Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-11-08
CHAPTER \.

Il, gree from the darkest hour Of over
al its sweetest bloom. the blighIius
trCSt comes, and all Is over When
Evtrard and Lillian exchanged the
promise whose sweetness was 10 live
through So many dark and lonely
wears. they little dreamed that any
wood, They SAW no crouchiuG figure
trembling behind the hazel bushes:
tlprv did not guess that any eye, save
these OF the Wild creatures OF the
wnod Witnessed their hrtlothal: and
they went on their way rejoicing,
making plans for the happy future
they were Ia spend side by side.
When Ben Lee wnet home to din
nor that day. the young groom, lud-
kiuS. accompanied him, rs he often
did now, finding 4 strange Solace Ia
his own grief i'll that of the troubled
father, and pleased that the old man
turned to him for consolation He
usually left Lee 1T the door but on
this occasion Mrs. Leo came ont and
bcckoucd him In.
"She'S gone To meet him." she said,
rXCitcdly. "Shc made believe to 20
anN gather hit of bruShwood IN the
garden. and she's on mp the hill to
the wood. He must have passed an
hour ago. and there was the whistle
of chatiinch for signal. | heard her
whistle back, the dcccitful tagot,
though She thought | was safe ont of
the way, and she's been watching for
an opportunity ever since. SIR -ht
up the hill She Went, Lee, not twenty
minutes gone"
While Mrs. Lee was speaking. the
twD men had followed her through
the house. and now stood in the back
Garden whence they could see the
whole Slope of the hill. with its woody
eros; taccd clear against the blue
midday sky. beneath this crest the
trees had been cleared in a straight,
broad strip about the breadth of the
little g;ldcn.
Look here, Benz cried .IudkinS,
Selling the arm of Lee. who was
and WAS about to ascend the trcelcsS
SLOPE, don't YOU do nothing rash,
now"
lrc'S face was purple, and he shook
tho Younger man of With muttcrcd
ua'h when the latter once more
caugni him by the arm, and pointed
upward, with a cry.
Il knew it; | always knew il. The
damned Scoundrcl"
"Lu>; within the shadow of the
wood. which partly screened them,
were two figures, the inner and less
Clotl iTG. the outer, that of n man in
S'lll Of gray. The light hazel twigs
impingCu but slightly on the latter
figure, go that its outline was distinct
ly seen, and the face itself was even
visible sideways for a moment. The
f"ulh figure, on the contrary. with
tn" face hidden in the others arm,
and its dall outlines less striking by
their color. could only be guessed at.
Ia VISION lasted but u moment: the
figure III, we'd on over the Woodland
pA,u IT., j: 2clS were dcnScr there,
and the path turned into the wood,
So that the pair were gradually hid
den, and soon completely vanished
fl, III sight
I'm witness, mind" .IudknS NUT.
tered, while Lee groancd aloud You
and me saw him 20 through the vii
lacc this morning in those gray clothes
an that hat"
SO saying, the young man turned
and went rapidly back. avoiding the
garden, and plunging into the shadow
of the trees which bordercd ii on
either side. while Lee tOilcd up the
hill. He had not gone far before
Alma appeared on the spot where the
hazrlS grew thin. and issued from
the wood She started slightly when
She saw her father. but soon rcgnined
her composurc. and advanced toward
him.
what are you doing in tn" woodT'
he asked, harshly
IL only went up for II little fresh
air this fine day" she replied gently.
Went up to hear the birds sing,
perhaps" he continued, with savage
sarcasm.
There are no birds singing now"
said Alma, sadly. Even the robin
Is silent in the frost
"Ay. and the chaffinch. Who were
you speaking TO minute agoi"
Nobody" she replied, looking sur
prised.
That's a damned lie, Alma
Il have spoken to no human being
but you and mother this week past"
said Alma, in tone Of weary apathy
They had reached the garden now
and went in scarcely hearing the i'm
prccation that burst from her mad
dcned fathers lips.
Lee remained behind her: then re-
assembled the hill and picked up a lit
tie scrap OF paper he had seen Alma
tear in halves and drop when she
thought herself unobseryed. He pieced
II together, and read written In a
disguised backward. slanting hand,
.tAt duSk tnnipht The old sDot I'm.