The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-03-02

tie police that morning 20 MAKE Ia
Ouiries had naturally aroused great ex-
element in those regions and now not
only was / regarded as the favored
sutton Of his young mistress, but had
all the additional interest of being a
suspected murderer
He ushered me into the drawing
room. 1t remained just as remember
ed it the previous evening. There was
the bowl of roses from which my love
had taken the choicest bloom to fasten
in my coat, a treasure which / had in
wardly vowed to hoard forever, but
which had been lost in the brutal fray
lost, crushed and trodden in the mire
There was the book Mabel had been
reading when I entered, and by its side
the paper knife with which she had toy
ed before l made her hand my captive
And there was still that subtle odor OF
violets which would linger in my mem
cry, inseparably connected with that
scene.
But now the frou frou of dainty
skirts told me of my darling approach
The handle turned, and Mabel stood be.
fore me.
mabel"
Duncan"
For one sweet moment all else but
our love was forgotten in one long, rap
turous embrace. Not "a hours hao
elapsed since 1 last held my dearest in
my arms, but what a world OF agony
had happened in that time!
looked into her eyes, so full of un
told happiness for me I kissed the lips
that spoke but of swestest love, and fol
the moment all the pending misery was
forgotten in one long, fond rapture OF
bliss.
Never had Mabel looked so unspeak,
ably lovely. Her red gold hair rippled
and shimmered in the clear sunlight
and waved and clustered round heI
white forehead. Her deep blue eyes
looked into mine in trustful faith. Her
pouting lips invited kisses, disclosing
pearls of rarest beauty, while the color
on her cheeks came and went in concert
with the heaving of her breast.
sob, Duncan, my poor boy, how
shamefully they have treated you How
could they suspect you? How dare they
arrest you?"
"Their suspicion was nothing. You
did not doubt me for moment?"
duncan, how could I?'
She started from my embrace and
| held herself erect.
Though all the world were against
you, you know I could not for one mo-
ment doubt you. -
drew my dear one to seat, still
holding her hand in mine.
''Tell me, Duncan" she said, with
gentle sympathy, "tell me all about it. "
So poured into her ears all dared
tell her of my experiences after leaving
her the previous evening. touched as
lightly as possible on my finding the
body Of the murdered woman, scarcely
mentioning the man who stood over her.
As told Of the fury Of the mob her lit.
tie hand frightened in mine and the color
left her cheeks. When I spoke to her Of
the long, dreary night at the police sta.
tion, her eyes betrayed her sweet com
passion, and when / breathed senderly
all my thoughts of her in the darkness
and gloom that had shrouded me she
nestled almost imperceptibly nearer tc
me, and again for moment forgot
the coming agony. When / described
the weary waiting in the morning, the
arrival Of my friends and my ultimate
release, she broke in eagerly:
"Ah, Duncan, it was so unfortunate
George was away when the police came
I know how sorry he will be that he
could not be the first to go to you! How
indignant he will be at their suspectine
you'll
Oh, the untold irony of her words
All the time my mind was forlornly
cropping for an answer to the monoto.
nous question which l knew must come
sooner or later and which would tell
her what would give worlds that she
should know first from another.
listened as with womanly care she
prayed me to tell her if l had rested
and eaten and hundred other things
which tender love alone could suggest.
listened, and l suppose my answers
were lucid, but all the while seemed
to know nothing but that he-the
brother she worshiped-he, my friend,
was guilty of this CHASTITY crime! AS in
fearful panorama, saw the murderer
captured; witnessed the trial; heard
the hum of the crowded court; I saw
the judge, the black cap, and saw the
gallows looming behind it all. I seemed
to be still talking and listening, yet my
mind worked out these horrors regard
less of my will, and gradually night.
mares spell seemed to creep over me.
She was talking about George now.
HE has been awfully worried lately,
Duncan. You yourself know something
of the reason, but not all, think. You
know he is infatuated with some woman
beneath him in position, but will tell
you all now that you are one of us. -
She added these last words with de-
licious shyness, and I could but kiss
her bushes. She continued:
II know, if not all, at least more
than any one else, for George has made
me his confdant, and I have stood up
for him against my father and mother,
who are naturally very angry with
him; for, after all, the girl is a servant,
and we have always had such high
ideals of the wife George would bring
homo IN ns This ia how If oil co,no