Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-06-04

' q W
didn't YOU
Ia II" said Alec. in some slight
confusion, If l did-it was all right.
for she was so in a way and again she
wasn't"
oh" responder, Loo. softly ana
with prudence.
Then Alec, in a rambling way a
first, but improving as he Went ON.
sketChed out the situation past, present
and TO come of his parents marital re
lations. An instructive caution, how
ever, made him withhold the iuforml-
ton that Mr.. Marin was a landed pro
prietol.
OF course, he wound up, "he must
have thought it very strange OF ME 20
start of and leave him in that lndiau
village, as lid W ohm Myers ~-ll,
know give HIN all the information
about us. IoI see, explained every
thing to John-how YOU and stood -
each other, just as we stand now, 50
my father will know We are engaged
before he sees y6u All the same, am
going to ask his consent it's the
proper thing TO do, you know. Not
that it would make any difference 10
me whether he consented or not YOU
are to be my wife, ii | should wait till
| am gray-headed. But | say, LOO,
supposing that man were to turn up
and confess and you were completely
and publicly eXonerated beyond the
possibility of suspicion, would you not
marry me them"
Yes, gladly, Alec; but better YOU
should go away and forget all 'about
me and my troubles,' she began, halt
heartedly, when Nan knocked at the
door.
Come in" cried Alec, and Nan APP
peared with a paper in her hand,
This here is what | writ uown for
fear Id forget it," she said, entering,
specialized and beginning to read aloud
what she had jotted down at the time
of Mrs. Hills death, Her first hus
bands name was James Arthur, 80 she
must d been Mrs Arthur; and her own
maiden name was Hilda Strath and the
lltllt Sll lsbO ID NtilNh 4NltbA SUI W 'FNhiSN
Wintcrtown, after a schoolmato o. her
own. See added Nan. Il was SO
afraid Id forget il, | writ it straight
down the very day she died, but didn't
tell Hin that an he never knew | hal
that paper" Alec held out his hand
and she gave him the paper, scrawled,
but legible enough to be read
II have come to a decision about this
matter" said Alec, after a long pause,
in which Nan had left the room again,
You say YOU cannot bring yourself to
marry me until Tie mystery Of this
calamity be cleared up?"
Don't speak of it, Alec implorel
Loo; less now when | think of your
father and mother.
well. here's what I've made up my
mind to do. TO please them both I'll
go to Scotland with him when he comes
down and as soon as have seen my
father and mother fairly settled down
together then III come out here and
take farm, as nea' to YOU as can get
and there I'll wait for you; yes, until
we are both gray
you're terribly determined, Alec, y
said Loo, and the faint daWning OF Il
smile lit up her face the first since
that day she ..at fled from the !arm
But, don't you see / must leave mere
If this man was not my father, nave
no business to inherit anything he has
He used to say he came from Aberdeen
OF this country. | am going TO adver-
tise in the Abetdeen papers FOR his
heirs by the very first mail"
But that will take time He didn /
seem TO be of a reading sort. i'ernlp3
his relations, if he has any, are Ike
himself don't take the papers"
"All the same, | shall advertise ana
| shall also keep everything III order
for whoever may turn up. Joshua
Myers viii hire men for me to work the
farm and | shall be ready to step 0rt
whenever they come.
Where will you step to?" asked
Alec, in some alarm.
81 have no idea the way will open
but this duty is clear at present
Alec frownad. I'D like 10 know
which OF us two can be the more datcr-
mined. At least say you will stay 1ere
till | return from Scotland"
ooh, of course, ! am safe 10 say chat,
if | live"
You swear not to leave here I'LL |
come back, he said, eager TO BE as
sured.
Loo smiled again at his earnestness
it was 50 sweet and Strengthening be
loved like this. For weeks back she
had been so sure that the sun OF human
love and human joy had set on her for
ever; now what ayaled all her brave
resolves to bear life's martyr1om
brayely, unfnchingly? One manly
stroke Of Alae determination, one
resolute announcement that he was not
to be shaken off, swept away all the
barbados she had built up and she
was defenseless. She could refuse 10
marry Alm; she had refused and meant
70 abide by her refusal but what could
she make Of how could she steel her.
self against, man who was content to