Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-07-30
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81 loved him better than all the
world, she walled, "and I am going to
see his grave! Oh, Gertrude, how
many years has he been lying there!'
They passed from the golden sun
light into the cold, cherries corner of
the wood where the Black Pool lay.
When Lola saw it again, with the
! familiar trees and reeds which grew on
it's margin, she gave great cry and
shrank upon her knees. Her face grew
deadly pale, and she grasped Gertrude's
hand convulsively.
IT am afraid she cried-I am
afraid! Oh, Gertrude, help mel"
The brave-hearted girl knelt by her
side; her heart went out to the stricken
womaH.
"Miss de Ferras," she whispered
gently, ''try to rouse yourself, for
my fathers sake: Without you we
cannot give him a Christian burial.
Do not fail us at the last
And, for his sake whom she loved so
madly and so we'll, she did rouse her
self, and with desperate effort went
on toward the fatal spot. The wind
murmured through the trees, and
stirred gently the dark waters of the
pool 1t was a lonely, cherries spot.
Gertrude shuddered as they drew
nearer. A group of tall populars stood
on one side, and to the right, just
where one stepped from the path, as
Sir Karl had done, lay the mouth OF
the teacherous pit.
1t looked like square patch of solid
ground, different from that around it
by being somewhat elevated. No one
could possibly guess that under the
tangled mass of dry wood, grass, and
leaves lay a depth of darkness of which
it was even terrible to think.
Silently and with swift steps Lola
went up to the shaft, and then stood
shuddering, with an expression Of des-
pair on her face. After a pause she
turned the Gertrude and laid her hand
on hers.
'He lies there she said, where he
has lain silent and still all these years.
Do you see where the wood is broken
where the black gap is? That is where
uO I01l ~ induJ yCdlo d5O. COAnO Will
M.
They went together to the very edge;
Lola drew aside some Of the tangled
creepe1s.
Look she cried in loud voice
look, Gertrude. This is your fathers
grave"
Forgive me- she sobbed, and her
burning tears fell upon Gertrude. |
have been cruel to him whom loved
and cruel to you. Will you forgive me ?
All, Gertrude, I am the most forlorn,
the most miserable creature on the face
of the earth-none so wretched! 1 am
going out to utter desolation and
in Heaven no hope. Let me take with
me the memory of a few, kind words. !"
Did ever woman weep so bitterly, so
horelessly? Gertrude could not help
it, She threw her arms around the
trembling figure, and, STOPPING, kissed
the tearstained and worn, yet beautiful
face.
@Tell me-" she said, where are you
going and What do you mean to do with
your life"
Il hope to spend it repenting of my
sin" she said. Never mind my life,
Gertrude. It ends here. my dear, by
the side of this grave, when 1 leave
you. Perhaps I shall not go far away
| should like sometimes to kiss the
ground on which your shadow falls.
Oh, Gertrude, if he had only loved me!
Good-by my dearest, once again. Just
look at me once more with your
fathers eyes; once more kiss me,
wicked and worthless as I am; speak to
me once more with your fathers voice.
Oh, Karl Karl, how loved you!"
Gertrude did what she asked her.
She kissed the quivering lips and tried
to soothe the terrible grief that seem
ed beyond all human remedy. Then
she said slowly
L think what you say is best. II
will be well for me to leave you now.
Good-by. | wish, before you go-for
We shall never meet again-that you
would say one kind word of my dear
mother
Il cannot" Lola replied, "for
Dolores, who took my love from me,
have no good wish. Good-by. If the
gates of Heaven are ever opened to me,
pray that may meet you there"
She was gone, even as the last words
sounded, leaving Gertrude alone by
her fathers resting place. When, later
on, she returned to the Manor House,
every one was relieved to find that Lola
de Ferras had disappeared.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Forty-eight hours later Dolores. with