The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-14

II nloorland Princess
By MRS. C. N. WILLIAMSON,
Anthor Of Ihe Barn Storme,' "Fortanes Sport "a Woaa
Sn Gray "Queen Sweeheort," "Her Royal Highmess,"
''The House By the Lock- Etc.
Copyright 1908 by the National Pres. Agency.



according to your own admissions
Worse ten thousandfold. AS much |
worse as crime is worse than innocence"
DO you hate me SO then, Maya
Mono, don't hate you. 1t was for
me, know Your guilt Is mine. You are
right in that I must help you to bear it.
But we shall be, thru this life and the life
to come, two lost spirits bound together
by a dreadful bond
But the bond of love, for I will make
you love me. Such love as mine must be-
get love-
Il shall never love you,' said the girl,
hopelessly. II have told you that before.
and now I must tell it you again; for If
things could be made worse than they
are. 1t would be by deceit. Michael if
what you have done should be found out?
What If he left soma papers which tell
of the journey he meant to make? He has
warned me that record was kept. You
see, he always knew little more than a
year beforehand where the next meeting
was to be. Others may have known
something of it, too, and when he is
missed
Have no fear, my darling. I think he
had no suspicion, until his moment came,
what the end was to be-
Yet you said that there was a fight"
$50 there was. but-not till after had
shot him. Maya, don't look at me like
that. You kill be with your eyes. All is
fair in love and-such warfare. did
not delight in the deed. or what came
after. 1t was for you, and I had to say
that to myself hundred times I COW
cred up his body with earth, while a hor-
rible sickness overcame me. 1t was for
you!"
"Ah, I can bear no more!' cried the
girl her voice breaking into a wall. Let
US go-let us go, If I am not to be driven
to madness!" She rose to her feet, shak-
ing all over. yet putting away. with a
| ct,,tII L. 80
help her. Don't touch mel" she i'm
plored mot yet. I will try to overcome
| this-this horrible feeling, remembering
only that-it was for me. But. for heav-
ems sake, let us leave this awful place,
never, never to come hear 1t again.
She staggered away a few steps, but
the man did not follow her He stood by
| the side of the grave, his face drawn and
CHASTITY. Il cannot go yet" he said, in
low, strained voice. 'You see, my task
is not finished
With a gesture which sent shiver thru
grave only half filed in. No words were
needed to make her understand.
you are to co. he went on. II wish
| 1t. Would that you had never come here
at ALL"
"still, I should have known" she an
| swered. you could not have kept it from
me. Hark What was that sound?"
Il heard nothing" said Michael.
Listen! There 1t is again. 1t was like
stifted groan. Are we to be haunted
from this moment forever by his wicked
| spirit that tortured me In life?"
Michael had grown even paler than be-
fore. Come away he cried. I'll risk
all, and take you home. Afterwards I will
return"
"Hush!" breathed the girl. tThat is
no spirit voice. 1t is living man groan-
Ing. choking. And-the sound comes from
there" She threw out her hand towards
the grave. '"Thank heaven, he is not
He has not been there long, the earth
lies loosely. Only part has been replaced.
o, Michael, Michael. down on your knees
with me to save him, and, by saving him,
save ourselves!'
| AS she spoke she knelt, and began tear
ing away the earth with her pretty, child
ish hands. But the man caught her by
the waist and lifted her to her feet.
Are you mad Maya" he demanded.
'You heard nothing, tell you, nothing.
Your fancy plays you false, and even if
1t did not, do you think 1 would let you
undo all-all have done, for a womanish
scruple? The man is dead
1.-The man is not dead!" she gasped,
struggling in his hold
IF he is not, he will be in few mo-
ments. Don't pity him. He is past suf-
ferng. I have saved you. For you have
me by making it of no avail
The girl tore herself free from him with
a cry, and then faced him with such a
look in her splendid eyes that he shrank
under it into powerlessness. do you
want me to loathe you with horror un-
speakable-to flee from you as from
leper?" she flung at him. do you wish
that the very sight Of you should be death
to me?"
"No-no!' he pleaded.
Then help me to undo your dreadful
work.
This time he obeyed her, taking up the
spade and shovelling out the earth not
yet packed tightly into place. Suddenly
Maya stopped him with an exclamation
'See-the earth moves! He is strug-
CLING to free himself. Not the spade any
more! Your hands-your hands and
mine"
They worked together in silence, the
girls face glorious in it's passionate eager
ness OF hope, the mans sickly white.
Inc movements under the loose earth
had ceased now. Fear clutched coldly
again at Maya's heart, while the blood
ran more warmly thru the veins Of the
man.
consider-reconsider!" he implored
"Alps over; he is dead"
The girl did not hear. Her fingers had
touched something warm. Pushing away
the earth, a face was revealed mould
cllnging to it, weighing down the eye
lids, CLOTHING the long black lashes and
sealing the mouth. For an instant faint
ness overwhelmed her. and the feverish
strength which had been hers failed.
/ 1T is not he, Michael she faltered
This is another face-as different from
his as mans can be from a bird of
prey. All, dear Heaven, help us to save
| him!'
Strength came again, as the blood
rushed back upon her heart Desperately
she worked. fifnging the earth away from
the laboring breast, Michael helping now
with all his SOUL e
The earth was red and wet over +he
place where the buried man had received
his wound, but Maya, who had always
hated the sight of blood and been sick
ened by 1t, was no longer faint. She
thought only Of doing her work quickly
-of saving the life Of an innocent man
who had been so near to death most
horrible.
1t was Michael who lifted the inert
body out Of the grave made ready for
another man, but it was Maya who took
the unconscious head on her lap, and
with delicate cobweb Of a handkerchief
4 tenderly wiped the brown earth stains
from the clear cut features
See how young he is, and how hand
some" she cried, tears Of pity fall
ing from her eyes upon the pale face
her little fingers touched so gently
Michael how could you dream that such
man as this could have been the william
II told YOU of yeSterdayt''