The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-04-13
FAITHS REWARD.
By Alice Dale.

with grief and shame and misery, I
ded from my home, half minded to end
1T all in the river-but instead kind
Fate suffered me to fall fainting by
she 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
TITS ardent love, its loyal, unquestioning
trust May heaven help me to be
worthy of it. I cannot show him that
dark, dreadful page; lie does not ask
TO see it, and since the poor, erring
man is dead. and by changing my name
am free from discovery by the other,
there is no need! Philip has never
even asked me if it is my real name or
an assumed one, but surely have a
right to use it since it was her mothers,
ssfio died, thank God, ere all this shame
and disgrace touched her as well, and
surely heaven will forgive the deceit
III deceit it be-in permitting the veil
TO remain upon that sad episode. But
from this day forth 1 enter upon new
alfe-a life where not Il shadow shall
stand between us, where I need not
Wrcns his love or trust by the faintest
.eoncealment, 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
"steadfastness of ain affection that will
never cease or lessen while I have
life
She stood for moment with her
hands clasped, her face appraised to the
soft evening sky, glOritied with it's look
Uf perfect, blissful content; then sud-
den rattling of pebbles against the
gi;lss recalled her attention, and she
Booked down with a quick, glad smile
of one prepared to welcome 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,
aoathing, despair
A man stood below on the patll-a
man whose handsome but sinister face
1eered mcclngly UP at her, whose
brow contracted into an omino,ls frown
as she stood mOtionless. His lips moved,
and although she could hear nothing,
she knew well what he said
Come down! l must and will speak
with your
Then he made a threatening gesture
as ii he would enter if she failed. to
obey him
Her first frenzied thought was to get
rid OF him by any means; and hastily
FsHpping her purse and one or two arti-
Giles Of jeWelry snatched from her
bureau-those she had been wearing on
that Hateful night two years ago, ,and
had brought with her because of their
commercial value. but had never Worn
:slnce-she made him an answering sign
and slipped from the room.
Philip, she knew was in his study at
the back of the house, studying up
some law points-which he had told her
a few minutes before, after their last
rapturous kiss and embrace, ne could
Srapple with now, since his heart was
at rest-and before he should rejoin
her. this man might be bribed to de-
part, and the story of shame that
must otherwise send her, though ilmo-
cent, from this heaven of love and
peace on the threshold of which her
weary feet We're just standing-remain
III.
Her unwelcome visitor had taken the
precaution to withdraw a little from
the house, but as she appeared, he
made a sign to her from where he
stood.
so, dear, you tried to run away
from your devoted adorer, and sue
~ceeded for a While,' he CONNER: led in
a taunting tone. gloating over the
white misery Of her features; but love
laughs at 4 great many worse obstacles
than locksmtbs. and understanding
You had changed your lllme and even
ia Il measure your appearance, it has
mot taken me long. you see. to discover
and identify in Miss Faith Courtney
my little sweetheart. Faith Willis, the
lovely daughter Of
For Gods sake ceaser' interposed
Faith in a choking voice, as Il spasm of
agony convulSed her features Name
your price to leave this place at oncer'
''Of course L WILL" was the leering
answer. Your own sweet self, my
Httte runaway bride-nothing less or
different: Let me refresh your memory
with Il few details Two years ago
just the very night, by an odd coinci-
& cslr'n e-While you We're waiting for your
father to come home to take You to a
hall~Now beWitching you did look,
though. in that costume, with diamonds
yoI. your throat and arms-a messenge
came instead with letter which in
formed you that your father
your worthy. respected parent
hid been guilty Of base felony,
and that to escape the dis
.Ccvery and capture that We're imperd-
ing, he had taken his own life. That
" hons" You stood i'll was about
to be seized by virtue Of judgments
against him. While you stood there,
stripped Of wealth, home, parent.
everything, your fathers younger
cousin, who lad loved you from youth,
who could never win the slightest mark
of favor from you-offered to redeem
everything to- save your home-to re-
store your fcrtune-if you would marry
me. Your only answer was a look Of
hate as you rushed past me to your
room and bolted yourself in. I left YOU
unmolested, thinking that the morning
would bring wisdom-but only to find
& that nv bird had flown BIT 7 am ono