Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-11-14
that the wrong should be avenged.

| For twenty years, then, | nave
borne the burden of crime that was
never actually committed, she
groaned. "Oh. Ruy! how cruel. My
son, my son, how cruel!'
When Alicia Leigh was pronounced
out of danger" continued Alicia Pen
rith, more calmly and with infinite
tenderness now. my father CAME one
night to Oldtliais, his mind male up,
I his mode of Arrangement conceived. 1t
was that OF concealment. He would
be as silent as the grave. Oh, grand.
inotncrl You recollect what happened
then? IL need not speak of that
only only-they were really married
/ as soon as Alicia was quite iecoy cred,
and two years afterward | saw the
! light. Ny mother died-she was never
| strong-hefore ] had attained my
fourth year; and then my father and
were left alone together, all in all to
each other, united by boundless love.
When / was old enough to under
stand and to be trusted, was told the
| story which have been telling to-
night, and he-my sather-made me
promise him in the most solemn way
that would keep the secret till the
end of my life. But but he did not
think then that he himself would have
| to go soon; and when he lay dying,
and | was informed that Oldfriars
would eventually be my home. / wept
and besought him on my knees to re-
lease me from my cruel VOW
! ut was then, and not until then,
| that realized what sinful bondage
T, had entered upon. But my father
was inexorable. unrelenting, even in
! the hour of death, notwithstanding
7 that in my entreaties I had wound mp
! my arms about him and cried myself
! to sleep upon his breast.
Again and again | tried my utmost,
! but failed to the last Tt is not that
cannot forgive her. he said. I for
J gave her long ago 1t is that be-
lieve I am acting justly, and melting
out punishment that is just
! MANY line from the great Book
reasoning rose to my mind; but he was
my father, remembered, and | burst
not set myself above him.
Father pleaded, as final hope,
In such an hour as this-in the hour
Of death, dear father, may I tell her,
I them
! "He pondered the question a long,
long while.
Yes, he said, at length, Tn the
( hour OF death you may tell her the
/ truth
3 Thus 1t has been, grandmother,
ever since | came to you, so that l
have learned to look forward very few
erishly to the dark day of our parting,
not indeed as day of darkness, but
rather as one Of ineffablc light for
would not 1t bring you a joyful rest
after toll of twenty years? Cast off
the burden. then, grandmother, dear
est, cried Alicia Penrith, flinging her
fond young arms about the aged, sink
ing figure; "cast off the burden and die
happily. grandmother. for you did not
kill Alicia Leigh"
But Lady Penrith, in spite Of the
close embrace of those OBTAINING arms,
had sunk gradually back upon the pill
lows Of the bed, her eyes closed,
strange smile on her quiet face. Yet
1t was not death. No. In striving to
realize that she was indeed free, that
joy after much sorrow was indeed
come. that the dreadful shadow which
had haunted Oldfriars for so long was
indeed gone forever, Lady Penrith had
tainted away
DR.. Dixie was much astonished
when he arrived at Oldfriars next day.
/ There was a remarkable change for
the better in the patient, he ayerred
with puzzled smilea very remark
able change. Clever as he was said to
be, he could not understand it.
If only, he ventured, obviously,
Lady Penrith could be prevailed upon
to quit Oldfriars for time, for the
benefit of a different air and scene,
why, he-Dr. Dilke-was fully per-
suaded, apart from his verdict Of the
day before, that her ladyship weak as
she was, might live for a good while
yet.
Allu lutlls lUO, llihl col hNalt hdl NJ
eyed girl, Alicia Penrith-what a com
plete change had come over her within
the past twenty-four hours! Yester-
day she had looked so wretchedly i'll
thai the physician had thought 1t
bad case, to say the least of it. Today.
however there was a distinct i'm
proyement in her likewise, and the
look OF incipient sickness had totally
disappeared. Truly, it was very mys-
FERROUS, mentally said DR.. Dixie
And you will go away, won't you,
grandmother. coaxed Alicia. when
the great man had taken his depar-
ture, "as soon as you are we'll and
strong enough to travel? We will so
away together-won't we, hearts
dearest right away somewhere, and
the change will do both of us good, you
know Saw Yes grandmother-sa