River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-09-16

iron gate and the sound of voices
reached her ears. People were coming
10 the house and she knew she ought
net be observed leaving at such a time
Quickly she turned and secreted herself
in the shrubbery that guarded the walk
from the lawn.
The noise OF approaching footsteps
grew louder, and she peered anNiously
through the darkness. The idea struck
her that il was strange her husband
SHOULD have brought home friends In
such storm. Then she laughed, for she
thought how funny it would be for the
friends when he read her note before
them. Indeed. tie DEVILS mood was on
her.
Now the party were almost upon Ler
and still she could not see. \ sudden
flash OF lightning and her gaze fell upon
four men, Who bore between them what
appeared TO be heavy load. The glare
showed her the presence of large
number of people near the gate.
she may be there where the light is. -
voice was saving. My God. who will
br ak it TO herr"
They paused and she -rouched lower
in the shrubbery. The rain beat pitt
lessly upon her already dreTched and
shiyering form. \ thorny branch tore
her cheek aud drew the blood, but she
needed II no. Her senses were as numb
as her body. and she did not realize what
it all meant She wondered vaguely
if she was ed, but her one thought
was TO get away unnoticed.
Another voice came through the dark
ness aud downpour. The speaker was
so close that she was startled and the
shock almost brought her back to self
He had Just fallen when l reached
him. We would better carry him in
Slowly they moved forward, and, i'm
PEELED by something she knew not
what, she rose and followed. The rain
fall drowned the sound of her foot
steps and she reached the veranda
UNDECIDED just as they deposited their
burden under the shelter. One of the
/ party stepped forward 10 open the door
/ twas not ocked and yielded to his pres
I sure.
4 broad sheath of light fell upon the
strange scene aud lit up the still re-
clining mass on the floor. One of the
men turned, and, seeing her. respect
I sulIy removed his dripping hat. She
did not recognize him, and her eyes
swept slowly over the others without
discovering a familiar face.
No one spoke and this seemed strange
TO her. With painfully unwilling step,
she moved TO the burden the men haC
laid down and knelt before il. She die
not want 10 kneel there and wondered
strangely What the visitors would think
Of her With the movements of an au
tomatOn she lifted IN, cloth and looked
down upon a face that gazed back al
her unrecognizingly. \ dark-red streak
across the temple and cheek told heI
/ all she had not known before.
You will carry him in" she said, and
I the voice sounded strange to her. She
rose ana. stepping forward, opened the
door wider and allowed them to pass
inside.
IL was the room she had quilted only
few moments before. The men again
deposited their burden on the floor and
stood about awkwardly brushing the
rain from their clothing. One cleared
his voice preparatory . speaking, but
his words dicd before being uttered as
She glanced at him. The flare of the
gas lights ara the patter of the rain
drops alone broke the stiffness.
She removed her hat and dripping
wrap and walked toward the desk. A.
she reached it she noticed something
white lying on the cover. Picking il az
she saw il was a letter addressed to heI
lsband and in her handwriting. This
was strange, she thought, and she tore
/ the envelope and read:
Your curse and your memory are
alike TO me"
Pausiug. she turned around and faced
I the strange quartette. Her eyes feI
On the white staring face. its ghastli
ness brought out more wildly by rea
son of the long red scar. The face
fascinated her and it took all her vii
TO remove her gaze. Then she looked
upon the slip Of paper in her hand.
Il am his murderer" she said. 81
wished him as he is / bid YOU co.
/ Chicago journal.