News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-08-07
CHAPTER X.
THE TRUTH MADE KNOWN.

1IE IhOlu MADE hNONN'
rs 1RAIG THOMPSON never drew
a truer simile-and he was
RSST-St full of them than he did
lSG4B when, while advising with
Isle, he assured him that he could not
throw a loop over circumstance and
drag it along, a willing captive, as I hey
did the steer, clinching his argun mt
with the additional statement, '1ts
got a way of slipping out and rolbng
you instead" 1t is the experience OF
every man sooner OIL later to be roped
in by circumstance, and, although Rich.
ard Maxwell had battled with and de-
fed events all his life, he, like others,
was destined at last to fall a victim to
that willy foe which knows so well how
to watch and wait.
AS o 0 as the guests had partakhn
of the ample supper which All Sin llG
provided they were shown to Their
rooms, for the fatigues of the day Lpd
at last forced even the %vivaciOus eI r
gy of Erna Thomas to surrender. II n
father and son also parted for Wle
night.
Both were strangely silent, and rel.
Their noticed that the other was so.
The house had not been planned for
entertainment, and particularly had fe.
male guests and their many require.
ments been left out of the plans of
construction and furnishing. There
was only one room within it that was
at all adapted to the uses of a woman,
and to that one-it was Lisle's-th%
young lady had been shown. The liz
brary couch was roomy and comfortat
BILE, and upon that Lisle threw himself
after the others had retired. 1t was a
much softer bed than he required for a
good nights rest.
Richard Maxwe1fs bedchamber ad-
joined the library, and the two were
connected by a door, which was rarely
closed, the portieres suspended from
the frame above it doing ample service
in the matter Of isolating one from the
other.
Lisle selected a book and read or APP
peared to read long after his father
had retired. At last he put it down, di-
vested himself of his boots, coat and
waistcoat, loosened his belt and, hay
ing covered himself with a Navajo
blanket, went speedily to sleep.
During the night he was awakened.
An unusual sound startled him, and he
sat erect, listening, impressed with the
idea that his father had called. He
rose and tiptoed to the door, pulled the
curtains aside and peered into the room.
The moon, now resplendent, shone in
at the window and athwart his fathers
bed, and Isle could see him plainly.
did you speak, father? he asked in
a low tone, so that the sleeper might
not be disturbed if he were mistaken,
and, receiving no reply, he returned 10
the couch and composed himself 10
sleep again. He remained wide AWAKE,
however, while hour after hour passed.
by, thinking upon those perplexim
problems which refused sufficiently 10
shape themselves for recognition. Tie
moon passed over the house and SCI
tied in the west. The heavens took On
a transparent hue in the east. Dawn
was near at hand when he was again
startled by a repetition of the sound
that he had heard before. This tire
he was not sleeping. He knew there
could be no mistake. The noise cane
:. from his fathers room, was made by
his father.
He leaped to his feet and hurried
past the portieres straight to his ia
theirs side and came upon a sigh
which filed him with sudden and un
namable horror.
v Richard Maxwell was lying upon hi
back. His eyes were wide open and star
7 ing. There was a deathlike, leaden pal
lor' upon his face, which in the imper
4 feet light seemed CHASTITY. He wa.
breathing, but that was the only sigl
of life that was evident.
II Lisle knelt down beside him, chafet
his hands and called to him, but tn,
stricken man made nc reply except L
n utter that half articulate groan whicl
already had alarmed his son. Tn
young man procured restoratives, bu
they were Of no avail. He ~endeavoreO
to force brandy between his father
y lips, but Richard Maxwell could no
swallow. He chafed his hands, bu
they were cold and deathIike I'm hi
! grasp. Power of motion seemed {
have been retained only by the opti
muscles, for whichever way Isle turn
ed his fathers eyes followed him wit
! agonized entreaty.
Dawn increased and developed int
day while Lisle worked over his fl
Their, but his extremities became colde
" and colder, so that at last, with tina