Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-12-14
AGAINSY woman.
BY MRS. M. E. HOLMES

SWoOn ii'o Ills arms in a
MA. ooou' muttered the man 90 -
pa piaI9o ner gently on the ground. .ssh he
fo l,i ~ nnoW nothing; as for Won n Sa1o
tool, moving back to the ' ,nr,,st poor poo
iolil vi the man, you have sarvad I've
pui pose revenge for which 7 bauSo
waited so long has come at l,St Az
you move" "' last. All,
ne bent over the man and Hs+onoa
W 'he muttered words from b et,Uno,.
the pale lips. oAn oe'ween
,'Eustace- give me-your hand. r
40 not believe it. You will not taLa
my hand. What-she is falls, 0unu
saV--you villain-you black -heartto od
scoundrel- take that. Good Cod, 10
Is oeao. Eustace speak to me-snealI
i m9 IS oead-l- have murdered him'u
ne listener rose; there was q chr
lous light on his face. ooi-
,a nat, he whispered to himself.
me thinks it was his hand Could
anything be better? He does not even
remember me. Stay, let me think
TINS Is delirium; it may pass when he
wakes to his senses. [ must imnraeS
TINS belief on his brain by stronger evil
dence. The girl does not move Good
In one moment more
lie glanced round, and stole thrOuub
the hedge. In a few seconds q curions
sound might have reached the ears Of
the two silent forms, but they were
dim.
Inc man emerged again; he was
dragging something with difficulty: it
was body, the misty light of the moon
shone on dead face-on a linn. in
animate form.
Now" muttered the worker. snow
all Is complete. Eustace Rivers is dead
dead by the hand of his friend. Row
Darrell. There is evidence enough to
damn an angel, and he will die for it.
Now, | must be gone: he moves again,
and the girl will awaken. So, Bruce
Gardyne. your revenge is complete"
He stole gently away, and gradually
the form OF the man he had called Row
Darrell moved from the ground. With
trembling hands he raised his weak
body to Il kneeling position, then let
his eyes, dazed with faintness and hor-
rOr, wander round.
They rested on the figure of Alice
with wonderland scarce comprehension:
then they moved.slowly on till they
rested on the dead man, and with a
shudder of horror he covered his face
with his hands and groaned aloud.
1T is no dream: it is the horrible
truth. Oh, Eustace, my friend, my al
most brother, dead, and by my hand'
His hoarse whisper fell on Alice s
ears. She was recovering.
She helped herself to rise by the aid
of the tree, then leaned against it, faint
"a. 10 Ii ,,lr
Her basket lay unheeded at her feet.
hideous nightmare, till, looking round,
the dead body.
She uttered faint shrek, and in an
other moment Roy Darrell was stand
ing before her, glaring into her face.
WHO are you?" he asked hoarsely.
"Where do YOU come from? Answer
at once.'
Il am Alice Dornton,' gasped rather
than spoke the girl. 'Oh, do not hurt
me. sir. was on my way to the castle
for my aunt, when, which, Her
voice ialtered.
He grasped her hand.
'What?' he demanded hu2hily.
He would know the truth.
For a moment Il flash of Joy went
through his mind. This girl might
have seen the fatal blow struck, the
hand that took the life of his friend
f,ustace She might have seen that
phantom third form that haunted his
memory.
II saw you struggling with that
man." Alice said, speaking almost with
difficulty: ''your arms were around him;
YOU threw him to the ground. Then
YOU came to me, you said something TO
me, and | don't remember what else.
| must have tainted.
The man released her arm with n
groan. He moved with slow steps to
the dead body.
"Eustace. he said in tones of acute
agony, my friend forgive me, God
have mercy. | was mad-mad with
your words. You tried me so bitterly
but | would give all that hold dear
to listen to them from your lips again
for then you would live: now he rose
slowly. still gazing at the dead man.
Now, YOU will never speak again 49,
YOU are dead-and have killed you!
he drew back and leaned against a
tree. then started suddenly -''and they
will trace this back to me, ana sha'i
be-be hanged as a common murderer.
A Darrell on the scatfold. Oh, mother
forgive your SON.
Alice stood in silence.
1t was nighttime now; the moon hao
risen. and was shining down IN silver
rays on the strange scene.
The girl forgot everything III 'lo
flood of pity that came over her dis sue
watched the remorsc of the man. ;,
The lateness OF the hour, the 1alleh
basket her mission. her aunts anger
al alive We're swept away as she let her
ewes rest on him st.snding with HANDS hands
ciasped together, and white haggard
face. .
His lips moved, and she could hear
hir, murmur from time to time:
Murder, A Dafroll hanged Tor
murder. Oh, that could have uleu u
before | brought this shame on YOU
head. mother. For m! nc neneelo,un ~.