Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-07-14
EYRE'S ACQUITTAL.
D. Helen B. Matthew
PART I.

had lived he would probably be
grave, middie-aged man, devoted to hi
estate, possibly grown stout and a littl'
bald
He couldn't" said Madcap, indig
nantly. 20! | had no idea men wer'
so mean about one another; and if h
were middle-aged, why you are nearl.
that, are you nOt!'
And do l seem so old to you!" h'
said, with a curious note Of pain in hi.
voice, that startled her and almos
made her forget how keenIy he hal
just disappointed her.
%. no." she said, shaking her brigh
head Il prefer grown-up people t.
young ones. Only the other day l tole
Gordon | wished he were not so youns
who is Gordon?'
Gordon is Lord Lowell"
He Is a good fellow!' said the
stranger, eagerly. You like him very
mudh?'
20. yes she said Il love him
next to Doune and father"
And he loves you!"
''Yes-more than he does Doune and
father, | think (she sighed; and that
makes him Jealous. But he'll be better
when he's grown up" she added, sage
Iy.
lie passed his hand before his lips
10 hide Il smile
But you are only little schoolgirl
yourself" he said, gravely.
L never went to school," she said,
little proudly. Father taught me
everything all that | know
Frank shivered as though suddenly
a-cold; and, being Il keen observer, she
thought OF the pastry, and stopped for
the basket with which she had original
iy started.
Il am going to job now" she said;
then colored IL little, as one who sud
denly grows shy; for to succor a
stranger was one thing, but to take
leave Of him with little anger was
another.
do not CO." he said, gently, "be-
cause-because-it is too late
HE is dead!" said Madcap, standing
perfectly still, and looking at him with
eyes in which slowly, slowly rose tears
as from crystal wells; land / never
wished him gOOd-by. They did not
send to me. Did he ask for me?' she
added, as her tears fell ON the cowslips
under her arm. did he talk Of this
little Master Frank us he Went|'
He died happy said the man beside
her." land he did not ask for his mas
ter, but it must have been Of you he
1Ln 4bl
thought he rambled, and meant your
mother"
And were you such IN old friend of
his1" she said, wistfully, the unwiped-
away tear still on her cheeks. Did
you 90 to him by accident, or because
you knew that he was ill?'
Il knew him long ago." he said. Il
have waited years for an opportunity
to come and see him''-he spoke slow
~, haltingly-"and when l was able
came The hall door was open; l went
in; a woman was sound asleep behind
it; | did not wake her, but looked for
job until | found him. He was lying
quite conscious, and with his eyes fixed
on the door" -. the strangers voice
trembled, and he turned aside -. land
/ went in. A woman took me to his
room, an he died at midnight"
20, job" said the girl, with one
slender arm held across her eyes, and
the tears falling below on the lowers,
LOB " my dear old friend, and to
wait SO long. and then to hear almost
Il strangers step sound =. for of
course he thought it was Frank. Did
he say anything when he died?'
Yes" said the stranger, slowly. and
reluctantly; ''he said Lord now lettest
Thou Thy servant depart in peace, for
/ have seen Thy Salvation"
Then he took you for Frank" cried
the girl 20. thank God for that-that
he died happy. Heaven itself must
have put the thought into your heart
to visit him last night I am going to
him now" she added, gently; II shall
know by one look at his face if he
thought he had found his MASTER
And when the girl reached him, when
she found him lying on his white bed,
and wearing that last most becoming
dress Il human being ever wears, as his
spirit perchance has fairer habitation
now than it had on earth, Madcap
knew that Jobs hallucination had last
ed to the end. and that death itself
had proved it, launching him happy on
that cold perilous journey that, now
long. now short, must come to all alike.
He lay with face all TRANSPORTED
with the JOY that had winged his pass
ing" his lips firm and triumphant as
one who had sung his Nunc Dimittis in
the fruition of perfect faith; and Mad
cap could not grieve for him, as, having
gazed awhile and kissed his brow, she
stole softly away.
Her heart was sad within her rs she
went but no instinct said trouble was
at hand-that Mr.. Eyre's reshessness
meant mischief; while as to those
doubts Of him. she cast them behind
her back. and chung to him all the more
closely in spirit-her brilliant, good, ten
der father.
He had been both parents in one I'M
til very lately. when she had got 4
new insight all at once into her moth
er's pictured face. and had woke-not
gradually, but at a bound-to the If
repaEble loss to her that the mother
was. The girl was thinking OF hel
now. as she went along the famllial
way that ended in the cowslip-field
would not her mother have taught he1
what to say and what to leave unsaid
to the first stranger who had crossed
Madcap the youngers path, yet who
oddly enough. was her friend?