Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-02-06
sYon know what I seek. father" Ii,

4 e>1.S'
"little Trina is very dear to me. give her
into my keeping and when she is safely
mine you may have your much-prized
freedom; if not" and the evil face
hardened, II shall most certainly leave
you to your fate"
What price to pay! Asked to sac.
riGce the life happiness of his only child
by binding her forever to man whom
she loathed and detested, and that, too,
when he knew that her heart was given
to another Who can Imagine the ter
rible struggle in that mans mind ?
! What wonder that great beads of per-
aspiration stood upon his brow?
| 20, Ralph, Ralph!" he whispered
faintly in his agony. "Is there nothing
else? Will not gold tempt you? Have
pity; she is not mine to give" and the
old man sank back, trembling.
mo, there is no other earthly con-
sideration that would tempt me to take
the risk which must incur in giving
you your liberty. You make your own
choice"
For q moment Col Bornoff sat deep in
thought His own life was the prize at
stake, yet he hesitated to sacrifice the
happiness of her whom he most loved.
tie half raised his head. she must
decide Ralph. l-ou must see her. I
can not force her to give up SO much for
my sake"
Then by the aid of the feeble moon
beams the old grayhaired Colonel wrote
a nasty note to his child that she might
know its bearer was not imposing upon
her in the message which he was to
carry.
IF she accepts will return at mid
night tomorrow night. Trina shall &C.
company me, aud together we will
leave forever this land of sorrow. Ii
not. good-by; VIC shall not meet again"
and as softly aud cautiously as he en-
tered Ralph Marty left the cell, and
the helpless victim Who gazed after him
with look Of intense longing which he
could not hope to satisfy.
Iu the morning Ralph sought out the
house where little Trina Bornoff lived.
As he advanced to the doorway of tbs
little morning room in which she was
seated it was plain that he loved her
with all the strength of his evil villain
GUS heart.
Nay, nay, my pretty one," he called
to her as at sight Of him she arose to
leave the room; You have no call to
fly. See, bring message for you
1t is from your father, and he held alott
the hastily written note which he had
received yome hours before.
At mention of that name, Trina
stopped. What could the man mean?
Then sudden glad thought filled her
brain; with glad little cry she rushed
across the room, grssped the missive
from his hands and with fingers tremb.
ling in their eagerness she tore it open.
A smotbered moan escaped her lips
How different to what she had antici-
pated. Her father was still prisoner
and she had expected to learn that by
some kind agency he had made good his
escape. Completely overcome she sank
into chair and tried to compose her.
self and to think.
Ralph's voice recalled her. Come,
my lady. This is no time for fine feel
Jugs. Is the thought Of being my wife
so terrible as this?"
What could she do? chance was
given her to save her fathers life, if she
did not avail herself of it, no matter at
what cost to herself, did she not become
her fathers murderer? She looked
upon the man before her and then her
thoughts reverted to him, now far away,
to whom she had pledged herself for
life and eternity.
Her most earnest pleadings availed
her nothing. He was persistently OBJ
stinate in his purpose. The die was
cast With heartrendering anguish she
determined to make the sacrifice of all
hope of earthly happiness for the sake
of tilial love. She knew that she could
trust him to fulfill his promise, and the
same means that had afforded him en-
trance to the prison would again safely
pass them within those terrible walls.
The stars of heaven were shining
forth as celestial-born witnesses, when
the ceremony was performed that made
those two forever one. Even the angels
must have wept to see those two, whose
hearts were SO widely separated, thus
unalterably bound together.
Faithful to his promise, Ralph Of the
appointed time repaired to the prison.
Cautiously did he and faithful Time
make their way within those grim. dark
walls. With equal care they turned
the bolt and the anxious daughter be.
held the door swung back, open to her
fathers freedom. With smothered
cry of gladness she sprang through the
opening and to the side of her fathers
couch.
The old man was quiet now. Strange
that he should be thus sleeping; but his
daughters voice will waken him. But
no. Oh, God! another Hand had
been his deliverer! Tirna's sacrifice
had been all in vain. Earthly Judge
should never sit in Judgment on his
case, before higher court would he
plead his cause for mercy, for stretched
! at full length upon his couch was Col.
Bornoff-dead
A Relic Of Semi Barbarism.
Although many people have noticed