The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1896-06-25
CHAPTER XI.
Too Late Repentance.

1t was several minutes before Sir
Loghlen O'Meara could find courage
to address the mother of his victim;
and when at last he spoke 1t was with
a trembling voice. his face very pale
and his lips quivering with agitation.
will you promise me, Mrs. VIII
%Oughby.' he began. that you will not
only pardon me the questions | am
about to put To you, but that you VIII
also reply to them?"
Mrs. Willoughby, in some trcpida-
ton. and her looks expressed great
surprise. gave, without hesitation, the
required premise.
The baronet assured Mrs. Willongh-
by that he was guided only by the in
terest with which her family a in
spired him: and then proceeded with
his first question.
You have had a daughter"
yes, sir" was the reply. uttered not
without emotion. Rosa was her name.
and she was the wife of a good and
honest man."
Eyes, | know" said the baronet, an
expression Of pain for a moment con-
tracing his features, but her-he
husband is. dead"
"ne died soon after his wife, and
with grief that he had lost her"
And then again there vas a pause.
ere the baronet proceeded heSitatingly:
Ard since then you have remained
alOne?'
With their two children" said Mrs.
Willonghby.
Their two Children" questioned Sir
L.oghlen.
1.-TWO sons" replied the old lady.
And then with cautious management
he asked: But of those two children.
who are now two men and who bear
the same anne, is there not one OF
them who might justly claim another
appellation!'
Greatly aStonished, Mrs. WillOughby
asked of her interrogation how he had
known that?
And was answered by the baronet
that for the present it must suffice her
that he did know it.
Mrs. Willoughby would reply TO no
further questions, she said, until she
had been told by her strange visitor
bow he had learned that secret Of her
~daughter's unmerited suffering and of
Il villains pertidy.
The dearpst-the most trusted Of his
friends. had. the baronet said, made
him the confidant Of that terrible
crime which in his youth he had COM
mittcd.
"You must. indeed. have been his
dearest friend. Great. indeed, must
have been the confidence he placed in
YOU" Mrs. Willoughby very bitterly
exclaimed. 'siuce he could dare avow
to you the base hypocrisy. the das-
tardly outrage of which he had been
guilty."
The words just spoken stung the
barOnet to his inmOSt soul; and We're
his just and but a very feeble portion
of the punishment which he had mer-
tied.
He could not to himself-had, indeed.
no wish to deny that-and so he bowed
his head and was silent before the I'M
happy mothers reproachful indigna-
ton.
Il wept with my poor daughter and
my arms We're open to console her.
resumed Mrs. Wnloughby. Heaven
bchc!d those tears. and blessed them;
an honest mar came to repair the
wrong Il villain had committed: to
make glad n life which. but for him.
had been but II long day of bitter
misery"
Sir Loghlen still continued silent.
! and with his head bowed down upon
his breast.
with what motive, sir, have yOu
come hither To awaken those cruel re-
membranceSl" And now Mrs. Will
ougllby spoke with marked intention.
Come you on the part Of that friend
who has contidcd to you his great
tr~eacheryT'
Yes. yes!" stammared the barOnet.
What would he. then? Now that
my poor Rosa is dead-as il, too. her
true and honest husband-what repara-
ton" added Mrs. Wilioughby, point
eddy and looking the baronet through
and through, what reparation, then,
can your friend offer to those two
graves"
Alas, good lady. her wrongs can
now never be repaired. nor justly
atoned fort" sighed the baronet.
But he said earnestly, remains
there not to him still a sacred duty to
PERFORM"
"Of what duty, then, is he now at
last reminded?" demanded Rosa's
mother. and what eau there be that