Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1892-09-01

came that scream Of terror, and the fall
and then the ruslI. It all flashed over
me in an instant that had been guilty
of mad Drained prank that it would
never do to be caught there; it could
never be explained | was up on the
roof in a second, snatched away the hook
and rope, crouched down to the back
porch, waited moment for Murphy
and Kathleen to run inside, then slid to
the ground hid the rope under the wood
pile in the dark cellar, squeezed through
a gap III the fence into the captains
yard next door-they were all over at
the Hazletts' then donned my overcoat
and joined the men running up from
the laundrcsses' quarters. Late at night,
as the sentry told Captain Rolfe, | went
back, ostensibly to get my pipe, and re-
covered the rope and hook. That was
all"
Holden ponders moment:
''My wife has told me what she knew
Of your interview with Mr.. Guthrie
after poor Jacks death; but Miss Guth-
rie would never speak Of what passed
between herself and YOU"
On the pale, clear cut face the lines of
care and sorrow and priyation seem to
deepen. The shadows darken about the
mournful eyes. II suppose [ should
never have blamed her as | did," he
answers, but was mad with grief over
Jack, with helpless, hopeless indigna-
ton over PercivaIs accusation; and
then, Of all others, TO have her turn
against me as she did-that was the BIT
terest cup,- Her fathers influence in
her overwrought condition was what
did it, suppose; but she drove me from
her sight as though l were indeed
felon, demanded the return of every
line and trinEet she had ever given me
-eFen that priced little carte de visite
had carried about me for a year. 1t
was then, when she declared she would
never look upon my face again, that /
went Wild with misery, OF despair, Isup-
pose. | swore that sooner OF later she
should see me. and that before l died
her picture would be back here in its
old place, and then l left her. God
knows, the experiences Of the years that
followed might have knocked the ro-
mantle nonsense out of any man. My
poor sister seemed to be the only one
who had any faith left in me. | wan
dered all over the west as Ralph Enroll,
mining. grub stalking, working like a
dog.
II was starving in the hills when
Brewster came to my aid. 1. couldn't
take his money without telling him
something of my story, but | gave no
names. He doesn't know today any
thing about the old trouble-doesn't
dream that he well knows the people
who were once my most cherished
friends. 1t was through him enlisted,
and within three months mine had
located and yet couldn't sell for dol
lar began to pay. By the time we
reached Pawnee my half interest in It
proved worth all my years OF toll. Then
thought to see her again-took my fur
lough at the very time her father was
west trying to find me and undo the
wrong he had done, and-you know
/ the rest. She was here, and l returned
only to learn that she was about to
leave and that Captain Rolfe was her
accepted lover. Bearded, aged, uni
formed as | was. believed she would
not know NE even if we were to meet
face TO face, and believing, more, that no
vestige Of the regard she once felt for
lne remained believing, too, that she
WAS 10 marry Captain ROlfe, | was bit
ter. brutal, mad enough to strive to
carry out my VOW. Twice had seen
her Oh that balcony ON the moonlit even
ings. and determined that the night Of
her departure she should see me for the
last time. You know the rest | shaved
clean, 50 as to look as much as possible
as did in the old days, wore my civil
ian dress and-nearly killed her.
1T was d fearful experiment, = says
Holden gravely. "About the maddest
thing you could have done"
Il was mad, doctor, when heard she
was to marry him. God knows | have
realized it daily, hourly, ever since.
And yet, how could she have seen me?
She never reached the door,"
Simplest thing in the world. Moth
ing but the old principle i'll optics-the
angle of incidence and the angle Of re-
Election That mirror over the toilet
table did the job. | saw YOU in the
moonlight at the balcony window when
you couldn't see me in the dark hall, and
neither Of Us could have seen the other
had the mirror been away. Now here's
Mr. Guthrie. Mind you, you've got to
make amends fol that harebrained per-
Torrance at Pawnee; SO no word Of re-
proach to him. He's old and broken"
+ Three minutes later the clerk has re-
tired, after ushering Holden and his
friend into the private Office. The m
slant tile latch has clicked gray haired,
sorrow stricken man. tears standing in
I his fading eyes, hands Quivering and
trembling, totters forward and might
have fallen but for the strong arms that
catch and clasp him.
My boys friend! my boys friend
whom SO wronged.' lie falters, and
''Is Mr.. Percival's confession complete,
and have you seen it.' asks Ellis gently.
Il have, my boy, at last.
"And it clears me. Mr.. Guthrie.''
4 utterly and entirely" the old man
cries. IL thank my God was wrong
was wrong
+ One scene more. Pawnee again. The
night train has come from the east.
Holden's carriage is at the station. and
20 is Brewster.
.'AJl right?-all arranged whispers
I the doctor. as he springs from the car
and grasps the lieutenants hand.
Y sAll right Kcnyon's just left him."
answers Curly, and then busies himself
lifting the merry children from the
4 step, welcoming Mrs. Holden and care
4 fully assisting Nita Guthrie to the plat
form.
You happy felloww she murmurs.
Show can congratulate your It's am
nounccd, is it mott" And for moment
she seems, despite pallor and fatigue,
the old buoyant, radiant Nita.
..Announced:" answers Curly. My
mother-in-law elect-God bless her
says my face announced it before that
elevator could reach the lower floor"
They drive rapidly up the winding
road, and, though plainly nervous and
excited, the fair guest never loses her
T presence IF mind. She has something
appreciative to say as they pass each fa-
miiiar object-the lower gate, where the
spruce sentry stands at carry IN sa-
lutte; The guardhouse, where the relief
Is inst forming: the broad west gate; the
49, AL 5,.,,.,. .,..,.,s u, Y, ,.,