New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1893-04-12
FAITHS REWARD.
BV Alice Dale

FAITHS REV ARD.
BY Alice Dale.
two years-just two short years to-
day since the night when, half-crazed
with grief and shame and misery, I
fed from my home, half-minded to end
it all in the river-but instead kind
Fate suffered me to fall fainting by
the roadside suffered Philip Clyde, my
good angel, my preserver. to be pass
ing that way; inspired his generous
heart to bring me here to his home;
and now that heart is mine, with all
its ardent love, its loyal. unquestioning
trust. May heaven help me to be
worthy of it. I cannot show him that
dark, dreadful page; he does not ask
to see it, and since the poor, erring
man is dead. and by changing my name
l am free from discovery by the other,
there is no need! Philip has never
even asked me if it is my real name OF
an assumed one, but surely I have a
right to use it since it was her mothers,
who died, thank God, ere all this shame
and disgrace touched her as well, and
surely heaven will forgive the deceit
if deceit it be-in permitting the veil
to remain upon that sad episode. But
from this day forth enter upon a new
life-a life where not shadow shall
stand between us, where I need not
wrcng his love or trust by the faintest
conceaTment, where I can show him all
my heart beating only for him, and my
life devoted to the loving and welcome
task Of proving to him the truth and
never cease or lessen while I have
life"
She stood for moment with her
hands clasped, her face appraised to the
soft evening sky, glorified with it's look
Of perfect, blissful content; then a sud
den rattling of pebbles against the
glass recalled her attention. and she
looked down with a quick, glad smile
Of one prepared to welcome a familiar
and beloved face; looked down and
saw there what drove all the JOY
the brightness, the peaceful content
from her face, and left it frozen into
an expression of unutterable horror
lOathing, despair
A man stood below on the path-a
man whose handsome but sinister face
leered mCckingly UP at her, whose
brow contracted into an Ominous frow1
as she stood mOtionless. His lips moved
and although she could hear nothing
she knew well what he said.
Come down! 1 must and will speak
with your
Then he made threatening gesture
as if he would enter if she failed tC
obey him.
Her first frenzied thought was to gel
rid of him by any means; and hastily
slipping her purse and one or two arti
cleS Of jewelry snatched from hel
bureau-those she had been wearing or
that Hateful night two years ago, and
had brought with her because Of Their
| commercial value, but had never wol1
Sinct.--she made him an answering siy1
and slipped from the ROOM
Philip, she knew was in his study al
the back OF the house, studying III
some law points-which he had told hel
q few minutes before. after their last
l;lpturous kiss ard embrace. ne could
grapple with now, since his heart was
! at rest-and before he should rejoir
her. this man might be bribed to de-
! part. and the story of shame that
must otherwise send her, though limo
| cent, from this heaven Of love anG
peace on the threshold Of which he1
weary feet We're just standing-relnai1
still mercifully concealed.
Her unwelcCme visitor had taken the
precaution to withdraw little from
the house. but us she appeared. hi
l. made a sign to her from where he
stood
$50. dear. You tried to run ava,
from your devoted adorer. and sue
cceded for 4 WHILE" he commenced il
a haunting tone. gloating over the
White misery Of her features; but love
laughs at 4eat many worse obstacles
than locksmitbs. and Notwithstanding
You had changed your name, and ever
| III d measure your appearance. it has
/ not taken me long, you see, to discover
and identify in Miss Faith Courtne,
| my little sweetheart. Faith Willis, the
lovely daughter Of"
For Gods sake cease!'' interposed
AAA
agony convulsed her features. "Name
your price to leave this place at oncer
'Of course I WILL was the lecrinc
answer. Your own sweet self. nv
little runaway bride-nothing less o,
different. Let me refresh your memor,
With few details. Two years ago
just the very night. by an odd coinci
dcnf e-while YOU were waiting for youl
father to come home to take yon to q
hall-l,ow beWitching you did look
though, in that costume. with Diamonds
OH your throat and arms-a messe nse,
| came instead with Il letter which in
formed you that your father
your worthy. respected parent
had been guilty of base felony
| and that to escape the dis
CCVery and capture that were impend
ing, he had taken his own life. That
'rrv hn'sn YOU stood i'll was about
to be seized by virtue Of judgments
against him. While you stood there
stripped Of wealth, home, parent
everythiDgI. your fathers Younger
cousin, who lad loved you from youth
who could never win the slightest mark
of favor from vO11-offoro6 IN ro1oo,,,