Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-11-25
**aA444@ ++++++@ III!
Me
Filigree Ball
By ANNA KATHARINE GREEN,
Author Of 1.-THE Mystery Agatha Webb Mans Lane" Etc
Copyright, 1903, By the Bobbs.MerriII Company

thor Of 1.-THE Mystery Of Agatha Webb" "Lost Mans Lane"

the Bobbs.MerriIi Company II
..5.: ! ! : ! ! !. +: *4**-s*!
whom it would be your duty to ne
nounce if she let another sun rise upon
her guilt.
"a message was shouted through the
door-the message for which my ears
had been strained in dreadful anticipa-
ton for the last two hours. A man
named Pfeiffer wanted to see me be-
fore went down to be married-a
man named Pfeifferl
II looked closely ut the boy who de-
livered this message. He showed no
excitement nor any feeling greater
than impatience at being kept waiting
minute or SO at the door. Then I
glanced beyond him at the people chat
ting in the hall. No alarp there; moth
ing but very natural surprise that
the bride should keep SO big crowd
waiting. felt that this fixed the
event. He who had sent me this quiet
message was true to himself and to
our old compact. He had not publish
ed below what would have set the
house in an uproar in moment. He
had left his secret to be breathed into
my ear alone. could recall the mo-
ment he passed me his word and his
firm look as he said, with his hand
lifted to heaven: You have been good
to me and given ME your precious self
while I was poor and nobody. In re-
fryrv 7 fn Gaoy, to-
secret till great success shows me to
be worthy Of you or till you with your
own lips express forgiveness Of my
failure and grant me leave to speak.
Nothing but death or your permission
shall ever unseal my lips When
heard that he was dead feared lest
he might have spoken, but now that
had seen him alive knew that in no
other breast save his, my own and
that of the unknown minister in an al
most unknown town dwelt any knowl-
edge of the fact which stood between
me and the marriage which all these
people had come here to see. My con-
ffdence in his rectitude determined me.
Without conscious emotion. without
fear eyen-the ending Of suspense had
ended all that-I told the boy to seat
the gentleman in the library. Then
ITO turn and turn miserable crank
after those moments Of frenzied action
and silence-that was the hard part
that was what tried my nerve and first
robbed me Of calmness But dared
not leave that fearful thing dangling
there; had to wind. The machinery
squeaked and its noise seemed to fill
the house, but no one came nor did the
door below open. Sometimes I have
wished that it had. should not then
have been lured on, and you would not
have become involved in my ruin.
II am afraid to die, but am more
afraid of failing in courage. Ishall have
the pistol tied to me; this will make it
seem inevitable to use It. Oh, that the
next twenty-four hours could be blot
ted out Of time! Such horror cannot
be. was born for joy and gayety, yet
nc, dismal depth Of misery and fear has
been spared me! But all on account of
my own act. do not accuse God; do
not accuse man; l only accuse myself
and my thoughtless grasping after
pleasure.
lfesI want Cora to read this as well as
you. She must know me dead as she
never knew me living. But I cannot
tell her that ! have left confession
behind me. She must come upon it
unexpectedly, just as mean you to do.
Only thus can it reach either of you
With or u, 4,
of some excuse for sending her to the
book where l propose to hide it! That
would give her chance Of reading it
before you do, and this would be best.
She may know how to prepare or COM
fort you'll hope SO. Cora is a noble
woman, but the secret which kept my
thoughts in such a whirl has held us
apart.
"You did what I asked. You found
a place for Raucher's waiter in the vol.
unteer corps. Surprised as you were at
the interest expressed in him, you
honored my first request and said moth
ing. Would you have shown the same
anxious eagerness II you had known
WHY whispered those few words to
ee4AAA AAOAA SAAO (0g1A06S NOOAs Way !
could neither rest nor sleep till he and
| the other boy were safely out Of town
II must leave line for you to show
to people II they wonder why killed
myself so soon after my seemingly
happy marriage. You will find 1t in
| the same book with this letter. Some
one will tell you to look in the book
cannot write any more. X
~ Cannot helptwriting. It is all that
/ connects me now with life and with
| you. But have nothing more to say
except forg1ve-forgye
"Do you think that God looks at his
wretched ones. differently from what
men do7 That he will have tenderness
9sfor one SO sorry-that he will even
Ahd place But my mother is there
( my tatherl oh, that makes 1t fearful
to go-to meet-but It was my father
who led me into this-only he did moi
fknow- Therel ! will think only Of
II God.
'Iaa "Goodby- goodby-good"-
PIT That was all. It ended, as 1t began
! without name and without date-the
.E6nal, heart throbs Of soul awakened
ktp its. own act when 1t was quite too
4 htes a piteous memorial which daunt'
led each one Of us as we read It, and
fWhen finished drew us all together IN
Il 49, a a "A =