Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-11-14
@n WnnafuraR BonsaSs.



1 place; my knocking brought no one; !
was forced TO come in unbidden. /
ain anxious TO hear the opinion Of
! Doctor Dixie
I BY an effort Alicia gained her co ~
posture, and .ried courage 1iisly to lift
her eyes to the brave, .Stealfast face
whose CHEEKY sIHile she had missed ~
sadly of late
u was just wishing you We're here,
she told him, with unconscious pataos.
81 was longing f'r you to come in.
Sit down, please
Her staple speech went straight To-
that strong rebellous heart Of his;
its tlrCb5ing seemed to stihe him; its
blood seemed rising to his brain;
strong as the man knew himself 10 b..
his love was almost his plaster.
Nevertheless, he quietly took his seaF
opposite Alicia l'enrith, and she nevT
even suspected that for her dear sake
his life had all gone awry.
"Ies?" he said, calmly.
In a few hurried sentences she told
bin what Or. Dixie had said, and that
he was coming again on the morrow.
In sorr 1wful silence Herman listened.
And ncw-apd now" cried Alicia,
desperately Il have something else
to tell yon. | must speak, Mr.. Merry
weather, Or | believe / shall go mad
The secret lis killing me. Listen, and
do not judge me harshly,"
She leaned toward him as she spoke,
her poor little hands extended with
touching air Of humility, of depreca-
ton.
Listen" she pleaded again, "and
do not judge me harshly"
The words fell fast from her lips in
pitiable agitation; her quvering voice
now and then was choked with heart.
broken tears. Herman heard her to
the end, staggered lnexpressibly at
her strange revelation. She knew,
felt that her confession had amazed
him beyond measure. She almost
feared 10 look at him now.
II do not call that forgiveness" he
said deliberately, at last, when he
had got somewhat over the shock; ut
Is more like revenge. Nor can l." he
added, sadly, Imagine more cruel
form Of revenge"
"Oh! pray do not call 1t So" urged
Alicia, distressed. Indeed, You are
wrong. He forgaye her freely; he
often said that. This, The maintained,
was only just punishment; and |.
because | loved ksm so dearly, and
knew nothing whatever then of my
grandmother and OldfriaIs, believed
that he was right. ! gave him my sol
emn word that | would hold his
wishes sacred, Though never
dreamed in those days how could /?
how hard would be the promise to
keep and to fulfil. You can under
stand now, can you not, Mr.. Merry
weather what | have suffered in ST.
lence since | came TO Oldffars, with
this milestone Of secret weighing
upon my heart? You can understand
can you not why have found my,
self praying sometimes for my grand
mothers death, when deaths APP
preach meant a double release-peaee
both for her and for me?"
Yes; things are plaincr now" an
swered Merrywatther, uh0ughtfully;
much palmer. And you will tell her
everything today"
YES; mean to break Ut to her very
gradually, this evening, when she and
| are clone together" said Alicia, alb
Sently, with a long. long sigh.
silence. Then Alicia Penrth spo
suddenly.
"And am | quite Suiltlass in your
eyes" she said, humbly enough, ''or
do You deem mo answerlble for aught
Of lhe pain ,the suffering 1.-The cruel
deception? OH do you hold me
wholly gulltess
"GulltleSs, Alicia" cried Herman,
passlonatcly starting to his feet, his
great love showing itself in spite of
his iron will-only Sir Rugs daughter
did not comprehend that 1t was so
''guiltleSs my poor little girl? Yes,
Thousand times, yes! You have been
true, patient, and brave, although
Ii was enough. Alicia dared not
trust herself rs hear another syllable
20 wait a moment longer Rising
abruptly from her seat, with dark and
misty eyes that could scarcely Sc
lileir way, she seized his hand IN
gratitude, kissed it wildly, and the
next instant was gone from his sight
CHAPTER VII