Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-10-26
CHAPTER XVI.
A GHOSTS DISPATCH.

CHAPTER XVI.
A GHOSTS DISPATCH.
On the morrow, on the converting OF
court, the jury were escorted to their
seats by the Sheriff, and the crowd OF
spectators eagerly sought to read the
verdict in the jurors faces. A painful
silence possessed the vast audience.
, It was known late at night that ver-
dict had not been agreed upon. The
contest in the jury-room had excited
the people to a high pitch OF anxiety,
and while to the spectators the case
appeared to have but one side, yet the
long time the jury were celebrating
had created d feeling of doubt just suf-
ticient to make the audience eager to
know the verdict.
The Clerk: Gentlemen of the jury,
have you agreed upon verdict?
Foreman: We have (handing a
paper to the clerk
Clerk (reading the paper): We, the
jury find that the document purport-
ing to be the last will and testament Of
Andrew Nordrum is a forgery.
The audience ached to testify in
cheers and other demonstrations OF ap-
plause it's approval of the verdict but
the previous warning of the court, and
the threat of the Sheriff to arrest the
first person that violated the order.
kept the assemblage from giving vent
to their pentup feelings.
The courtroom was quickly emptied,
and once outside the building the crowd
went wild with enthusiasm. In the
excitement Grounding had disap-
peared, and Martin and Hickman were
never more heard Of in that part of the
West. Fortunately for them they had
anticipated the anger of the pOpulace
by hurrying out OF town.
The excitement over the will case
soon died away. Months passed rapidly.
No matter how black a heart the per-
senator Of Louis Patterson may have
had, he seemed to possess the power
to bestow upon Mary Nordrum love as
sincere as that which springs from a
heart that never knew ought but inno-
cence.
Patterson continued to faithfully
serve his employers, but no sooner was
he Off duty than he sought the company
of Mary Nordrum, Hours were daily
spent in talking over the events of
their childhood and hardly an Incl
dent, no matter how trivial, could be
referred to by Mary, but the impostor
was able to take the subject from her
lips and complete it.
Sometimes when his thoughts were
fixed on other scenes and other events,
which many knew nothing of, she
would gently chide him for his indif-
ference to her prattle, and then he
would recover himself only to wonder
whether there was any suspicion lurk
ing in her heart of his deception.
do you remember that beautiful
summer evening Louis, when we were
enjoying one of those delightful sails
on the lake, and when we saw the sun
brilliant light, and encircled by a sky
| laugh when you said the sun went down
into the water to kiss it's shadow be-
cause it had nothing else to kiss. Do
you forget it?
"You know you said you had rather
be boy than the sun, because you had
something better to kiss than shadows.
| What magnificent sunset that was.
Louis, what can you be thinking of,
you don't seem to care to be reminded
now of those happy, thrice happy
hours. Why? [ know [ do you wrong,
Louis, to talk So [ know [ am Over-ex-
acting. But | should die were [ to
think, that, recalling those scenes,
when we were so happy together, was
| painful to you, or that you had lost in
| terest in them. They are among the
| happiest hours of my life. Were they
not yours, dearest LOUISE"
Eyes, yes, love. but do not think be-
| cause | do not on the instant grow en-
| thusiastic over your pleasing reference
to them, that have lost any interest
in them. They were my happy hours
too, my memory is busy filling my brain
with the recollection Of hundreds OF
other like scenes, Or like incidents.
Prattle on, my love, and | will never
tire of listening."
Nov that is charming. Louis. I
like to have you talk that way. What
a merry evening that was. I can't
drive it from me, even if I cared to.
Do you remember, Henry, when you
said the shadows chasing each other
across the meadows, through the
pasture, and skipping over the
ing -four to make the wheat:
from the great white clouds that were
floating over our heads? Didn't we
| both laugh at the silly things we both
! Sa1u: some now OF oUnef. my nedft Is
not as light now as it was then. The
recollection of those innocent fancies
brings no such thrill of JOY to my heart
as they did then. Why is it Louis?'
''Oh, you are getting serious now
Your cheerful disposition can not brook
seriousness, and there is no serious
side to beautiful sunsets and charming
fairy tales. There is really no place
for dependency in your heart, Mary,
SO away with it, and tell me more about
those fairies''