The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1893-07-06
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CHAPTER xv-(continueO

iii llluI I1tttt llttAASI1iOu Aittd SOAAAS W
pass. The one glariug fact confronted
and appalled, her-she had arrived at
Hopcdale to see her lover wed another.
No excuse Of time, eff absence could
conlone such speedy transfer of affec-
ton. He was sllalloN-heartad, diSloyal,
Inslncere. and she, Beatrice, u schem-
ing siren.
Mercy. child! how white and fright
cned YOU look. But, never mind.
Thank heaven! you have come back.
John has been SO lonesome for another
sight of you: bonnie face, thitt he
hasu't eat, slept or smiled since you
went away"
That was Mrs. Blaka's CHEEKY well
come, and it warmed and comfortCd
the homeless wanderec.
They asked no questions, but the
keen motherly eye of the farmers wife
seemed to intuitively take in true
conception or shrewd guess of the
true state Of afflirs, and without ac-
tually intplding on Edna's grief, she
spoke many q quiet, effective word or
consolation, tried 20 lead heF guests
thoughts to other themes, rs the days
went by.
Thus it was that In less than o week
Edna had settled iawl into u life
peaceful, happy, indesciibably so, only
witch that dark shallow of tho past
haunted her like Il pail
Her new friends mad talked plainly
to her. They liked her; she filled a
dead daughters place i'll their hearts.
She was welcome to remain with them
as q guest or adopted chill as long as
she chose. I'd. ....-....s
The little household duties she en-
gagged in busted her thoughts. She saw
a new mission in life in making the
declining years of these TWO friends
happy with her presence, her aid and
her smiles,
Indulg2nt Faame' John brought hcr
new dresses. trained his best pony for
her use in riding and driving, and in
sisted dat she try to WOO back tho
roses to her wan checks by q scamper
over the moors and down the river
path every day.
Tue first fierce snow of autumn had
melted beneath tho warm SIN, and No
ytmher ccmed Hike May, only for the
red fallen leaves and thp crisp, brae=
Ing air.
One afternoon Edna set forth in the
little phaetep for drive oyer the hills.
The gentle pony answered to the light
est direction Of the lines; the carriage
, dog, Bruno, trotted placidly behind.
; She could think In these peaceful
drives, and there was q s0mber salts
faction in bpooding once In q while over
/ the past
This especial day Edna prolonged her
drive beyond its usual limits She
drove clear to and beyond the next vii
! lage, and only realized that she would
i have difficulty in reaching home again
, before dusk, when she looked up from
sad reverie to find that the short
afternoon was waning fast,
The sight Of a flaming bush of q va
! riety quite rare In the vicinity OF tho
Blake farm attracted her attention,
however, and she alighted from the
| phaeton.
Mrs Blake had hobby Of pressing
, pretty leaves, and Edna remembered
that she particularly treasured this va
riety. Here they seemed to grow In
| prOfulsion, and she decided to gather
quite an armful Of them.
She kept wandering through the lit
, tie wooded stretch where they grew,
| allured by the distant sight of still
| prettier clump of bushes, until, fairly
| loaded, she looked up, intent Oh re-
| tracing her way to the phaeton.
"Dearr' she uttered with little start,
! 'where is the road!'
She penetrated the hrambly jungle
! in two directions with no success, not
| ing with a slight thrill of dismay that
dusk was fast approaching. .
Where was the road, the phaeton
and Bruno? Once she called the name
of the latter, but she decided she must
/ be quite Il distance from the spot she
had started from, for the usual prompt
appearance of the faithful animal in
response to such a call wits lacking.
Throwing down her leaYes she ran
through the bushes straight ahead,
came to q high stone WalQl;S a,nnq catch
ing sight Of the towers Of p pfetentious
| structure beyond it, lined the, moss
oeyered bartier until She cdine to a
broken gate set fH THE WaH.
All was silent and fQrbid1dffnpg about
the old structure, bpf there was evil
dence of occupancy i'm the curtaii1nlte Inc
| windows, and she fancied she caught
the glimmer of a dress on the lawn
| some distance away.
| II will find some one about the house
and inquire my way to the road, re-
| aseted Edna, timor9usly.
She picked heF way across an an uneven,
i'll kept garden, once 50 ReaEly falling
into a trap with great RNtteFn9tdiiifnlg Jaws,
evidently set for tramBs 9f tlieYes,
| that she shook with appfehRRsiVe ter
ror.
"Oh! there is lady. / see her now.
| / will ask her. Mercy"
On the verge Of some pit or eXcava-
ton in the garden, Edna wayeped,
| tried to draw back, and then, losing
her balance, plunged forward.
She fell fully fifteen feet. Her head
grazed the board side of the pit, and
| half stunned her. Dimly realizing that
the hole, covered over with branches,
| WAS trap for intruders, she looked
jial3Sly up at the top with shudder,
pfehendnig that she could never
scale the steep. 80
Help! helpt helP3
Thrice the cry fang ont, With al the
strength of her belllfke YSice.
Hopefully Edna locked VIZ as the
branches overhead were parted.
WHO is thcre?' spoke womans
voice
II have fallen here" cried Edna;
"piease help ne. Mercy! it cannot
Her gasping ejaculation died to z
hollow, frightened HlHFfnHf rs she
pecred at the face that looked dsWR
upon her.
For its fair, false owner was-Beat-
rice Mercer!
CHAPTER XVI.