The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1899-08-17
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ut was / whom you saw" l said. ~
was saved by miracle almost"
81, too, was saved" she sobbed. But
/ scarcely know how After you dis
appeared from me, found myself with
two men on rock, where We fingered
miserably till, by Gods mercy, we
were rescued But / will tell you all
by-andby. Amos, l have suffered
much-oh, so much! Have you no
word of love for me. sitter all these
years of misery?"
She chung to me, and would have
embraced me, but / flung her from me
with a bitter laugh.
What would you have said to Mr..
Druce?" l cried savagely, "if he stood
before you instead of me? You be-
lieved me to be dead! So did | be-
lieve you to be-and hoped it, ay, hop
cd it! A new misery has come into my
life, when l vainly hoped that my
troubles were at an end Love for
you! You killed love, and poisoned my
heart to you years and years ago, when
you betrayed and deserted me. Till
then, | cherished you in my heart of
hearts, and was true and faithful to
you, as l vowed to be. But you ="
My passion and my grief almost
choked me; but If | had not paused
from that cause. Mabel's attitude
would have arrested further speech.
She had risen from her feet, and was
now standing by the table. Her trem-
bling lips denoted that she needed
come support.
"And you believe the stories that
were circulated about me?" she ex-
claimed, in a tone Of mingled pride
and despair. "You believe"
81 believe what l know to be true"
] said, interrupting her. 81 have
heard and discovered enough, and wish
to hear no more. Had l been told it
was your face should have seen to-
might when l entered this house. /
would have flown from it as from
pestilence. No words! / tell you again
I will hear nothing further. But cams
here for purpose; and for my mo.i
er's sake, will ask you If she liv .s
and If you know where she is to We
found"
'She lives" replied Mabel, family;
"and l know where she Is to be
found"
Thank God for that" I exclaimed.
''You will refuse, suppose, to tell
me where to seek for her."
She was not strong enough to
speak. With heaving bosom and
.clenched hands she directed me to the
table by look. Following her gaze,
II saw an envelope on the table, and
written on it my mothers name and
,the address of public house.
',Can / take this?" / asked.
She nodded. but made no further
sign.
There was something heavy in the
envelope. l tore it open, and took
from it a small piece of silver and a
few copper coins, and flung them on
the table. In the blindness of my
passion. did not stop to trace the
connection between the addressed en-
velope and the money inclosed.
Before l CO." said, with my hand
on the handle Of the door, 81 will tell
you, as is my duty, what you may
have right to know. l see that you
are poor; have money. What it is
incumbent upon me to do. as your I'M
happy husband, l will debut not for
love. l live in the old cottage. But
do not come yourself, for / will not
look upon your face. Write or send,
saying what You require and demand,
and l will forward 1t to you. / recog-
nize your claim upon me as my wife in
the eye of the law. You may not know
that your lover, Mr.. bruce, who sailed
with you in The Rising Sun"-a look
of amazemo>lt flushed into her eyes,
but / was in no mood to interpret
signs-"is dead. He was saved, with
myself and others. in a boat, which
enabled us to reach the shelter of an
island, where we lived until we were
rescued few months ago. He died
there a natural death, saving my soul
from the commission of a crime. For
had / seen him, and recognized him,
I'm life. l should have killed him"
God forgive you, Amos Beecroft,"
she murmured, with parched lips, for
the base and sinful thoughts that
would have led you to the crime."
1 need forgiveness. but not for
that. Another thing. Your child"
my child! Oh God! Yes, yes," 1t
was the mother speaking now, not the
woman.
lilies buried in that lonely island.
The poor boy died in my arms"
Am l dreaming, or am l mad?" she
muttered, with dazed look. "The
poor boy died in your armsr
"And now have but this to say: At
ter we had found refuge in the island
we happily saved from death a littie
girl, who. in our exile, grew into fair