Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-03-11

own estate and the parsonage of st,
Marks, The curtains of the rector g
pSrlor were not yet drawn, and leaning
over the hedge, the mill-owner looked
across the brown wet garden straight
into the sober room where the black
ROBBED figure OF the young organist sat
at her piano. her moonlight fingers Nit
ting hitler and thither across Its keys,
She was quite alone, and the man with
out thought he saw traces OF tears on
/ her cheek, He held his breath to listen,
as she sang:
Wild, wild wind, will We never cease
your stghingg
Dark, dark night, will We never wear
! aways
Cold cold heart, in thy death-sleep E-
ing,
Thy lent is past, thy passion, but not
thine Easter dav."
| She arose from the music-stool and
closed the instrument; then approached
the window and stood, with hands
crossed on the SILL gazing out into tho
night, Suddenly the curtain fell. and
the light behind It faded, Then Ar
buckle saw side door OF the passage
open and q slim, girlish figure step
! forth alone.
She was attired as II for walk
As she passed the spot where he stood
he could hear her breathing, hurried and
WILD, Like steel moving after the lode
stone, he opened the gate In the wall
polsc,essly. and followed her out into
the high
| Few people were abroad; tho fog
hung heavy In the snarl of black muddy
streets. She set her face toward tho
stone bridge which SPAWNED the river
and he, timing his pace to hers, pressed
Qu,etl.' after her.
| Sluggish and black the current crawl
ed beneath the arches. She stopped
once and looked over the railing stop
ped and gazed so long, 80 earnestly, In
to the depths below, that Arhuckle
quickened his steps In indehnahle alarm.
Then. rs II aying from some great
temptation, she hurried wildly on again
and never stopped until she stood at
the opposite end Of the bridge, within
the shadow OF the great gray Jail,
Here. In an angle of tho high wall,
she paused here she fell forward upon
her knees, and crouching low, dropped
her convulsed face upon tho bleared
and dripping stone. Dreary indeed was
this Easter night, Tall and terrible
loomed up those frowning walls, pierced
here and there with narrow window
like loop-hole. From the coping
above the wet drppod monotonously,
Now and then sound like stifed sob
hing stirred the silence Of the black
angle, but this was all.
Presently n step turned the corner Of
where Miss Saul was huddled In black,
the street, and approached tho spot
palptating heap. There II stopped, A
man bent over her-a hand touched her
shoulder
Esther" said the voice of Jasper
Pole.
She started to her feet, and gazed up
at him with a face hanched and tear
stained.
"Here!" cried he, standing fierce and
tall above her. II was certain should
find you here. Is 1t not enough that
you should choose home within sight
of this foul placer Must you hug Its
four walls constantly to your heart?
Faugh! Come away"
SHE nude no resistance. but suffered
him to draw her along the muddy
streets back upon the bridge.
And you think will give you up
like this. Esther" he burst out. mot
|, by heaven"
This was the beginning; II seemed to
rouse her from her stupor, She stopped
and looked at him by the red lights
burning overhead.
Leave me-" she said.
Il cannot and will not. Did you not
love me year ago."
Yes she answered, but the word
seemed wrung from her unwilling lips
Can love die 80 suddenly" he
Knocked.
When killed by violent hands"
Bah! This stubborn resentment OF
ytuIb 10 sDHelHIHB hlLUEGtHtT new w
me, Esther. Men desert their sweet
hearts every day, and return to them
again and are forgiven. But you are
unlike all other women. Has some
new lover come betwxt us? IL that
the secret Of your pride and GOODNESS?
Who was that fellow whom saw walk
ing wlh the rector today?"
He bent and looked in her face. II
was full OF cold. white scorn. Without
word she turned TO leave him. He
snatched her arm.
III ] cannot have you, no other man
shalln' he Kissed. ITO die with you
is far better than to live without your
With his teeth clinched and n deadly
determination whitening his face. he
dragged her to the railing She strug-
gled In amaze md anger.
Release me, Jasper Poler'
And leave you to another (, who
have once known the sweetness Of your
love? No; naver! Let the river end
my mistake. Esther"
With one hand on her mouth he