The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1893-01-14
CHAPTER Nv.

gered until the silence of midnight had
fallen over the scene.
She took no note OF time; she was
only vaguely conscious of her sur
roundings.
Here she hal loved and trusted, here
her heart had broken. and the cruelty
Of a treacherous friend, the faithless-
ness of a plighted lover, had crushed
all the JOY ana hope out OF her fresh
! young life.
Those silent, anguished hours, how
ever, could not endure forever Like
on ordeal of fire, they tried her soul,
| but it tainted not. The rare purity of
her sweet nature kept her from utter
| despair. She was crushed, but duty lay
! still before her
| A barren path the future, but she
must tread it alone. She must make
no sign as the cruel thornS pierced her
! fender heart; she must drain to the
! dregs the cup His hands had rendered,
without sigh or moan.
Looking upon the blurred fabric of
| her girlhood's love-dream as Il shat
! tered stately palace, hoping that fate
would lead her to the father whose love
and sympathy she SO craved in those
hours of darkness and gloom, she arose
/ at last, and with set, silent face, turned
! her steps away from Hopedale, she be-
! lieyed, for the last time and forever
! She reached the railroad town across
! country, and took the first train for
! home. Home! Yes, her heart thrilled at
! the name. Home was where loving
/ hearts encOmpasSed quiet, even duties.
! There she would be welcome Mr.. and
| Mrs. Blake would receive her as a
! friend, as a daughter, and some day she
might tell the kind hearted farmer
! wife her sad, bitter story, and learn
! from her lips how to bear her cruel bur
! den and suffer in silence.
She did not try to comprehend how
/ all that had transpired had come to
! pass. The one glaring fact confronted
and appalled, her--she had arrived at
/ Hopedale to see her lover we'd another
! No excuse Of time, of absence could
condone such speedy transfer of affcc-
! ton. He was shallow hearted diSloyal
insincere, ana She, Beatrice, a schem-
ing siren.
Mercy, child! how white and fright
ened you look. Eut, never mind. Thank
! heaven YOU have come back. John
has been 50 lonesome for another sight
of your bonnie face, that he hasn't eat,
slept or smiled since you went away"
That was Mrs. Blakes CHEEKY well
come, and it warmed and comforted the
homeless Wander1r.
They asked no questions, but the
keen mOtherly eye of the farmers wife
seemed to intuitively take III a true con-
ception or shrewd guess of the true
state of iairs and without actually in
! truding on Edna 5 grief, she spoke many
a quiet, effective word or consolation,
tried to lead her guests thoughts to
other themes, as the days went by
Thus it was that in less than a week
Edna had settled down into IL life peace
ful, happy, indescribably so, only when
that dark shadow of the past haunted
her heart Ike pail.
Her new friends had talked plainly to
her. They liked her; she filled dead
daughters place in their hearts. She
was welcome to remain with them as
guest or adopted child as long as she
chose.
The little household duties she en-
gagged in busted her thoughts. She saw
a new mission in life in making the de-
clinmg years of these two friends hap
by with her presence, her aid and her
smiles.
Indulgent Farmer John brought her
new dresses, trained his best pony for
her use in riding and driving, and in
sisted that she try to WOO back the
roses to her wan cheeks by a scamper
over the moors and down the river path
every day.
The first fierce snow of autumn had
melted beneath the warm sun, and
November seemed like May, only for
the red fallen leaves and the crisp,
bracing air.
one afternoon Edna set forth in the
little phaeton for drive over the hills.
The gentle pony answered to the light
est direction OF the lines; the carriage
dog, Bruno, trotte placidly behind.
She could think in these peaceful drives,
and there was somber satisfaction in
hro0ding once in Il while over the past.
I his especial day Edna prolonged her
drive beyond its usual limiA. She
drove clear to and beyond the next vii
lage, and only realized that she would
have difficulty in reaching home again
before dusk, when she looked up from
n sad rcyerir to find that the short after
noon was waning fast
The sight of a flaming bush of a va
riety quite rare in the vicinity of the
Blake farm attracted her attention,
however, AMI she alighted from the
phaet9n.
Mrs. Blake had a hobby Of pressing
pretty leaves, ana Edna remembered
that she particularly treasured this
variety. Here they seemed to grow in
profusion, and she decided to gather
quite an armful of them.
she kept wandering through the little
wooded street where they grew, alIured
by the distant sight Of a still prettier
clump of bushes, until, fairly loaded, she
| looked up, intent on retracing her way
to the phaetOn.
Dear" she uttered with little start,
| where is the road:'
She penetrated the brambly Jungle in
two directions with no success, noting
with a slight thrill of dismay that dusk
was fast approaching.
Who're was the road, the phaeton and
Bruno? Once she called the name of
the latter, but she decided she must be
quite a distance from the spot she had
started from, for the usual prompt ap-
pearance of the faithful animal in re-
Spouse to such a call was lacking.
Throwing down her leaves she ran
through the bushes straight ahead
came to a high stone wall, and catch
ing sight Of the towers Of pretentious
structure beyond 1t, lined the moss
covered barrier until she came to a
broken gate set in the wall.
All was silent and forbidding about
the old structure, but there was evil
dence of occupancy in the curtained
windows, and she fancied she caught
the glimmer of a dress on the lawn
some distance away.
I will find some one about the house
and inquire my way to the road, re-
tlected Edna, JimOrOusly.
She picked her way across an uneven.
ill-kept garden, once so nearly falling
into a trap with great extending Jaws.
evidently set for tramps or thieves, that
she shook with apprehensive terror
oh, there is a lady. 1 see her now.
l will ask her. Mercy"
On the verge of some pit or excava-
ton in the garden, Edna wavered, tried
TO draw back, and then, losing her bal
ance. plunged forward.
She fell fully fifteen feet Her head
grazed the hoard side of the pit, and
half stunned her. Dimly realizing that
Tho hnla cnraraA o1-nr with hrannhaS