Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-12-31
o@a--
CHATTER XII


it from its regular descent to Ned Bur
ton and his family. Her difficulty, how
ever. was that she could find no Oppor
tunities of conveying her friendly advo
cacy to single member of the family
After the coroner's verdict no one had
seen them. They lurked, as it were, in
some remote corner of the house, shun
ming the daylight
But as soon as these dismal legal pro
ceedings were over carriage came TO
the door. which was to t,t them away
TO the railway. They huddied down into
the hall, eager to escape, as il were. But
they were not to depart without one more
trial.
Stop" said voice. zone word he
fore you go. Where, where is that-that
murderer? Oh, he has skulked away into
the carriage. Fetch him back, or not
one of you leaves this. Call him in"'
The servants, hearing the sounds, were
gathering on the stairs, looking over eau
tiously. The wretched man had to de-
scend, and come into the hall again.
Don't shut the door. Let them all
hear | wish every one to know what
have to say"
Ned Burton was standing in the open
doorway. 1t was dark, and the moon was
shining His face was not to be seen.
He waited, his head bent, like a prisoner
hearing his sentence.
II want you to know this. and to take
this with you. As | st1nd here | firmly
believe that you murdered my child. You
fancy that you have escaped punishment
because the law cannot touch you. Not
so. From this moment | devote my life
to hunting you down, to exposing aud de-
nouncing you wherever you go You shall
wish a thousand times over that you were
In gaol and working out your sentence.
There shall be no peace and happiness on
earth for you or any of, your accursed
tribe. There; that is what | have 20 tell
you and all here. Now go. Go, lnur-
dererr'
Ned Burton said not word, and was
turning away.
Father! father said Tom, passion
ately. you do not mind this furious wom
ans words. Tell her boldly that you are
innocent, and defy her malignity You
can despise such unwomaay threats. 1t
is like madness Tell her. father. that we
know and believe in your innocence, ond
would die in defense of that faith"
Tfaltered out. indeed. something.
Speak, dearest" salt his wife; "an-
'swer this cruel woman"
"He dare not" said she. triumphantly
"IIe will tell you at home that he is in
nocent, but in presence of the murdered
child's mother it is a different thing.
There, go, all of you; leave me. See,''
she added, even his own family are be-
ginning to have doubts. My vengeance
begins already"
She was gone, and Ned had not said
Il word. Tom and his mother looked at
each other with sort of wild glance
Somehow it seemed as though she left be-
hind her legacy Of doubt and distrust,
aud that for the first time the terrible sus-
picion had arisen in their souls.
The elected family were presently cast
upon the great ocean of London. They
found some small cheap lodgings and
there made steady, regular pl operations
ito meet the worst. Toms commission
was sold. The proceeds they could not
consider their own, and the money was
Offered to Mr.. ] In Burton, or To his
solicitor by whom it was contemptuously
declined. They had now almost nothing
to live upon. Ned Burton's younger sons
portion had loGG since been spent, end
they had large private debts With a
cold refinement of cruelty it WINS init
mated to them that the claims of account
were suspended for the present, until
these other more pressing ones should be
satisfied. Then began a series of harass-
ing observation-disclosures for statements
of account-explanatio from
solicitors-while all the time there were
bnt few pounds left to live on, which
were fast melting away.
Tom Burton. on whom the whole bur
den rested. faced everything galantly--
the crushed father, who literally never
raised his head the hopeless mother.
herself making gallant struggle. and
the wondering children. who scarcely vet
understood by what surprise of the laws
of nature they had been turned out upon
the world. Tom never relaxed his exer-
tons moment. He sought out old
friends, obtained promises that some
thing should I've d" for Ned Burton ut
the first opportunity told their simple
story to those to whom he might Judi.
ciously unfold it, and Mt last came in one
evening with joyful news. Something
mad been found-not much, certainly. bat
still something. This was the post of
Overseer or superintendent in n large fac
tory ut a small Scotch town. There was
chance of its being abolished AZ any
hour, but still it was something.
Thank God said Tom. when he wns
alone in his room that night. Thank
God for this, which gives us hreatbin.-
time! New | can devote my soul to ihat
one point-now that there is bread in
the house | can get myself ready To be-
CINE the battle with her But how and
whore am | to hegn?"
A hundred plans tioated through his
brain, but he knew not how he was ever
10 reach her. Yet some instinct kept tell
ing him that one day he would, and lac
had TO keep up this faith, not only in him.
self, but in his broken father.
Ii was the very evening hefor,, their
departure from Chaplain. when the maid
came to say that there was n woman lie.
low who wished to see Mr.. Burton. Tom
went down to her and found it was Mrs.
Donovan.
Il heard you were going away" she
said, land as | had to 20 myself.
thought I'd come and see you thought
you'd Ike TO know that | never went
with the cruel stories sent about-uever
for moment"
Il am sure you didn't said Tom
gratefully; IAN awful punishment has
come upon us ALL"
Then as for her. there's allowance TO
Toe made Mr. Tom. Think of her child
killed in that svdden way. and a furious
woman like her!"