Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-08-18
Continued.

He told you?" he exclaimed.
My uncle told me that should
find a young lady in whose future he
was greatly interested. in the charge Of
a certain person named Gideon Rolfe.'
Well, did he tell you any more than
that?'
stephen made a gesture in the
negative.
so" said Gideon Rolfe, he left IL
to me to tell the story of his crime,
You are Ralph Dayenants nephew.
You ere the nephew of a villain and
scoundrel,"
1t was true, then. that the man knew
nothing of the secret marriage OF
Ralph Davenant and Caroline Hatfield.
"A scoundrel and villain repeat
cd Gideon. leaning forward and clutch
ing the table. You say that he told
you the story of his crime, glosseh
over and falsifCd Hear it from me.
Your uncle and | were schooltellows
and friends | was the son of the
schoolmaster at Hurst. Your uncle
left school to go to college. | remain
ed at Hurst in my fathers house. |
could have gone to college also. but |
would not leave Hurst, for | was IN
lave. | loved Caroline Hatfield She
was the daughter of the gamekeeper
on the Hurst estate, and we were to
be married. Two months before the
day fixed for our marriage your uncle,
my friend-my friend,-came home TO
spend the vacation. We were friends
still. and I-cursed fool that | was
took him TO the gamekeeper's lodge to
introduce him to my sweetheart. Six
weeks afterward ne and she had fed.
stephen watched him closely, his
heart beating wildly.
They had fed" continued Gideon,
in a broken voice. My life was end
ed on the day they brought me the
news. left Hurst Leigh and came
here. A year later she came back to
mc-came back to me to die. She
ed and left me-. She left me her
child. II loved her still and swore
to protect that child, and have done
so. There is my story. What have
you to say?"
1T is terrible, terrible!" he ex.
claimed
Il have kept my vow. Her child
has grown up ignorant of the shame
which is her heritage. Here, buried
in the heart of the forest, away from
the world | have kept and guarded
her for her mothers sake. There is
the story. told without gloss or false
hood What have you to say?"
"You have discharged your sef.ap-
pointed trust most nobly But-but
that trust has come to an end"
who says 500"
u say So You have done your duty
more than your duty must do
mine My uncle. on his deathhei, be
queathed his daughter to my charge
ITO yours?"
ITO mine" said stephen, gravely.
Where is your authority"
THAT do not come withouE
authority is proven by the mere fact
of my presence here and by my
knowledge of my uncle's secret. No
one but yourself, your wife and ]
know of the real identity of this girl.
II was my uncle's wish that the story
of her birth should still remain a
secret-that it should be buried. as it
were, in his grave, Why should the
Ecor girl ever learn the truth, when
such knowledge can only bring her
shame and mortfication?"
Grant that" said Gideon, where
could she better be hidden than here
Her secret. her very existence, have
been concealed from the world"
"Trut, but-but the future, my dear
sir-the future, You are not young
mani"
4 am still young enough to protece
her"
MY dear Mr.. Rolfe, you may live
you look as if you would-to be a
hundred you have discharged your
selfmposed task most nobly, but yon
must not forget that it has now de
VOWED upon one who is bound by ties
Of blood to fulfil it, # not so we'll GER
tainly with the best intentions. Mr.
Rolfe, ! am the young girls cousin
You speak of ties of blood; say
rather The ties of shame, Suppose
say suppose-that refuse to deliver
her up to your care?''
y do not think YOU will do that
You forget that, after all, we have
little choice in the natter
Gideon Rofe eyed him questioning
~
The young girl is low of age
and
Go on"
And supposing that you were &c
refuse to hand her over to my charge
should feel compelled TO tell the
story of her life, and. Pray-pray
be calm beg you to remember that
an not here Of my own desire; that
am merely fulfilling my duty to my
uncle and endeayoring to obey his
last wishes do not blame you fol
y0frr ~ mart with Epr III