Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-08-04
EYRE'S ACQUITTAL.
By Helen B. Mathers.
lContinued.l

I'LL.
how haggard he had gone al at once
for during the past hour he had seemed
to grow younger; and l am glad you
have come home to your mother" she
added, softly, for she said you Were
her only son, and she widow"
Yes, she IS happy now," he said as
one whose thoughts were not in his
words; I'VE are going to settle dow n to
gether in the country next month. /
was always IL bad correspondent and
she thought"
That you must be dead" said Mad
cap, signing; but it was poor Frank
who died.
What Oh earth is the link between
him and me!'sajd the soldier, 4 flush
Of something that looked like anger
rising to his tanned brow. Every
where / AN received for him, taken for
q dull echo Of hiIn-;t makeShift that
bears some faded resemblance to the
dead hero. I'm positively sick OF hear
ing myself called Loyel, and being
ciaUped on the shoulder every time
] venture To 20 to my club by some
man who VOWS he used to know me
III another IEtnle.
But was there any resemblance be
tween YOU" said Madcap, sitting erect
and understanding Jobs mistake bet
ter
There was the likeness that may
exist between two fair men Of exactly
Tire same height and build,' he said,
carclcSSly, though | never SAW it my
self. Men dropped like flies in those
days, and looked less in each others
faces than 1T the enemy; but our sup
posed resemblance was Il matter of
common remark III the regiment. Then
the circumstances Of our joining were
almost IDENTICAL, both had sold out Of
the guards, both had applied for leave
of service i'll the war ut the same
time, and both for the same reason
Though only they two knew iD-a bad
hcartache Of some years standing. SO
for the short time we fought together
we We're friends, and when one died
the other must needs be received as
his own ghost. 1t was the common
place order Of our looks that did it,
| SUPPOSE" said Major Methuen, still
with that angry flush on his brow;
but how men i'll their senses can pre-
tend 10 recognize in middle age one out
Of i pair of yelloWha boys, | can't
me There never was an uncom-
mon line in either OF our faces; there
are hundreds like us to be met with
iii the streets any day"
Are there said Madcap, Il little
co!dly at this undertaking Of Frank.
Il have always heard very differently
but | see that you never really
liked him or knew how to value him.
Did | notI'' he said with Il queer
smile; yet we were friends enough
to have no secrets from elch other
mann, and on the eve of battle we eX-
chnnged"-he paused abruptly, and
said no more.
Prank was not il lad when he died,
said Madcap; '.he WAS nearly twenty
seven six years Older than Gordon.
Perhaps you were older-thou%h YOU
need not be SO very glad of that now,
she added, looking round 1T him with
Il little feminine touch of spite that
even an angel will indulge in if you
disparage her patron saint
But ne only smiled, and she laughed,
~ that peace was restored between
them, though her next question en-
dangcred it.
Pray" said she, were both your
heartaches for one and the same per
SOM"
She was looking at him earnestly,
rs though by his reply she might find
the key to IN enigma that puzzled her.
why do YOU ask" he said, his
eyes steady, though his color changed.
Because Job told me that Frank
loved my mother she said, resting
her check on one hand and looking at
him tlouShtflllly: but she loved father
best and, OF course. she married him.
Did YOU love her, too; and is that when
YOU speak of her so tenderly, and love
me-"
$50 you know | love you, child he
said, turning to her swiftly. God
bless YOU for saying that-yes, | did
love her: and | lost her only to find
her once more-and once more-to lose
her"
No. not lost" she said. II will love
YOU for my mothers sake and my
own and you will forgive father,
If he wronged you umwittingly-'
But he had started up. she sat alone
on her green throne, and he was stand
Ing below i'll the green hollow gazing
straight before him. as though through
the GLADE he SAW some fearsome thing
approach.
"Good-by, little one-little child" lie
said turning to her suddenly. as she
stood half-longing. half-fearing to de-
sccnd and she saw in his eyes the
look. the tears that she had surprised
in them once before: only one thing
could ever bring me hlck. YOU being
in trouble. which. please God. You new
er will be-
.Gnni-hy." She said. gently. asking
no questions. ~ some children and
women viii do. God knows, and NeN
4 mans soul even while he loves them.
hut when he reached up and took her
slender hand. she laid her other over
it. and held it fast.
For Il moment the strong man bowed
his head on them. If l might stay,
she thought she heard him say: but IN
another moment. and with no further
leave-taking She was standing alone
above the hollow. and she could not see
which way he went for tears. and
then for her child's heart had gone
out to HIM she S:h down and cried
fAr. tln "a