISCILLA. ''He
Is asking for you. You will not refuse to
come to man who may be dying, for all we
know! l have brought the carriage for You,
and 1 implore YOU not to delay, but to come
to him at once"
Miss Priscilla has sunk into chair, and
Is quite colorleSs; Miss Penelope clasps her
hands.
sob, poor Georger' she says, involun-
tarily. His present danger has killed re-
membrance Of all the angry years that stand
between to-day and the time when last she
called him by his Christian name.
'When did it happen? How?' asks Mon
lea. tightening her fingers round his. and
trembling visibly.
about ten o'clock last evening. Both
Kelly and L were with him, and a groom.
Two shots were fired. Kelly and l jumped
off the dog-cart and gave chase. and sue
ceeded in securing one of them. There were
four altogether, think. We did not know
my uncle was wounded when we ran after
them, but when we came back we found
Murray the groom holding him in his arms.
He was quite insensible. l left Kelly and
Murray to guard our prisoner, and drove nv
uncle home myself. He is very badly hurt.
Miss Blake, turning again to Miss Priscilla,
'you will come with me?'
''Oh, yes, yes" says Miss Priscilla, family.
'And | shall go with you, my dear Pris-
cilla," says Miss Penelope, heroicaIly. Eyes,
you will want me. To find yourself face to
face with him after all these years of
arrangement and in so sad state will be
distressing. 1t is we'll / should be On the
spot to lend you some support"
Miss Priscilla lays her hand on her arm.
81 think | shall go alone, Penelope,D she
says, faltering. For one moment Miss Pene-
lope is little surprised, and then in anotl-
er moment she is not surprised at all. But
/ believe in her heart she is coed deal dis
appointed; there is a flavor of romance and
excitement about this expedition she would
gladly have tasted
'sWell, perhaps it will be better 500 she
says, amiably. Il am glad he has sent for
YOU. He will be the easier for aiolH for
giveness though he cannot obtain hers,
now. Come up stairs; you should not seen
Mr.. Desmond waiting" There is a kindly
light in her eyes as she chances at the young
away to her room, and helps her carefully
with her toilet, and accepts the situation as
a matter Of course, though in her secret soul
she is filed with amaz ament at The Des-
monds sending for Miss Priscilla even
though lying at deaths door.
And indeed when the old man had turned
to Brian and asked him to bring Miss Blake
to Coole, Brian himself had known surprise
oT,Ic Voc, In ~, 70
make her swear never to give her consent to
his (Brian's) marriage with her niece? or
was he going to make open confession Of
that dishonorabIe action which caused Miss
Blake's pretty step-sister to suffer dire
tribulation, according to the gossips round.
Il should like to see Priscilla Blake" the
old Squire had said, in a low whisper, his
nephew leaning over him to catch the
words, and then he had muttered some,
thing about 'old friends and forgiveness,
that had not so easily been understood.
''You shall see her." the younger man
says, tenderly. 'I'll go for her myself.
am sure she won't refuse to come"
''RCfusew There is something in the
Squire's whisper that puzzles Brian.
II am certain she will not" he repeats
mechanically, whilst trying to translate it.
But the look has faded from the old mans
face and his tone is different, when he
speaks again.
IF she is afraid to come" he says gener-
ously, having evidently settled some knotty
point OF inward discussion to his entire salts
faction, tell her from me thatI amready and
willing to forgive dlJ''
You mean you are anxious to obtain hel
forgiveness" says Brian, with the kindly in
tention of assisting the old mans wander
ing imagination.
'Eh?" says the Squire, sharply. 'What
dye mean, Brian? Speak, lad, when l de
sire you"
Look here, George! if you excite your
self like this you know what the conse
quences will be-" says Brian, sharply in his
turn. 81 only meant that, as you certified
their step-sister, l supposed you were anN
ious to obtain their pardon, now you fee
yourself pretty low. But I'd advise you tC
wait and see about that when you have re
covered your strength a little"
"And you believed that old story too!
says the poor Squire, forlornly. II didn'
jilt her at all, Brian. 1t ,pGs she tilted meP
"Whdt" says Brian, turning to see if the
bullet had touched his brain instead of hi!
ribs.
''Tis true. tell you, that girl broke my
heart She was the prettieSt creature ever
saw, with soft doves eyes, and a heavenl!
smile, and no more heart than that" Strih
ing the post of the old-fashioned bedsteaC
with his uninjured arm. Il gave myself III
to her, worshipped the very ground she
walked on, and within fortnight of oul
wedding she calmly wrote to tell me she
could not marry mer'
"Giying a reason"
mo. Even She I presume, could no
summon sufficient couragetO tell the wretcl
she had deluded of her love for another
She gave me no reason. She entreated me
however, to keep silence about the real au
thor of the breach between uS,-that is, her
self. l was to be the one to break Off on
engagement! | was to bear all the blame
She implOred me to conceal her share in it
and finally demanded of me, as last favor
that would give the world to understand
had thrown her over"
"a charmingly disinterested specimen o
womankind," says Brian, raising his brows
''And this to me-" says The Desmond, al
Indignant sob making his weak voice weak
era man who had always kept himself
straight in the eyes of the world. l was re
Quired to represent myself as low, despic
able fellow, one of those who seek wo
mans affections only to ignore them at tn
sight of the next pretty face"
'But you refused to comply with her re
Quest?" says Brian, hastily.
mo, sir, 1 didn't" says the Squire, sham
struggling with his excitement. ''On tn
contrary, gave into her in every respect.
believe at that time l would cheerfully hav
allowed myself to be branded as thief, i
she had desired itand if twould have save,
her one scrap of discomfort She was afrai'
of her sisters you see. l blamed them then
Brian, but 1 think now her fear of then
arose from the fact that they were as true a
she was-Well, wellw