Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-03-25

tilDlGH IAN ing e'1 SAAAi
possible, still feel it."
could have strangled him, he was SO ut
terry coldbloOded.
IF there is Justice l cried, God will
punish you! You have not only wrecked
one life, but you have destroyed two others.
Do you know that my uncle, God help him!
| confessed with his last breath that he had
killed your accomplice, the man Johnson?
That mans death, as well as John Pen
dragons lies at your door!'
He started in surprise but conquered him
self in moment.
Il had my suspicious" he said; 'but l was
silent, for his daughters sakel l fail to see,
however, that / am responsible for the mad
act Of a murderer"
You are the murderer, not he, | cried.
'eNonsenser' he answered; and still mas
| tering himself, he walked away.
turned and looked at Madeline. She was
! gazing after him, with face pale as death.
Madeline | said, do not think 1 am
| fallen 50 low as to presume upon the hasty
words you spoke just now. [ know that
when this sorrOwful day is over, you will
| forget them-you must forget them, in duty
to yourself. 1t will be happiness enough fOI
! me to know that. when | most needed it, !
| had your sympathy: that if | had been other
| than | am. might haze had your love. And
| now, shall we say g0od-bye"'
! l held out my hand to her: she gazed al
ne as if in wonder.
Then you did not understands che said,
| gently. Or perhaps-yOu did understand,
! and | was mistaken in thinking that you
! cared for me-so much?''
Care for YOU" | repeated, passionately.
Yer since l can remember, my heart, my
! whole life has been yO"rS. 1t is not that!
! II, l0v" strong as il & and ever has been, is
! not nrnc;"" nN"H~h 70 purchase oUTs. DO
not think rhat am 50 lost 50 selfish, as to
! think that u3> distance between us can be
! N"idged over Dy yuur heavenly pity. | am a
! nmor man: you nrs- a rIrn lady. | know what
! .,5aI means. / NAVE known 1t from the be
mining.
As I spoke my heart was so stirred that
! had to turn my face aside TO hide the gather
ing tears. But she crcpt close to he, and /
felt the soft touch o. her hand upon my arm.
Il 10 not blame you for thinking that,
! she sad. = little while ago. l thOu9 ut so
too but Hugh, dear-may l call You so?-
| God has opened my eyes. | think l always
loved YOU; but never so much as to-day"
Don't speak Of Il! 1t can't be! Oh,
Madeline let us say farcwel?'
Hugh, dear Hugh, listen! YOu mast list
en-. All, do not be unkind!'
"Unkind-tO lOup | murmurcd. God
! knows ! would die for yOu!'
clad You died down in the mine, should
| still have been faithful to you; | should new
er have loved another man. May [ tell you
the whole truth? l Will, and you will under
stand. When | saw You going to your death
going, in your great goodness and noble
courage, to save your enemy'S life at the
peril of your OWL knew for the first time
that all my heart was yours. l did not deter
you, but prayed to God for you, and as l
| prayed ! sWore before my God that, if He
restored you to me l would lay my heart
bare to you, and ask you to make me your
WIFE God was good; you came back, as
from the grave. And now; will you turn
away from me? viii you refuse me the one
thing remaining that can make life sweet
and sacred to me-yOur forgiveness, and
! your lOYe?'
1t was too much. The spell Of the old pas
sion came upon me as, sObbing and treln-
bling, took my darling to my heart
Thus it came to pass that l, Hugh Trelaw-
n2y, a man o. the people became the accept
ed lover o. Madeline Graham. Looking back
at it al! now, after lapse Of so many years,
it still seems an incredible thing, unreal and
| Visionary: but raising my eyes from the pa
per WhcrpOn these lines are written, see be-
side me the sweet assurance that it is true.
| When began the story of my life said that
it was also the story OF my love. 1t has lasted
50 long; it viii last, God willing, till death,
| and after death
is it not SO, my darling?" She smiles,
| and bends over me, to kiss her answer. She
watches In" pen as it moves over the paper,
and she waits tor the last word. knowing my
tale is almost done.
Love is by nature selfish; and in the first
flush of my new joy l almost forgot tie sor-
! row in our poor home. DuD when i quilted
my darling, anG joined the little procession
which followed my poor uncle auIv5y tLc
| heath, | rcprOachVQ myself tor having felt
50 happy.
Tue miners had procured a rude stretcher,
often used when accidents took place in the
mine, and the dead body was laid upon it,
with a cloak thrown lightly over it, to hide
the pttGOuS, diSiigUred face set in Its sad,
gray hair; but one hand hung uncovered,
and this hand Annie held, as we walked
slowly hOmoWard, four of the men carrying
the load. l followed, helping my aunt, who
was simply heartbTOkan.
They bore him into the cottage and w0-
men came to do the last sad offices. While
they were thus occupied spoke to Annie,
trying to console her White as marble, and
now quite fearless, she seemed like one
whose reason had bereft her, under the
weight OF some violent physical blow. But
when we went upstairs together, and saw
my uncle lying as if asleep, his white hair
decentIy arranged, his face composed, his
thin hands folded on his breast, his whole
expression one of mysterious peace, she
kneit beside him and kissed his colo brow,
and her tears again flowed freely. My aunt
stood beside her, weeping and looking on.
"God has taken him!'' / said, soIGmnly.
HE is happy now"
"AN happy wi God,' sobbed my aunt.
Forty years we ha' dwelt together i this
house, and he neer gave me angry look or
Grass word. He be GAVIN, where III soon
gang too Wait for me, my bonnie man.
wait for me-wait for her that loves zee, and
is coming to zee SOOnr'
| Why should [ linger over this scene of
sorrow, Why should | turn to other scenes
which followed it? Time and death have
healed all those wounds; to speak of them,
is to open them again.
CHAPTER XXNVIII.
CONCLUSION.
- - IL q