Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-02-26

For the first time in her life Carol saw
her fathers pride humbled, and he stood
there, with outstretched arms, his face
showing the pleading of his heart.
She was overcome by the spectacle, and
with a little cry she rushed into his arms.
Fiercely, as might a lover, the old gentle
man strained her to his heart. She had
been lost to him, and was now found
again. He had suffered much during his
eventful life, but it seemed to him now
that he was fast nearing the harbor of
peace.
Reconciled to these two-wife and child
what had he to fear in the world? For
the time being he forgot that Captain
Grant held a secret over his head-the
motive of much of his action in regard
to forcing Carol into the union she abb
horred-and, when he did let his mind rest
upon the subject, with that evasiveness
Common to human nature. he kept putting
the dread responsibility away from him,
hoping that in the meantime something
would occur to relieve him of this danger
altogether.
Carol was happy for the time being in
the consciousness of the fact that those
she loved so well had, by the interposi-
ton of Providence, as it were, become
reconciled, but she could not long forget
her own troubles, and her heart seemed
to sink like lead as she suddenly realized
how fate had parted Roger and her for
ever.
She let a wan smile, such a ghost of
her former bright looks, creep over her
face when her father, in something of his
| old ohaaru WOW fold har NOT m frat th 4
he would fix all matters with Roger.
All! there was a time when this could
have been done, and all would have been
as merry as a marriage bell; but now
she had placed a barrier between them
as high as the Rocky Mountains, as vast
as mighty Niagara.
What would she 10 have given 10 have
undone the events of the past few hours
If the heart tears could have blotted out
the record, surely she wept enough to
have done it.
He had been so close to her, his brave
arms outstretched, and she had repuised
him, had driven him from her with
charges that it made her cheeks burn to
even remember. While she drew breath
she would never forget how he looked,
standing before her with his white face,
from which her insulting words had driv.
en- every vestige Of color.
She felt like one who had given the
death blow to the man who loved her best
on earth, as if she had wounded fatally
some dumb animal that still crept to her
feet in its dying agony.
Remorse preyed upon her until she
could have cried aloud in her agony, and
yet she suffered in stony silence. Would
he be merciless when he confronted hel
with the evidence of his innocence? How
his cutting, scathing words rank in hel
ears:
"Some day shortly I will seek you tc
show you the proofs of my innocence
seek you to prove all that l ever claimed
to be; seek you to show that it was the
faint on my family name that l feared
not because | had ever lone aught tina
could bring disgrace upon myself or tn,
one | loved; and, having done this, l will
throw your love from me like a tatteret
glove, for 1t was false-false!"
Terrible words!
To her they were the sentence of dealt
declared by the judge upon the con
demned prisoner, and she shuddered wheI
recalling them.
Sadly she reflected upon it, and then
shaking her head, realized that such
step once taken could never be recalled
All now rested with Roger. Would h,
forgive? All! had it been herself woulC
she not forget all when he asked it
Then the burning blush crept into he
face again as she remembered that sh
had shown anything but a forgiving ma
ture when she accused her lover of sucI
fearful things.
She was paying the penalty Of he
, doubling, and yet hers was a trustin.
nature, only the evidence had been to
. powerful. even Roger himself contribut
ing his share to the quota.
; How was she to know what he mean
when he admitted that he had done wron
I in wooing her, that there was Il mysteri
4 Gus something that cast n shadow owe
his prospects? Surely he could not blam
A her so much when he learned all. Sh
would put pride aside, and plead wit
him. If he was the man whom she ha
: loved, he would listen and forgive.