The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-04-05

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and dropped upon his face. He stirred
uneasily, and muttered:
"Ah, so it is time? Well, am ready"
Agnes touched his cheek lightly. He
sprang up, aud on seeing her, smiled
brightly.
II thought my time had cone" he
said. II dreamed they came to call
me. But what is it, Agnes? Your face
is perfect glory!'
80, Lynde, Lynde!' she cried, her
voice broken with sobs. "You have
borne bravely the prospect of death;
can you bear the thought of life as
well?"
He looked at her wonderingly, but
no flush of hope mounted to his pale
forehead. The sadness did not go out
of his eyes.
II have ceased to think of that as
among the possibilities
"But I tell you it is possible" she
answered, radiant with the words-"O,
Lynde, they have discovered the real
murderer
cit cannot be! Agnes, tell me!''
"Lynde, there was an eyewitness of
that murder! He died last night at the
Rock, and with his last breath he made
confession which clears you from all
stain, and fixes the guilt upon the wife
of my brother!
Goods ways are not our ways" he
said reverently. II would have spared
her. When she did this deed loved
her. Her beauty had intoxicated me.
would have died for her, and counted
it bliss And then she asked me to
keep her secret. Worlds would not
have tempted me to betray her. But
Agnes, the moment I knew what she
had done, all the absorbing passion
felt for her melted away shuddered
at the thought of her! But she was
nobly born, beautiful woman, and had
loved her. And because of this, I could
not speak the words that would free
me and bind her. When I knew that
your brother married her, then for the
first time I was convinced that I had
done wrong; but it was then too late
to remedy my error, and l would go
silently to the grave, carrying her
dreadful secret with me!'
"Will you not read the pardon? 1t
is written in the governors own hand.
Helen would not let them wait to go
through with a formal process of re-
leasing you, but she must have the par
don at once"
She held it up before him. He took
it, but the letters swan before his eyes.
He could not read single line. He
dropped his forehead on the shoulder
of Agnes in sheer weakness.
80, Agnes! Agnes" he said, in
choked voice, God is too good!'
She stroked his hair tenderly.
1--WE want you up at the Rock, Lynde.
My mother and brother both sent for
you. Will you not Gomez"
His joyous face grew sad.
"Not today, Agnes. will wait lit
tie. cannot forget that your brother
is smitten by the blow which opens my
prison doors. I will go to my desolate
home first. By-andby I will come to
the Rock You understand me, Agnes?"
II think / do. 0, my poor Ralph!
My heart aches for him."
They passed out of the prison to-
gether. The warden. shook Lynde's
hand heartily.
"God bless you, lad!" he cried, with
a suspicious moisture in his gray eye.
II never thought you did it, and I'm
glad it's all found out. There be bright
days in store for you yet!'
Lynde wrung the honest hand, but
he was too full for speech. He walked
on with Agnes until they reached the
great pine by the shore. There their
paths diverged. He took her hands
in his and looked into her eyes. No
word was spoken. He stood thus a mo-
ment, then he stopped and touched the
shining hair above her forehead with
his lips. And then turning his back
upon her, he walked in the direction of
the deserted cottage he had once called
home.