Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-07-24
CHAPTER XVI

CHAPTER XVI.
Lady Culmore opened her eyes at
the sound of her husbands voice. and
laid her hand upon his bowed head.
You will let me touch you, Ru-
dolph," she said, Now that | am dy-
Ing? You promised me forgiveness,
and last farewell. Oh, love. kiss me,
Oh, love, how have loved you'll"
The sweet faint voice sounded clear
ly and distinctly in the room. She
looked around on Uric and myself
with loving eyes.
You will tell them when I am
dead" she said. TELL them all the
truth, and let them Judge me as they
will. 1 have sinned, I have suffered
TO 1--we near you always, to see you,
to breath the same air with you, to
be called by your name, yet to be
further apart from you than an utter
stranger-oh, love, that has been tor
ment to me! 1 have seemed to die
every hour since that horrible night.
L see my sin, my terrible sin, ana am
glad to die" With sudden accession
of strength, she rose and cried, in a
voice that was almost terrible, Love,
let me die in your armsi"
Grant her request, Rudolph" said
| Uric.
/ Sir Rudolph rose from his knees and
took her in his arms. With cry that
[ shall never forget, she laid her head
upon his breast.
Let me die looking on you she
said in plaintive voice; and, clasping
her arms round him, she added, Ills
ten to me, beloved! Here, on my death
bed, | avow the great sin of my life.
1t has been wild, mad, passionate love
OF you. 1 have given you the love
should have given to heaven. I have
lived for you, sinned for you'll die
for you"
He bent down-ah, thank heaven he
did it!-and kissed the pale lips. He
whispered something to her, and she
replied. Then 1 heard her say
"Tell them as soon as 1 am dead
Rudolph, before you call strangers
| in"
mluutSS,
with light of rapture on her face
cat last-oh, my love, at lastr she
said. Rudolph, say once more that
you forgive me-
Il forgive you, my darling" he an
swered, his voice trembling-"I fox
give you. Die in peace: and may
heaven pardon you as do"
1 saw a smile pass over her pallid
! features; and she died, as she had
prayed that she might, with her eyes
fixed on his face.
He laid her down gently to rest,
weeping such bitter passionate tears
as men seldom she'd
'Have l been too hard on herr" he
cried. "Have 1 judged her too harsh
ly? Was it too severe? Oh, Nest, it
is all too late now!"
Too late! Her ears were closed to
all mortal sounds. Words of love or
regret, of passion or sorrow, would
reach her never more.
ga life lost, wrecked, ruined!" he
said. "Oh, Nest, in our happy young
days how little we dreamed of this!
Mercy is best. II wish 1 had been
more merciful. But she died as she
wished to die"
Uric and stood by in silence Sir
Rudolph knelt down by the dead WON
ans side, and 1 cannot think of his
passion of grief now without tears.
The pent-up love of long months
was lavished on her then. He kissed
the white brow and the golden sipp-
ling hair, he called her by every en-
dearing name. One such word few
hours before would have flooded her
whole soul with Joy; now the white
face was still, and the lips that had
sighed, pleaded and prayed, were
closed forever.
Kate" whispered Uric come
away. We will leave him here"
But Rudolph looked up at us with
weeping eyes.
may" he said, edo not go yet. You
know what she said. l was to tell you
her story as soon as she was dead.
Let me tell it to you now, and It will
be buried with her"
So, standing there, his hand clasp
ing the hand OF his dead wife, Sir Ru-
dolph told US the story of her life and
her sin.
When Sir John CuImore, father of
Rudolph and Of Uric, died., he left
three sons-the eldest, Richard, who
succeeded him; the second, Rudolph,
who was then a captain in the army;
the third, Uric, my lover, who was a
barrister practising in town. When
Sir John died, he was succeeded by
his eldest son, who then became Sir
Richard Culmore of Brooke He was
a kind generous man, and devoted to
his brothers. Captain Rudolph Gull
more and Uric spent the greater part
of their leisure time at Brooke. Be