The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1893-01-07
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Gentleman to see Miss I eslie, sir"
he announced, withdrew, and Doctor
Simms ushered his two visitors into the
room and pointed 10 chairs his serious
manner evidently surprising them.
Colonel Marshall was the one, his son
Raymond the Other The former was
all curiosity and excitement As to
Raymond. as he sat gazing yacantly at
the floor, his hollow checks, haunted
eyes and detected bearing generally
told that the present visit had no inter
est for him.
Do tor Simms," calculated the Colo
mel. Why, | came to SEQ"
Miss Leslie?"
yes.
Miss Leslie is a dy ng woman, Colo
mel Marshall
What"
With an inereduous gasp the Colonel
started to his feet
Yes, she has been i'll for some time
L was summoned yesterday afternoon.
l found her tevered, almost delirious.
She asked me to receive you.
Doctor, you amaze me! This strange
lady"
Has an ron will even in death. She
has explained everything to me- She
insists upon seeing yourself and your
son, even in her dangerous condition /
told her that the sho k might kill her,
but she insists.
Doctor. | am "a perfect loss to
understand this ladys remarkable gem
crosby in my bchalf-the mystery sur
rounding her
Here are the notes she took yester-
day. She babe me destroy them in your
presence.
Wait. DON'T l really cannot ac-
cept all these favors from a stranger
The Colonel spoke TOO late. The
documents were blazing on the hearth
He was a free man, \ stranger had
liberated him from all the fina4cial en-
judgements of the hour.
Doctor" he painted, this mystery is
| madden ng. Who is this LADY,
you will tie surprised when you
know. Come; you, too, Mr.. Marshall"
| to Raymond
He advanced TO the door Of the sleep
mg-room and tapped lightly. The
nurse opened it. AWed, startled, Cot
Marshall stood in the center of the
apartment, gazing obviously at the fig
ure lying on The couch, its face turned
from him.
Quite as curious and Interested for the
moment, Raymond Marshall 10 yked up,
too.
to you why she ha- interested herself in
your behalf, 81 okr the Doctor, in calm
. measured accents. Her act has been
one in Il measure OF atonemtnt, Of com
pcnsatjon for wrong done Il member of
your family"
"IIa.' exclaimed the Colonel with a
start, she must BE-, then, some relative
OF the wretch who robbed me-who en-
compas-ed ne in al this trouble my
former partner
Not at all She simply deceived a
IN mher Of your family. She is familiar
with the troubles of your son, as we'll as
yourself and she desires me to impart
some momnful informal on to HIM
Mr.. Marshall, VIII you kindly read that
art.cla2'
The Decor ha handed to RAYMOND
Marshall the newspaper which had first
set Hcatrice on the trail of Edna DCane
1t chronirlcd her death at the snow
laden bridge. so accurately did it de-
scribe Edna and her attire, that, as
Raymond Marshall pcrused it, with dis
tended eyes and ashen face, he could
nol mistake the truth. With Wild cry
he sank TO a chair, the paper Tutoring
Dead, dead he waile |, al hope,
. then, is lost"
~ hat may all this have to do with
the lady here: BEGAN the astoundcd and
. mystiticd Colonel Marshall.
Much. This ordeal is trying, fatal
to her. but she insists. Nurse, turn UP
the lamp Colonel-Mr. Marshall, your
bcncfactress. TIL lady who makes an
atonemcnt for Il great wrong. is
Beatrice Mercer"
In surprised accents from the Colo
ncIs lips, in a gasp o. in"redulity from
those of Raymond Marshall. rang The
name simultaucou 5ly, as the pretended
invalid turned her wan features toward
them.
Dying features they were, to all sem
blame. The Doctors art and her own
deft acting carried out the intended
effect 'Omplctcly.
"Raymond," she fluttercd, in a weak,
wailiug voice. Say that YOU forgive
me. | did wrong i'll dcluding you. |
even sought to find Edna ard restore
her 10 yuu after my cruel deception, but
she is dead. A distant relative left me
a fortune. The only restitution | could
make was to aid your father. | am dy-
ing. The only reward I ask is that YOU
take my hand and forgive me for it all
Raymond Marshall stood like one in
a dream. All the past flashed over his
mind. This woman hal, indeed,
wronged him, but still She was not ac-
counfa able for Ednas death. As he
thought of all She had done for his
father, as he fancicd he real a noble re-
morse in her wOr S and deeds. q gener-
Gus impulse drove IN forward.
He felt her burning and twitch in
his own. He oil not doubt after all
the Doctor ha said, that she was a dy-
ing woman.
You did me no wrong except to tor
ture me with a passing belief in the
faithlessness of the woman l loved, he
said.
For love If you" murmureI Be
atrice, fcrvcntly. Raymond, | can tell
you now, for ! shall soon die | was not
to blame for my love, and | had not Ed
mas gentle nature to endure in silence.
| loved you SO hOrelessly, yet 50
fondly,"
His eyes dimmeI with tears. Love
was surely no S.n, even when hopeless
His great heart stirr,d with honest
pity.
4 can die in Ieace, now, she said.
for your eyes tell me that [ am for
gwen. Raymond, good-by gooJ-by."
Her eyes were raining tear. oh.
actress deft and subtle, oh, hypocrite
strong ard confident, pitting all the is
sues OF life upon the frai cast OF u die
She turned her face t. the wall, her
sobs causing the sympathetic Colonel
to vince with honest pity. Raymond
looked conc nrncd, gricved
Can we do nothing to make her hap
pier" spoke the Colonel, deeply "a
tccted. Can | not tell her how CRATE
full am-how some arrangement must
be made for the repayment of the
money advanced"
she would refu to consider it, re
sponded the Doctor. "But-no' ] had
better not mention il.
SPEAK, Doctor urged the Colonel,
eagerly. You were about to maze
some 5u-gestioI-
1t concerns your son. This morning
this po creature walled her heart-sick