Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-11-01


food of tears.
MY mistress" said the faithful girl.
after the maiden had wept for some
minutes. hope is not yet all gone. But
you cannot escape this ordeal. 1t must
come"
Heaven have mercyr' groaned the
stricken maiden, clasping her hands in
agony. 20 Otehewa, you do not know
what you say. Go through with this
ordeal? His wife,
''-shl Speak not so, my mistress
urged the faithful girl, at the same time
winding her arms about Mary's neck.
This night there shall be an empty
mockery performed by man who pro-
fanes the sacred name of God. While /
live have faith in me. On the morrow
Buffo burlington viii be here.
And what of him!' asked Mary,
quickly.
More than | can tell, I'm sure.
know he has the power aud viii serve
thee. But waste not time now. Be sure
our bad master must be o5eyed for the
present"
Mary saw where she stood, and that
she must obey; and she allowed her maid
to do as she pleased. she herself seeming
only piece of mechanism in the hands
of a master. At length she was pre-
pared. She was robed in white, for so
Otehewa had chosen. Her hair was free
from jewels. but a few orange blossoms
we're braided with it, About her pure,
white neck was a chain of gold. from
which depended a cross set with magnif-
cent diamonds. Mary had objected to
every article, but the maid noticed her
not.
Soon there came a rap upon the door,
and Hagar presented herself She had
come to announce that her master wait
ed for his bride. Again the poor girl
would have tainted but for the words
of her attendant.
IF you falter now. all will be lost, /"
urged Otehewa. II know Mari Laroon
well, and / know that he will carry out
what he has begun. Susta.I yourself
yet few hours, and viii do the rest
Will you not trust meY
OF course Mary could not say no; and
yet how great a thing she gave in that
trust. She stood upon the brink of a
xawning gulf, and she was hidden to leap
into it. She was to be forced to make
/ the dreadful plunge. Leap" says the
maid, "and / will see that you do not
sink. for l will carry you safely over"
| But as the devoted one looks down into
| the horrid pit she sees nothing but death
| and torment. So size may give up, but
| hope is far from her the while.
And Mary followed Hagar from the
| chamber. and Otehewa walked bye her
side and supported her. They entered
/ the drawing room, and Laroon was there
/ habited in his most sumptuous uniform
of his own designing. The priest was
there in his sacred robes, and some of
the servants stood back by the high win
dows.
"By my faith,' uttered the buecaneer,
as he moved forward and took Mary
hand 81 never saw you look so well.
| Now we will soon be one for life"
Perhaps Mari Laroon mistook that
look which he received, for one of calm
ness. 1t was a calmness, but such calm
ness as a marble slab maintains when
the fierce blast sweeps over the church
/ yard She was now all rigid and cold,
for her heart had sunk to its lowest
| depths.
1--WE are ready"
Thus spoke the buccaneer chieftain-
| and he spoke to the priest. The man
of the church moved forward, and Mari
Laroon took Marys cold hand in his.
The priest read from his book, and then
he asked the bridegroom the usual ques-
tons. They were answered promptly,
but ct nervously. Next he asked Mary
the same questions, but she did not an
swer. A flash of fire darted from the
pirates eyes, and he turned a terrible
| look upon the priest. That man cared
not whose soul was crushed, and he went
on with the ceremony. In one more short
minute the words had been spoken and
Mary Delaney was pronounced the wife
of Mari Laroonl
The slaves, acting under instructions,
set up a wild shout of professed JOY, in
! the midst of which Mari led his bride to
seat.
my master" cried Otehewa, coming
up and falling on her knees before him,
'let me be the first to wish you JOY OF
your blessing. Mine shall be the task OF
serving your fair and lovely wife with
all my poor strength"
Good Otehewa, i faith I'd give thee
| thy freedom vert not for my bride. But
/ bring the wine now.
The servants brought the wine and
placed it upon the sideboard. Hagar
would have served her master first, but
Otehewa was too quick for her. The In
dian girl seized small waiter and upon
| it she placed two goblets. One was of
rock crystal and small. while the other
was of silver and held pint. Beneath
her sleeve the maid had a small bladder
secured by a string TO her waist, and
within this was a small potion of her
own preparing. She had gathered it from
( the herbs of her own native forests, and
she knew well its properties. With a
small knife she punctured the bladder
and then, as she poured out the wine
/ into the goblet of crystal, she so held
her wrist that the bladder emptied itself
into the silver cup. When she had filled
them both-and the mystic maneuver she
| had performed had detained her hardly
an instant-she FASTENED to the newly
welded pair.
Now. mistress" she said, with mer-
~ laugh, there is crystal for you-and
it is an emblem of your purity and yir-
tue. Here, my master. is silver for you
and ii speaks of your ambition and
worth. Health, peace and long life to
you both"
Never was a bad man more charmed.
He raised the goblet and poured off the
contents at one draught.
The buccaneer saw that his bride was
not TO be made joyous in the presence
! OF the company now assembled, and with
one more bumper all around he dismiss
ed them. Otehewa had yet a small por-
ton of her medicine left, and this she
contrived TO put into a goblet which she
left upon the sideooard half filed with
wine. Two persons had already attempt
ed to drink it. but she had stopped them
by claiming it as her own. At length
Hagar approached il and Otehewa drew
| away TO the side of her mistress again
and she had the satisfaction of seeing
the old negress drink the wine. She
was happy now. fer she had not hops
thus far lost.
At length the huccaneer and his bride
and Otehewa and HagaE were sole occu
pants of the great room. The pirate
turned to Mary, and kissed her colt
brow. With a deathly feeling the bride