Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-06-25
Continued.


open window, the birds were singing
their even-song, the low chanting OF
the waves sounded musical In the dis
lance. | could not rest. | rose,
dressed myself, and stole quietly down
the stairs and out into the garden and
round among the trees, where
should be hidden from sight, and
could enjoy the sweet evening air at
my Will. ! was very weak, very III.
The fresh.scented air, for which | had
longed so intensely, sent me to sleep.
| do not know how long | slept there; ;
but wnen | awoke the moon was shin
ing, and / heard the sound Of Il
woman's voice sobbing in great dis
tress | raised my head, and ! saw a
scene that has haunted me until the
memory Of 1t has driven me to write
this. | did not listen purposely but
could not get away 1t was to me as
though ! were present at a death-bed
The sobs were Hettie's and she was
bidding farewell to your lover, Leah
Basil Carlton. She loved hlm-ah
me, how well! And he spoke up like
the honest, frank, noble young fellow
he u.s. He told her how he had drfted
unConsciously into love for her. that
he was bound in honor to marry some
one else, and therefore he must go.
Leah, give heed to my words.
do not know why Sir Basil asked you
to marry him ! am sure that 1t was
not because he loved you. | am sure,
too, that he acted In all loyalty. He
came down 10 Southwood and saw
your sister quite accidentally; he fell
in love with her without knowing 1t.
Hettie loves him with her whole
heart, and Will love no one else while
she lives. They parted In sorrow and
tears, both loyal both honest, both
true, Whether they will meet again
know mott leave that with you.
The doctor has told me today that |
have not many weeks to live, and that
nothing can change my fate Leah,
cursed you; do this which | ask,
and that curse will fall harmless to
the ground When am dying | shall
send for you, and may be able to tell
you this When | am dead ask Sir
Arthur IlattOn to take Kettle home;
II Will be safer, far better for her: |
can see It now. And, Leah, II you
would be truly noble, truly generous,
If you would make u glorious atone
mont for your selfish choice, If you
would rise far above the level of
ordinary wOmnnhood, II you would
change curse into blessing. II
you would do that which will bring
music, and beauty. and brightness
into two lives, give up your lover to
HottIe. and let her wed him.
"Do not think | am heartloss; but.
when look ut Hottie, when think Of
her devotion and love, when | think of
her tenderness, and remember that
those are qualities you can live with,
out, | urge upon YOU to resign your
lover and let him marry Hettio,
"li-and my heart does not de-
ceIye mo M to what you win do-if
you decide upon this, you must act
wisely, for, If either Of them suspect,
the suspoCting one will not accept the
sacrifice, however much you may de.
sire to make It, Your desire In this
world is to shine; You prefer bril-,
liancy to love. Love counted as moth
ing to YOU when a stranger offered
you wealth, Kettle would shnn the
brilliant glare of your life. and would
care only for love. You Will wonder,
Leah, when you have read this,
whether | have written 1t from
motives of love or hate, From love!
| always thought you had something OF
the heroine In your naturc-now
give you chance Of revealing 1t. II
| may map out your life, should say
Marry for wealth and position, where
your beauty and grace will he ap-
preciated, whore your pride viii he
looked on rs an additional ornament
DO not even seek the swoeter, softer
consultations OF ltrc they will be Of no
use to YOU
She had reached the end Of the
letter Lut her senses were confused.
Her brain was dn2ed; she could not
think or realize her position Her
whole soul was stepped In the horror
of dull despair Slowly she again
turned to the letter aud re-rcad II
limo hy line, word by word. The fire.
light with It's, rcd, fickcrin& flame,
fell on tho white pages rs she did SO,
and on the dosolate face ot Dcu0nc
1t was her sentence of death; il was
the warrant that cut her OF from all
that was bright and beautiful in life.
The two whom she had loyel and
trusted had betrayed her Granted
that Basils betrayal had boon nm.
conscious that he had tallon IN love
without knowing It he should have
told nor He should have trusted her,
and have let her decide
Il should have given him his FREQ
DOM She said, with a ercat fearless
sob Il should have set him free,
And Hottie the fair young sister
whom she had nursed back from the
very arms Of death? All, well, she
could not say that Hettie had he.
trayed her, for She had learned to leNe
him without the faintest suspicion "
To who he was; hut when she saw