Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-01-28


but she made no reply.
The dead silence Of the young girl
surprised and troubled Eudora, who
perceived in it a sympathy too deer
and painful for words.
At length the striking Of a distant
clock was family heard. AS the last
stroke of six died away, Amelia star.
ted up threw her arms around Eudora
strained her to her bosom. pressed a
kiss upon her forehead, and murmured
in fainting voice:
''Mr. Montrose will be here in n mo.
ment; will not stay to disturb your
interview. Good-bye-Good-by and
hurried from the cell.
Even this failed to disturb the nj.
most supernatural calmness Of Eudora
and saying merely: II will rest now,'
she lay down upon the outside of the
cot.
Mrs. Barton occupied her usual seat
in the corner Of the cell.
few moments passed, and then
steps We're heard approaching. The
door was opened, and Malcolm Mont.
rose. ushered in by the governor, who
Immediately retreated, entered the cell
Malcolm's face was fearfully pale, and
anguish. 1t was evident that he put
exhibited a merely external fortitude
that might at any moment give way.
She, too. though now so calm, was
she seemed more like spirit of the
air than maiden of mortal mould.
AS he approached she held out one
hi, Ia <ro IL nj
taking his, drew him toward her.
They looked into each others faces tn.
tently for moment with unspeakable
love and grief, and then his fortitude
utterly failed him and he dropped upon
his knees by her side, buried his face
in his hands. and. bursting into sobs,
wept such bitter tears as are only
pressed like drops of life-blood from
the mighty heart Of man by the ex-
tremity Of anguish.
A spasm Of agony passed over Eu-
dora's still face. She who had ceased
to feel for herself suffered acutely for
him. With supreme effort she con-
trolled her rising emotions, and, but
for the duttering of the muscles in her
transparent throat, and the quivering
Of her blue lips, she seemed calm as
before.
She put her arm around his bowed
head, drew it upon her bosom, and
held it gently there while she MUIR
INJURED:
''Dear Malcolm, this wrings your
heart cruelty, know. You could en-
dure it with fortitude if it were your
self instead Of me. 1t is for my fate
alone that you grieve; ana your grief
is the only thing that troubles me. But
do not weep so bitterly; remember
that in few short hours all my earth
ly troubles will be over. And if it is
the manner of my death that appals
you, remember that hundreds as
young, as delicate and as innocent as
your Eudora, have endured as dark q
doom. And think that have strength
given me to meet my fate, and reflect
that by this hour Tomorrow it will be
all the same to Eudora's emancipated
spirit as if she had died in bed of
purple and fine linen, with ministerins
friends around her. And now look up,
dear friend. We have but an hour to
pass together, and I wish you to try
to calm yourself and listen to me, for
there are some things that l want to
commission you to do"
While Eudora was speaking the sobs
that burst from Malcolm's asoniZed
bosom shook his whole frame. But
with an almost superhuman effort he
subdued the storm of anguish and
forced himself to be calm.
Then, still kneeling by her side, he
took her wasted hand in his own, gazed
with unutterable love in her spirit
like face and listened with reverentiai
tenderness to her last words.
With her hands still clasped in his,
and her eyes dwelling upon his with
unutterable love and faith, she spoke:
"Dear Malcolm. when you We're here
the other day requested you to prom
Use me that you would mingle with the
crowd tomorrow and place yourself
near the-the scene of my death, so
that at the very last might look upon
the face of friend. Do you remem-
ber?'
"Yes, dearest Eudora; and l will
keep my promise-ay, if it drives rea-
son from its throne-as it is sure to
do" he added mentally.
but release you from that prom
Use, Malcolm. 1t should never have
been asked or given; the trial is too
great for human nature to bear; Il
woman. even a fragile girl, has
strength given her to endure that
which it would kill or craze Il man
who loves to witness; therefore you
must not see me die"
but, dear Eudora-'
NOW. hear me out before you inter
rupt me. I have released you from
that promise. but there is another
which l wish you to make ,me-oDly
one, dear Malcolm; for though there
are several requests that l wish to
make of you there is but one promise
by which mean to bind your faith"
"And what is that, dear Eudora?'
II wish you to promise me, on your
honor as n gentleman, and your faith
as u Christian, to obey the one single
command that shall give you"
81 promise, dear Eudora."
'"rhen my order is that you take the
6 o'clock train for London tomorrow
morning, so as to be far from the
scene that must be enacted here. l
have your promise. I have given you
the order, and you are pledged TO obey
it whether you like or not"
II am pledged" groaned Montrosc,
dropping his face in his hands.
There was silence between them for