Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1899-02-16

0iIon rosea. VeroElca and I heard this
ID8Dient woman say that You had
banned vii, nat you could not deny
it. ; know the meaning Of that She
brings this false accusation against
yol. meaning 20 eztort money from
gou. and you very properly refuse to
give 1t 70 her She ought to be sent
10 prison"
Stop. Sir Marc, said the woman,
engrly, you speak too fast ASK my
nIIcss whether my charge against
aag s. falge Or not
u rlll Iot insult bliss Di Cynthia By
any such question, he replied
Then you are unjust" she said
You accuse me Of bringing q falge
charge ass Miss Di Cynthia whether
the charge ia true Or false she viii
not deny Il n you ask her"
atill there came no word from the
white lips that We're closed so
strangely
~ refuse 10 do any such thing he
returned,
Again, Sir Marc / say that You are
unjust ! accuse Mis- hi Cynthia Of
having in her own room, unknown to
every one, and, as she thought. unseen
~ every one, w.lfully burned Sir Jas
per Brandon's last viii and testament
MDge than that. ! can prove that she
did So Now, Sir Mare, look from her
70 me which OF us looks guilty?"
He looked at Veronica as though
baIf expecting an indignant denial
none came
Miss Dl Cynthia she continued,
tell Sir Marc. who accuses me Of
bringing false charge whether you
destroyed the viii or not.
Still thee was no answer.
II swear TO Heaven that I saw her
DO It, and that | have the proofs,
cried the maid. u should not speak 50
plainly before you, Sir Marc, but that
hush-moncy VIII do from you as well
as from her"
Then Veronica spoke. she went up
70 him, and without looking at him,
she said
win YOU send that woman away.
Marc? ! shall die If she remains here.
! viii speak TO you when she is gone.
u struck him with a pang more Bit
ter than death that she had never once
denied the charge.
Co. he said to Morton. leave Miss
I'll Cyntha's presence, ana never dare
90 seek It again. Leave this house at
once. If IN an hour from now You are
within these walls, nothing viii save
you from prison"
And nothing VIII save Miss hi
Cynthia from penal 8crvimde, she re-
joined
The womnn'g persistence ia her story
him, while Veronlca's ST.
louoo bcwildorcd him It could not
be true of course it was false: but It
was evident from her silence that there
was a mystery
Hush, The white HIPS had opened
again and q voice that was unlike any
he had ever heard came to him In the
sunlit silence. 30 not drive her to ok
tromos, Send her away.
Got Leave the house, but wait for
me at The railway station at Hurst
wood VIII see you there"
The woman left the house. and he
took Veronica IN his arms
Sweetheart" ne said what IS this
mystery Why did you not deny that
wumaus outrageous charges? My
Veronica burn n VIM You cannot
think how 1t has distressed me" He
Kissed tho white, cold face, which
looked as though neither warmth nor
color could brighten it again. his
heart was full OF keen intolerable
pain There is some mystery Yer
ouica he went on; Il can see that
Tell me what IL is"
II cannot she said
And the two simple words were more
terrible to him than any others
at least my darling ne pleaded.
ell mo that Il is not true cannot
endure that YOU should remain silent
under such q charge, Il is mwomanly.
almost deny a. I ask no explanation
of tho mystery. my sweetheart shall
De os free and mCettered aR the wind
that blows But | do ask this, deny
those horrible words
Then she looked at him. with the
paIlor of death ou her tace She tried
10 speak lightly but her lips tremblcj
She tried to smile but tho smile died
away
What SC / could not dcny ir Mare"
tljs face flushed hotDy