Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-09-20
nder fife Cloud.
By E. 8. WILLIAMSON.


Her esrlestness was - clearly SIN
Gers thaf BE- could NOT doubt. He
knew then that from the first he bad
never done her justice.
~PoF-ive-f0rgiFe ner' be ifsplored
Il was wr0as all wr0ng. Caa y9a
forever
For answer she stopped and kissed
him affeciionateiy as his own child
might have done. no trace of resent
nent On her fsee or in her heart All
his faults and mistakes were w.ped
out 0f her memory foFsyeT: she
thought now only Of his goodness 70
her-hls love.
Presently he fell asleep from saeer
weakness; aud Colonel Severn. coming
lm. Insisted on her going down 70 get
d cup of tea A. she reached The foot
Of the stairs. the hall door. which stood
ajar. was pushed further open, and
some one entered rapidly il a heavy
coat. with small black bag Ia his
hand
It was Mr. LevisoB, arrived some
hours BEFORE they bad thought if pos
sgbie he could cone He advanced
hurr.eGiy with outstretched baud.
How Is hey he asked. eagerly.
VERY weak. be can not live till
night, the doctor says. We never
thought you could ne here Ia time"
Did | not tell you that when you
summoned me should he here az soon
as human agency could bring me?
Just caught the night mail, and
walked. Or rather ran, from the sta
ton"
She looked at him gratefully, apprs-
eating his wish 10 be kind. though
really caring little for the pecnnIary
advantage which might accrue - her
from his prornptitude.
He Is asleep now" she said, grayely.
Then / viii 20 upstairs and wait till
fle wakes"
Won't you have some tea drst2
You must be exhausted after your
long journey"
He smiled and shook his head
Business first. he replied de-
cisiveiy by ami by there will be
plenty ~ time for refreshment
But when she persisted. he Swai-
lowed cup Of tea hastily. hurrying
upstairs Immediately aftelward, as
though grudging even that slight delay
on her account
Elaine remained alone She took
something 10 eat and drink IN mechan-
zeal obedience 10 her lovers behest. as
she would have done anything. how
ever difficult, that be had commanded
then drew nearer TO the fire to warm
herself, for she was cold and numb
with fatigue,
Half an hour later she was called
upstairs. and answered the sun = ons
with d tssatfng heart. FOR she guessed
what IL portendei
When she entered the room, she saw
George Severn standing by the bed:
while The lawyer. with an expression
Of decorous satisfaction on his face.
was gathering up his papers on table
a little way apart.
severn turned as the door opened,
aud notioaed 70 her to come near.
The sick man lay quite motionless
Oh MS pillows. and 50 pallid that for
the moment Elaine thought he was al
ready dead Then his eyes opened. A
film was creeping over them; but the
Girl stood exactly In his line Of vision:
and. as they rested on her, strange
light suddenly illamined his face. 2
monentary tremor shook bis frame.
Clara" he cried ont In clear
voice last expiring effort
The resemblance he had always seen
70 The woman he bad once loved had
deceived his hirkering senses a. the
last; and, IN the belief that she was
near utterfns the name which for
more than thirty years had never
passed his lips, he died.
CHAPTER Xxx.
/ few hours after Mr. Bowyer died
Elaine was in the sitting room alone
Colonel severn leading her gently
from the death chamber directly all
was over. bad made her lie down ON
the sofa near the fire. and there she
hid er.ea herself te sleep.
When she awoke. the darkened room
struck her with q strange pain; then.
az slowly She remembered what had
happened. she wept again rs though
her heart would break Life for the
moment seemed utterly blank and mo-
'iveless
George severn pushed open the door
-oftly ara entered Her face cleared.
ana size smiled sadly as she made
room Tor him to sit beside her
severn began 70 speak her 10 about
me- future. thinking II well to lead her
thoughts away from the present sor-
row. ana anxious too that she should
understand her position. In any cir
ctimStanc.~. be reminded her, y would
h inadyislble for Young girl TO live
absolutely alone ana rs matters
stood hc could not even visit At the
house without giving cause for gossip
Thr only way VI ending this difficulty
seemed to him 10 he their immediate
marriage; aud he urged this upon her
earnestly. yet delIcately. promising
tba+ tho rarautonv ShOuid he as Quiot