Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1901-12-20


Poor John. She wished she had not
thought of him. as she stood in her
wedding dress. The air was very
heavy tonight IL was this which OBJ
pressed her SO.
Come in" she called tC the knock
at her door
The little maid entered
On. Miss Alice, law, Miss how
beautiful you do look The gentle
mau is downstairs and wants TO see
You Immediate. Miss"
The gentleman, OF course she
meant Dent She had a great mind
to run down just as she was. to hear
if he would echo the little maids YER
diet. and say chat ne. too thought her
beautiful The impulse OF vanity was
not to be resisted and gathering IN
her siiken skirts she ran lightly down
tie stairs The room Vas in shadow
the large old-fashioned lamp on the
table burning dimly. Int sitting in 4
corner OH tie SOFA she saw mans
form. a man who rose impetuously to
his feet as she entered
With smile upon her lips and 10
he, eyes. and a bright spot Of scarlet
in her checks. she tripped across the
floor and turned the lamp so that its
light stfeamed full upon her then
looked up into Dents face to see the
look OF love and admiration gathering
thcre-looked 10 find it not Dent. out
some one who. for moment. seemed
= Stranser-sOme one whose face was
bronzed and bearded. but with
strange palIor gathering on it as he
looked in vain for the words of love
and recognition which did not come
looked from her own paiing face. from
the dying spots OF scarlet in her
cheek. To the siken train which
swept the floor in its purity, and the
orange flowers she had fastened in her
breast. Yes. she knew him now. 1t
was John, come home TO claim her
for his very own. His voice was very
hOarse when he spoke
Il came for my bride" he said lis
she here Is this dress for me
Have pity" she walled, in answer
Two years were such long while
For six months had not heard. |
thought YOU were dead or had forgot
ten me"
Men DO not forget. he answered.
We leave that 10 the women who un-
do us Six months And it seemed
To YOU a long time to wait Child. do
you know what | have endured FOR
the reward OF this moment? What
was hunger, toll. privation. homesick-
ness TO me- almost welcomed them
for ever behind them all WAS TIE
thought that all were for you, for the
day which WAS slowly. slowly creeping
OH. when | might stand before you
and say. Alice | have proved MY
love with price. You may accept II.
darling. without fear. 1t has been
purified through fire And when. six
months ago. my browning success
came. started in search OF you; but
the long hardships had done their
work. For months was at Deaths
door. unable TO write. or to let others
write Then. when | grew stronger
| said: ! will wait until | can go TO
her. You were sheltered, cared for.
happy aye, | was so mad as to think
praying for me- even thanked God
that your prayers had restored my life
and reason. | am as the man VINO
toled all his life in search of a gllt-
tering diamond. and when at length
he picked it up triumphant, he discov-
cred it to be piece of shining glass"
John. John, Forgive me-" she
pleaded. clinging with both hands to
his arm. her face upturned in its pale
beauty to his. loved you then. Be-
lieve me. | loved you then"
Through the open window stole her
words. paralyZing the form of an I'M
seen listener. who had at that moment
appeared upon the scene What did it
mean?
He heard not the mans answering
words Forgive you? Never,"-but
saw only his last, mad, passionate EN-
brace as he snatched her unresisting
form in his arms and covered her face
with kisses which seemed half hatred
and half love. then released her and
went out into the night
The next day a little note was put
into John MaXwell's hand. and, as he
tore it open. the strong man tremble,
like child. He had grown calmer
since the night previous. though all
the JOY and lghtness had died out of
his life.
You have had your revenge" she
wrote THE man I was to marry saw
you take me i'm your arms. and heard
me say that | had loved you Perhaps
/ deserved my punishment but it is very
bitter You left me two years. If you
had loved me you would not have done
so. ! was child. and | forgot you and
learned To love another. | no longer
ask you 10 forgive me- since you have
: wreaked upon your revenge"
Ills own life stretched bare and
blank and desolate before him. For
moment he felt wild JOY that 50
hers might prove. The next. after a
brief struggle. his manhood con
quered His revenge should be some
thing nobler than "a girls wrecked life
something which, after long and
lonely years. he might recall without
blush of shame
Dent Dexter was alone in the cot
tase he had prepared for his bride
sitting with bowed head, when John
Maxwell sought him out The inter
view between them was very brief;
but for an instant. as they parted
their hands met in long silent clasp
One man had given happiness-one
mad renounced il. So the wedding
day was not postponed. but Alce's
myers trembled as she again fastened
her wedding dress, and tears dimmed