Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-26

who had fallen dead, and while William
might have persisted also, and doubtless
had, had no certainty Of 1t. And my
wedding day was set FOR Thursday.
why didn't tell Cora? Why didn't
I tell you? Pride held my tongue; be-
sides, I had had time to think before /
saw either of you, and to reason bit
and feel sure that if Wallace had been
spent enough to fall dead on reaching
the camp, William could never have
survived on the open road; for Wal
lace was the stronger of the two and
the most hardy every way. Free I
certainly was. Some later paper would
assure me Of this. But for three nights
did not sleep.
"The caprice which had led me to
choose the old Moore house to be mar
ried in led me to plan dressing there
on my wedding morning. 1t was early
when we started, Cora and l, for
Waverley avenue, but not too early
for the approaches to that dreadful
house to be crowded with people, eager
to see the daring bride. Why should
have shrunk SO from that crowd can
not say. I trembled at sight Of their
faces and at the sound of their voices,
and if by chance head was thrust
forward farther than the rest cow
cred back instinctively and nearly
screamed. Did I dread to recognize q
too familiar face? The paper l had
seen bore date six months back. A
man could arrive here from Alaska In
that time Or was my conscience
aroused at last and clamoring to be
heard when it was too late2 On the
corner of N street the carriage sudden
ly stopped. A man had crossed in
front Of it. I caught one glimpse OF
this man and instantly the terrors Of
lifetime were concentrated into one In
slant Of agonizing fear. 1t was William
Pfeiffer. knew the look; knew the
gait. He was gone in q moment and
the carriage rolled on. But knew my
doom as well that minute as l did an
hour later. My husband was alive and
he was here.
"You were waiting at the curb when
I arrived, and remember how my
heart stood still when you laid your
hand on the carriage door and con-
fronted me with that light on your
face had never seen disturbed since
we first pledged ourselves to marry In
terror I seized the hand which seemed
my one refuge in this hour Of mortal
trouble, and fastened into the house
which for all its doleful history had
never received within Its doors heart
more burdened or rebellious. pressed
your hand with mine and smiled. Oh.
God! II you could have seen what lay
beneath that smile! For with my
entrance beneath those fatal doors a
thought had come. I remembered my
heritage. remembered how had been
told by my father when was a very
little grill presume when he first
felt the hand Of death upon him-that
IL ever l was in great trouble-very
great trouble, he had said, where no
deliverance seemed possible-I was to
open little golden ball, which he
showed me, and take out what should
find inside and hold it close up before
q picture which had hung from time
immemorial in the southwest corner Of
this old house.
HE could not tell me what should
encounter tbere-this l remember his
sayiug-but something that would as
sist me, something which had passed
with good effect from father down to
child for many generations. Only, II
would be blessed in my undertakings, l
must not open the golden ball nor en-
deavor to find out its mystery unless
my trouble threatened death or some
great disaster. Such a trouble had In
deed come to me, and, startling cOinci-
dence, was at this moment In the
very house where this picture hung,
and, more startling fact yet, the golden
ball needed to interpret its meaning
was round my neck, for with such jeal-
ousy was this family trinket always
guarded by it's owner. Why, then. not
test their combined effect? certainly
needed help from some quarter. New
er would William allow me to be mar
ried to another while he lived. He
would yet appear, and l should need
this great assista nce-great enough to
be transmitted from father to son-as
none Of the Moores had needed 1t yet
though what it was did not know and
did not even try to guess.
''Yet when got to the room did not
drag out the filigree ball at once nor
even take more than one fearful side
long look at the picture. In drawing
of my glove l had seen his ring-the
ring you had once asked about. 1t
was such a cheap affair. the only one
he could get in that obscure little town
where we were married. I lied when
you asked me il it was family jewel,
lied but did not take it of, perhaps be-
cause it chung SO tightly, as il in re-
membrance Of the vows 1t symbolized.
But now the very sight OF it gave me
fright. With his ring on my finger
could not defy him and swear his claim
to be false-the dream Of man mad
dened by his experiences in the klon-
dixie. 1t must come of. Then perhaps
I should feel myself a free woman.
But it would not come off. struggled
with it and tugged in vain; then be
thought me Of using nail file to sever
1t. This I did, grinding and grinding
at 1t till the ring finally broke, and |
could wrench 1t of and cast 1t away
ont Of sight and. as I hoped, out Of