The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-09
BY G. e. @. w EIGALL,
COMPLETE IN THIS ISSUE.

that make October In the west country SO
attractive, and the lohg slope UP to Dark
field prison was cleaning with light and
shade, that lent faint color to the gray
rocks and sombre buildings on the forth
fled cliff Far below the precipitous road
the exquisite Loamshire country fell away
to the sea like a glittering jewelled shield,
with the downs studded with beech trees
above, and the white town in its hollow
below.
The sturdy little horses breasted the
hill with tireless energy, dragging UP
heavy loads to the summit-sightseers
for the prison, and workmen for the quar-
ries. Not many leads had gone up that
day. for the tourist season was over, ana
Darktleld had returned to its average con-
dition Of quiet loneliness again There was
little sound to be heard in the place be-
You'd the monotonous tap of the chisel on
the stone or the dull reverberation OF
blasting charge in the quarries. 1t was
surely the most dreary place that the
heart Of man could conceive. and the i'm
preston of the throbbing hearts Of the
thousand souls in the gray walls of the
prison seemed to be printed upon the
very atmosphere.
In the little room of the public-house
that overlooked the quarries in which the
convicts worked, a girl was sitting with
her hands locked upon her knee, her eyes
gazing out on the scene before her, rfv-
eted upon the mud colored figures moving
about their work in the quarry beneath
her. She was so deeply absorbed that a
man passing below and looking up idly
at the goat and compasses, was suddenly
attracted by the wonderful beauty Of her
face, and after hesitatlng for moment.
opened the door of the house and walked
upstairs. He ordered tea with a decision
that astonished the small maid, who was
not accustomed to serving the class or
society to- whom he evidently belonged.
and gaped open mouthed at his immacu-
late suit and Panama hat with an acute
guess at his social rank that would have
surprised him had he fathomed 1T. Then
he stroled over to the further window and
sat down in silence.
Esther Melhuish was far too absorbed
to notice the entrance of any new actor
upon the scene of the drama thru which
she was living. 1t was q pilgrimage that
she was performing-one that had taken
a whole two years Of saving and scraping
Of actual halfpence to accomplish, and
now that she was here, face to face with
her brother, the strain and the shock OF
the unimagined tragedy was almost more
than she could endure. She had eaten
nothing all day since she had left London
and she was faint with hunger, and these
pitiful figures Of wretched humanity
watched by stern warders In uniform
touched her suddenly with a sense Of de-
spair. The tears rolled down her face
and made it impossible for her to see any
thing beyond g. binding, dancing mist
and presently she found to her horror thai
her sobs were becoming quite uncon
trollable, and that she was on the verge
Of an attack of historical crying, of which
she was bitterly ashamed. It was useles:
to pretend-useless to attempt to control
and she flung herself face downward:
upon the narrow wooden table at her side
and cried as II her heart would break.
Sir nt In n
chair, cursed his impetuous folly in pur
suing a pretty face, and finally, his man
hood intervening, rose and came over t.
where his invisible neighbor sat. He coul'
see her slim shoulders in their black cow
heaving under the pltiful sobs; he coul
see the crown Of bright chestnut hal
coiled low on her white neck and h
longed to comfort her, but, manlike, h
was powerless.
please don't cry" he said at last "Oh
believe me, there is no sorrow in the worl
worth all those tears, for there is n
trouble that cannot be alleviated.'
Her sobs were checked for an instant
and he added. hastily:
You must let me help you. I kno1
what trouble is-worse sorrow, perhap:
than you have ever known
At the sound OF his kind, trouble
voice, Esther lifted her head, and he coul
see her eyes, blue as violets washed !
dew, shining thru her tears. And h
asked himself, was there ever such a fac
so delicate In it's oval before, or lashes
long and so black? He looked at he
asked himself the question and straight
way knew that for the first time in h
fashionable, skeptical life he had fallen
love with this pitiful child, with the innc
cent, lovely face and the manner
frightened dignity that sat 30 pretti
upon her.
1T shall be better SOON" she said, "ar
then I will tell you what is the matte
for you must think I am very stupid
Garstine turned away and busted hin
self in preparing tho tea, clumsiy enoug
that the girl had just brought in, whi
Esther moved round to shield her fat
from the servants inquiring gaze.
Now you must have some tea" !
said, cheerfully, when they were alo,
again, land you won't mind helping n
with this. because otherwise I should
SO lonely"
There was something indefnable in h
manner that put Esther completely at h
ease; 1t was SO entirely full Of respect 81
yet at the same time so friendly that h
sore heart began to take comfort. It w
a pleasant little tea party, altho her ey
did wander towards the window now al
again, and her under lip quivered like
child's. When he had made a preten
at discussing the strong tea and the bre
and jam, Garstine said, gently:
"And now tell me how I can help you
She looked across at him, and re
nothing but reverent kindness in his ey'
mo one can help me-" she said. IN
only brother isis shut up here in prise
He and lived together till-till two yea
ago, when this terrible thing happene
and I know he will be half mad with fe
as to what has happened to me. The
were only the two Of us, and my faith
and mother are dead"
Bit by bit Garstine drew the story
her simple life from her-from the d
when they lived in their country rectc
at home, till the day when they had
face the world together penniless, with t
boy as bread-winner.
"IIe was only 25," said Esther, bro
emily, land was five years younger, q
he got work to do; but do not KIN
how 1t happened only we had some deb
for had bad illness, and he-he alter
the figures on check that had be
carelessly written-and he was tried q
convicted. He meant to pay it back agt
he told me so-and I think they mis-
have taken that into account-but his e
ployer was stern man."
What was his name?" said Garsti
slowly. ....-. a
"Frome Melhuish am Esther M
huish," said the girl. simply.
A sudden wave Of faintness seemed
swim before Garstine's eyes, and he rec
with the shock Of the thing, for he
been the prosecutor in the case agai
E-rome Melhuish, who had been a eli
In the private banking concern of VIII
he was the head. Thru the mist t
lowered before him he saw Esther's be
golden head. and heard her gentle VIC
speaking to him. Then he realized 81