Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-01-29
CHAPTER VII.-(continued.)

you, then? In one word, speak
We'll, then, Neil Semple and Capt.
Hyde have fought a duel. That is
what comes of giving way to passion.
never fought duel. No one should
make me. 1t is a fixed principle with
me-"
Poor Neil! His fault, am sure, it
. was not"
Joanna! Neil is nearly dead. II
he had been in the right he would not
be nearly dead. The Lord does not
forsake a person who is in the right
way"
In the hall behind them Katherine
stood. The pallOr of her face, the
hopeless droop of her white shoulders
and arms, were visible in its gloomy
shadows. Softly as a spirit she
walked, as she drew nearer to them.
And the Englishman? Is he hurt?'
KILLED. He has at least twenty
wounds. Till morning he will not live.
1t was the councillor himself who sep
arated the men"
My good Joris, it was like him.
For a moment Katherine's con-
seriousness reelcd. The roar of the
ocean which girds our life round was
in her ears, the feeling Of chill and
collapse at her heart. But with
supreme will she took possession OF
herself. Weak | will net be. All
will know. All I will suffer And
with these thoughts she went back to
the room and took her place at the
table. In a few minutes the rest fol
lowed. BataViuS had anticipated
madam's amaZement and shock. He
had felt a jIst satisfaction in the suf-
fering he was bringing to Katherine.
But nothing had happened as he ex-
peCted. The meal, instead of being
pleasantly heightened over such dread
full intelligence, was hurried and 81
lent.
1t was some comfort that after it
Joanna and Re could walk in the gar
den and talk the affair thoroughly
over Katherine watched them away,
and then she fed to her room. And
Oh, how she wept! She took from
their hiding place the few letters her
lover had written her, and she
mourned over them as women mourn
in such eXtremities. In the full tide
of her anguish, Lysbet stood at the
door. She heard the inarticulate
words of woe, and her heart ached for
her child. She had followed her to
give her comfort, to weep with her;
but she felt that hour that Katherine
was no more a child to be soOthed
with her mothers kiss. She had be-
come a woman, and a WOman'S sorrow
had found her
1t was near ten o'clock when Joris
came home. His face was troubled,
his clothing disarranged and blood
stained; and Lysbet never remember
ed to have seen him so completely eX-
hausted. Bran is with Neil" he
said, "he will not be home
And thou?"
81 helped them carry-the other To
the Kings Arms We took him.
Live will he?"
His left lung is pierced through.
A bad wound in tle throat he has. But
then, youth he has, and a great spirit,
and hope. | wish not for his death,
my God knows"
Neil, what of him.
"UncOnscious he was when | left
him at his home. Does Katherine
know"
"She knows"
How, them
20 Joris, if in her room thou could
have heard her crying! My heart
for her aches, the sorrowful one!"
See, then, that this lesson she miss
not. 1t is a hard one, but learn it she
must. If thy love would pass it by
think this, for her good it is"
The next morning was the sabbath
and many painful questions suggested
themselves to JOris and Lysbet Var
Heemskirk. Joris felt that he mus
not take his seat among the deacon'
until he had been fully exonerated o
all blame of bloOd-guiltiness by thu
dominic and his elders and deacOns il
full kirk session. Madam could hard
" endure the thought of the glance
that would be thrown at her daughter
and the probable sights she woult
receive, so Katherine's piteous en-
treaty was listened to, and she wa
allowed to remain at home.
The kirk that morning would hav
been the pillory to her. She was III
speakably grateful for the solitude c
the house, for space and silence, i
which she could have the relief {
unrestrained weeping. About tn
middle of the morning, she hear
BRAINS footsteps. Bran had nc
thought of Katherine's staying frol
kirk, and when she confronted hin
so tear-stained and woe-begone, HI
heart was full of pity for her Wit
ir the last twenty-fCur hours he ha
begun to understand the temptatiO
in which katherine had been; begu
to understand that love never ask
What is thy name? OF what countr
art thou? Who is thy father?' II
felt that so long as he lived he mus
remember Miriam Cohen as she stoo
talking to him in The cna Iowy stol
And this memory of Mira n made hi
very pitiful to Katherine.
Every one is angry at me, Bran
even my father; and Batavius wi
not sit on the chair at my side; an
Joanna says a great disgrace l hay
made for her. And thou? Wilt the
also scold me? | think shall die
grief"
"Scold thee, thou little one? That
will not. And those that are angl
with thee may be angry with II
also"
Bran! my Bran! my brother
There is one comfort for me,-if