Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-08-15
II went up to the door and rapped.


Il went up to the door and rappcd.
Who's therep said voice from with
10. Briefly explained my mission.
Then the rude door swung slowly open
and woman stood on the threshold
| woman lovely rs picture, but oh.
with such sad, miserable look in her
big black eyes. Sne looked at me
closely, but she never spoke. Was she
dumb, think you? May be she was.
| All day her face haunted mo. Bcin
something OF an artist. drew an out
line of IL as rode slowly along. It's
ough. admit; still it resembles her
IN n measure"
As he spoke he handed Meredith a
picture rudcly drawn on bit OF card
board. Strong man rs Meredith was,
his eyes grew moist and his frame
shook rs be took ii in his trembling
fingers aud recognized the well-known
features of Elinor Bruce.
A few moments later no was dash
ing over the prairie at rs great speed
as the darkness would permit toward
the wretched hut that contained the
woman he loved.
Dawn was breaking over tho rolling
prairies in stream OF perfect golden
light AS he drew near the cot. An
Oppressive silence surrounded it-a
silence full of vague calanlties-dan-
ger. He flung himself from the sad
die, aud. approaching the closed door
Knocked with n hand that tremblcd.
There was no reply. Only hollow
echo responded 10 the summons. AT
| A. u Al L.. A fnpaI
No wonder he started with nervous
horror ut the awful scene before him!
At his feet. in a pool OF blood. "a
dead man lay; his hands were clinched
and n look OF intense hatred seemed
frozen on his pallid features. Beyond
him, in the center Of the dim and
shadow-haunted roonl, upon n rude
couch Of furs lay form, dark shape.
outlined with softest light. IL was
Elinor-she who OF all others was to
him the incarnation OF the deepest
earthly anguish aud the highest earth
ly Joy. No pail covered her. no shroui
enwrappcd her; bat the folds OF her
crimson dress threw Il pallor surpass-
inc even that of death over The serene
face.
, Meredith beheld all this with an In
finite horror and pity thrilling his
heart. He turned away at last. and
was moving in dumb sort OF way to-
r ward the door when his attention was
attracted by sheet OF closely written
paper living upon small pine table
. beside him. Almost unconsciously hi:
!, ewes followed the crooked lines, aud IN
n little while he sunk into rude sea-
beside the table, while some low ant
hurried exclamations Of surprise cs
capped him.
''rhe woman In yon corner" thu
paper read, lis n suicide. You do no
believe the brilliant. Elinor Bruce
would take her own life. But she did
!, And no wonder! Ii was not until some
i months after our secret marriage tha
|, | persuaded her to ily with mo To thi
, isolated place. and although | thel
knew that she was utterly indifferen
!, to mo did not know that she dared L
love another. Need say that | wa
q not long in finding this to be the case
!, Urgent business one day called me t
J, ST. Mary's. little trading-post beyon'
= the mountain. IL was my custom +
90 by way of tho Alpine pass. whic
was a bridle-path. or deviation fcou
the main road. aud nearer by twent
: miles. 1t had not been travelled fo
some years, owing to dangerous cross
:, inys on the route; and. indeed on
!, place ia particular. where woode
!, bridge spauncd 4 fearful abyss. wa
: Justly called the bridge OF death, fo
:. more than one unfortunate travele
= had fallen over it into the raging waite
below. Now this bridge was repaire
and considered comparatively safe.
= 1T was late when | turned my ster
!" homeward. A friend. whom ha
y met at the trading post accompanie
~ me. Pretty soon we reached III
bridge of death. BE careful!
cautioned; but my warning was lost
q shrek of flercest agony, rs horse an
:, rider plunged into darkness aud IL
!. slant death below. The su,ldcrSess {
! this terrible tragedy paraIyzsd me fc
time, Then by supreme effort.
. recovered my composure, dismonnte
:, aud approached the abyss. As l di
(. so the dim light Of the moon disclose
a woman on the opposite side, movin
;, slowly off. 1t was Eliuor. ! called
her excitedly and she turned around
One moment she stood there motor
], less as Il statue; one moment she gaze
fixedly at me; then with cry that u
rings IN my ears. she disappeared. Sh
" had hoped to destroy me-you kno'
the rest. When reached the cabin
found her dead. She had committe
= ,uicide. A dagger was buried to th
hit in her side. She had struck In
blow with such force aud precisio
that death must have been instantar
!, eous. As for me follow her example
/ loved her. Life without her Is nc
4, worth the having."-N T. World.