Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-03-07


My poor angel wcpt Mrs. Lindsay,
enfolding her daughter within her arms,
Il have deceived you, but the time
told the horrid truth"
The poor woman paused to gather
courage to proceed.
"Emmeline," she resumed. "our name
Is not Redmond, and it was not on
the field Of battle that your father died"
and now. her voice sank almost to a
whispcr-"no, no! he persisted on the
scaffold.'
Emmelinc sent forth Il scream of hor-
ror. and. shuddering violently. chung to
a chair to save herself from falling to
the ground.
But he was innocent-h it.
Emmclinc-oh. Innocent, innoccnt.''
Emmeline sank on her knees. and
raised her eyes and hands toward hcav-
en-
"Pray, poor child" said Mrs. Lindsay.
-"pray for your martyred father. and
then you shall know the terrible secret
which must not descend with me to
the tomb
And Mrs. Lindsay related to her
heart-stricken daughter the shocking
history of her husbands unmcrritcd
death.
Then she told how. afterwards, pitied
BY some, by scorned by host. she had
ded the 1leighborhood of Crawford.
bearing Emmeline. then an infant, in
her arms and who had been born to
shame and exile.
Sufficient money had been IN Mrs.
l for 1,N, v.r9f
death to purchase for her a small an
nuity and Emmeline. skilful at emhroid-
cry, and such-likc fancy work, had
added considerably to their income.
1t must be remembered that we are
not now writing of the present day.
And when Emmeline had been told
all, she well understood that she must
conquer her love for Edwin Forester;
that she could not belong to him
could not avow to him that fatal Sc
cret. for she would not that he. too,
should curse her fathers name
When, on the morning ut which we
have now arrived, Edwin Forester
came on his usual visit to Mrs. Lind
say. he was himself looking very pale
| and i'll.
He was about to quit the house
again without a look Or scarce a word
to Emmeline; but the poor girl stop
| ped him to ask concerning her mother
Emmeline and Forester We're alone;
and it required violent effort with
| the latter to conceal his emotion
And to her inquiries, the doctor an
swered. with great bitterness-'A hun
dred times. Emmeline, have told you
that the slightest emotion might kill
your mother-and yet you have for
gotten my words!"'
| Emmeline looked surprised. even be-
wildered.
"You have not feared to reduce her
! to despair
| What could he mean? Emmeline
i was asking herself when Forester
said, Il know alln'
what is that you know mmcline
onderingly exclaimed.
And then Forester, told her of her
visit OH the previous evening to Bar
ringtons house; and she had no
thought, she said, to deny it.
But you will tel me for what pur-
pose YOU went to that house!' said
FORESTER
And Emmeline answered in Il low
tone, yet very firmly, "No. sir; deprive
| me of your esteem, if you believe I
am no longer worthy of it; but ques-
| ton me no further, for cannot, and
| will not, tell you anything"
GAIL then is ended between us, and
you are free!''
Forester said, boiling with indignant
| anger. $50 long as my duty as ply
sician shall recall me to this house,
shall returE-but much 1 fear that the
occasion for my visits will very, very
| shortly cease"
"You canrot mean," cried Emmeline,
In almost overpowering terror. "that
my poor mother is soon to die?"
''Reproach yourself. Emmeline," For
roster sternly answered. Mrs. Red
mond cannot long survive the violent
emotion which your absence last night
occasioned her-may Heaven pardon
you, Emmeline! You have advanced
your mothers last hour"
| And casting Il look of anger and re-
proach on Emmeline, he hastily left
the house.
And Emlneline wept. and moaned.
"You heard him! Oh, heaven! lie sus-
pects-he accuses mer'
| few more days. and Mrs. Lind
says last hour had indeed arrived.
The few and urconnected words
Which had remained on that fragment
of the burnt letter. mother and daugh-
ter had read together again and again,
but could not extract nor sense nor
hope from them.
Now, as she lay dying. Mrs. Lind
say asked that Emmcline would once
again, and for the last time, read
those words to her.
And Emmeline read the scorched dis
jointcd words which were:
"Eugenia" - with gold" - wretch
Nicholas Shcarman"-"a month
Observation-Disclosures Tree Square"
-"Arnold Lindsay"
"Fifth of February. Eighteen Hun
dred and Seven"
ooh, it is dreadful" Mrs. Lindsay
fcebly moancd. '"rhat letter would
have been an indication, and it is de-
stroyed."
With Il final effort the poor woman
said:
"A mad hope. Emmclinc. has remain
| NJ ut n, hon ri | Iuv