Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-06-27

quoted, but noticed a shadow ON his
face. ssWhat have you done with all
Your wealth, little gambler? You have
not had time to spend il yet. "
Here il Isl" answered, drawing
out my pooketbook. in which ! had stuff
ed the notes, but l have taken dis
like to il shall give it away, think
Il would rather be lucky in another
way.
Il will send the ring to India on my
wedding day." Lionel exclaimed. TIL
then will you wear il for meg' and
drawing it from his finger he was about
to place it upon mine.
But would not allow him to do SO,
and laying it on the bank notes ! said:
There's contradiction Good luck
and bad luck side by sidel Let MS leave
them there. " / added half laughing,
half in earnest, land start again
afresh.
He turned suddenly away, and fear
ing he was yexed | laid my hand upon
his arm, but he shook it gently of, and
then saw he was singularly pale, and
chat his breathing was quick and short,
and his eyes had strangely troubled
and intent look lionel, you are i'll, +"
| cried sch. what is it, lover What
can do for you.'
1T is nothing, he said family, but
his voice was changed. twill pass of,
Twill return to the guides and get some
water Wait here till come back. "
Let ME come with you, entreat-
ed, but no shook his head and said he
was bettey and would be quite we'll if ]
would do as he wished. Then he began
the descent | Watched him for few
moments, till he was lost to view at a
bend of the mountain, before returning
to my seat But the sun had gone in,
and it seemed cold and dark, and dull,
heavy weight rested on my heart Twas
lonely there without him, and tho mo-
ments dragged on slowly and YEARLY.
till felt the suspense and stiffness un
endurable.
decided would wait only five min
utes more and then would follow him,
and leaning back YEARLY closed my
eyes A sort of faintness came over me,
for was tired, aud the sudden change
from perfect happiness to this anxiety,
this vague alarm, had chilled and stupe-
fed me.
1t may have been few moments aft
er, or longer, | cannot tell, but be-
came aware suddenly that, although no
sound of footsteps had reached me, there
was some one near. | remained abso-
lutely still and listened intently, and
though there was no tangible movement
or sound there was an impalpatle stir in
the stiffness round me, some vague
breath that seemed to speak OF danger.
felt paralyzed with the same power
lessness that had seized me when the
tragedy at the window vas enacted be.
fore my eyes. 1t flashed into my mind
that perhaps it was thief, attracted by
the notes and ring lying beside me, who
had crept behind, believing that l slept
My hand was almost touching them,
and as glanced down to see if / could
reach them vii bout moving ! noticed
with thrill of Undesirable horror that
the green stone was sparkling brilliant
ly with a thousand rays of scintillating
light.
And something stirred behind
mo, and round my neck crept a hand,
holding short sharp knife, such as
Indians carry, and poised it over my
heart as if to strike. With an instanta-
neous desperate throb of agonized revolt
against my impending fate grasped
the ring and flung it toward the preci-
pioe. AS it flashed through the air the
knife dropped and the murderer sprang
to the edge i'll vain effort to catch the
stone ere it fell. He stumbled missed
his footing, and with one terrible cry
and his hands grasping the air wildly
he fell backward into the abyss
And it was Lionel, my beloved
When the guides came to look for us,
told them smilingly that the English
gentleman had dropped his ring, and in
trying to find it had slipped and fallen
over the preeipice.
They led me down the mountain with
reyerent care and hushed steps and
voices, for they said to each other: Fig
ure to yourself this English colonel was
in love with the beautiful young lady,
and he has persisted before her eyes. 1t
is a terrible thing, and it has turned her
brain =
And when my father told me gently,
rome days after. that they had found
him and he was to be buried that day in
the little cemetery, laughed outright.
But have never smiled since---and
am quite sane now--only think ]
have done with laughter for the rest Of
my life. And sometimes wonder why
these things should have been, and if
there is an explanation Of them, save
one. Beatrice Heron Maxwell in Pail
Mall Magazine