Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-01-02
clergyman cheerfIy. what do you
say, Miss Henderson,

girl. II love and trust him. We came
| here to ask you to marry us; not right
away, but we wanted to talk it over
with you."
1t seemed TO be the mans turn to
speak, and Brown waited for his words
Stone stood with bowed head, his eyes
upon the floor. Becoming conscious Of
the silence, he looked up.
II am glad that you are here" he
said. "Of course you will understand
| that l had no thought Of it. Your
came is not uncommon"
"Well, l should think it wasn't" re-
| sponded the minister, with laugh.
| ''You, better than any other man, can
| tell me whether | have the right to do
| this" said Stone. II have told her the
| truth, and still she would come to me
and live in the home that | have built.
| But | cannot give her my name. | am
known here as Morton Brook and must
continue to be so known
"Now, let's consider how the matter
| stands said Brown briskly. Your
| case comes back to me, but not your
| face, by the way. | really cannot see
| the most casual resemblance. HOWeV-
CIR, let us proceed. The warden told me
| all about YOU He said that you had
| struck a man in the heat of a quarrel
| with your hand and not with weap-
| on. The man went home and died two
| hours later from the effects of his own
| excitement and many years of hard
| drinking. That's the fact in the mat
ter, as the warden said and as | came
to believe after a brief investigation.
You may remember that | was there
for only a few weeks after you came.
AS / said, you struck this man. You
were blamable. no doubt. You may
have owed some reparation under
the laws. But to convict you Of any
form of homicide was monstrous in
view of the medical testimony given at
the trial, and it never could have been
done except that the man in question
was politician of the party then all
powerful in that city. / think that the
true story told in this community and
backed by me could hurt you but little.
Why not make a firm stand? Resume
your own name; Destow it upon this
sweet and exemplary young woman
who has honored you with her love.
Tell the plain TRUTH
Stone raised his hand to check the
minister's utterance. His pallor showed
beneath the bronze.
II am fugitive" said he. II forgot
that you might not know. escaped
from that prison"
els he the more to blame for that?"
exclaimed the young woman. You
have said yourself that his conviction
was unjust, and they condemned him
to seven years, to death indeed. for he
has told me that he could not have
lived SO long" g@
II have said what believed" added
Stone. in firm voice. my health was
slipping away as water runs through
ones fingers. You remember how 1
looked? So when the chance came
and it was chance-I took it and step
ped out to freedom"
''You escaped, then, without vio-
lence?' said the clergyman.
absolutely"
The minister sat down upon corner
of his desk and beat his hands nerv-
ously together, the knuckles of one
into the palm of the other.
II would not send you back" he said.
Il cannot see that any good would come
of it. But wish you hadn't told me-"
..For whose sake?'' asked Miss. Hen
derson quickly.
The clergyman's face flushed.
.sFor my own, l suppose" said he,
because this secret might embarrass
me-
"How"
IF he should be traced, if | should
be asked directly"
'You would tell the truth, Of
course said Stone. eve should ex-
pect nothing else"
81 dread the way of mortal affairs
as experience has shown it to me-"
said the clergyman. 'There is nothing
in this world more battling to the mind,
yet nothing more conspicuous to the
observation, than the workings Of the
law whereby this very time, when he
would most dearly wish to hide his
secret becomes the time when it is
most likely to be revealed"
''You would dissuade her, then?" said
Stone.
81 do not say So" was the rejoinder,
land yet
"What is the worst that could hap
penn" said Mabel. LET us think of
that Suppose the officers who were to
take him back were standing in this
room waiting for him. Do you think
that would not keep my word to him?
Do you think / should not wish to be
his wife,"
Stone threw his arm impulsively
across her shoulders and crushed her
close to him.
eff you are sure of that" said the
minister. 81 have no more to say. Mar
ry him, and may God bless you both.
When do you desire the ceremony"
1--WE had planned it for week from