Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-05-26
Chapter VI.

Chapter VI.
II light o'clock came riding in hot
speed Colonel Busby, a magistrate OF
the neighborhood, and the most peSti-
lential busybody within it.
But when he came to the vast hail.
whose lofty ceiling was still in gloom
while the light from the staid glass
windows fell but family on Lord Low
els uncovered face, upon which, as
yet, no change had come with such
incredible rapidity had Mr. Eyre
brought him home, involuntarily he
barred his head, and, coming to the
side Of the coffin, looked down with a
real impulse of sorrow on the young
fellows face.
How well Ii" remembered Frank Loyel
In life, and how nobly he had taken
on himself Mr.. Eyre's sins; and now
the other lived and fourished, ripening,
perhaps for some new crime, and
defying alike the justice of God and
the Opinoin Of man.
The buSybody had come in war, Sc
cretly Suspccting some mystery about
Franks death, but outwardly to de
mand by what right Mr.. Eyre
commanded the young mans grave to
b" dug, and the burial to take place,
ebfore the process of Identification
had been gone through, or the heir
and his advisors summoned But at
first one, then another came in, those
who had loved him. those who had
blamed him; yea and those who had
piti"d while they honored HIM All
these, | say, as they wept, knew him;
and as the hours wore on, and more
people gathered, Frank lay in state,
however humble, and was Il hero, so
that strong men wept for the thought
of the manner Of his death, and the
women for the glympSc of the stain On
his scarlet coat, above which his hands
rested SO quietly, their work being
done
Last of all came Mr.. Eyre, and with
out looking ut those around, stood gaz-
ing down upon him, and might have
spoken that most exquisite farewell
which, once addressed to Lancelot,
has never been matched in human
language.
Vast and sinewy as a gladiator of
which the fires of over forty years had
legibly left their mark Mr.. Eyre stood
like n second Saul among those around
too negligent of their presence to defy
them.
those around thought his face hard
ened rs he looked down on his dead
friend; but his lips moved neither in
blessing nor cursing, and none could
have told whether the stern restraint
of pain or the clllouSneSS of hatred
held him motionless during the minutes
that he stood beside him.
When at last he moved. it was with
the old firm step and air of command
SO that, involuntarily, the women a
round courtesied and the men pulled
each his forelock, ashamed of theil
doubts of him. for Jobs love haC
cleared the way for Mr.. Eyre, ant
none burst suspect him of harm t.
Lord Lowell now
Colonel Busby, whose eyes had neve
left Mr.. Eyrc'S face since he entered
hurried out after him, and overtool
him rs he entered one of the avenues
Won seem out Of BREATH said MI
Eyre. by way of greeting TO 4 man h
had not met these three years anC
without offering his hand.
I am" said Col Busby, who. be
ing extremely short and stout. resem
bled nothing so much as Il graspin
frog but that telegram, Eyre
must be seen into. What gross care
lesSncSS on the part of the Post Ottic
people--it gave everyone such shoe
TO hear-to hear
That I'm alive" said Mr. Eyre; ''e,
ac1y--it must have been a great blo'
to YOU after the telegram
Wei. Well said Colonel Bush!
colorin. violently: Its a sad thin
y". know-poor young fellow-br
fortunate you We're their to bring hi
home. Odd, too, ms | suppose yo
were not fighting yourself?"
Not T. said Mr.. Eyre. carelessl,
1t was a mere chance my fndi1
him."
And yet you've been together the
three years." said Colonel Bush
his inveterate curiosity not to be chec
ed by the fact that all this time n
Eyre was walking away from hi
down the avenue.
Have we?'' said Mr.. Eyre, indi
erently; then I suppose we're DO
dumb, for I have not exchanged
syllable with him since I left Love
The little man gasped with anna;