Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-01-22

IA ~ MS ilAAiu thNAL
first meeting, when she sat by the
brook, watching the gambols of the little
dog, and as he gazed Roger stifed a
groan Of despair.
When she know that it was Roger who
was drawing near, Carols face whitened
until it %resembled the driven snow, while
her pearly teeth seemed to penetrate the
scarlet lips, and from her eyes there
cleaned a strong light, such as may be
seen in the orbs of a poor hunted deer,
brought to bay and turning upon his hunt
ers.
When Roger had come close to her she
turned her face and looked at him. He
could not help giving an exclamation.
Good heaven! Carol, what is the mat
ter with you? Your face is like death,
and your eyes shine as with a fever.
There is that upon your features that re-
proaches me, aye, stabs to the heart.
For heavens sake tell me what you in
tend to say, for something warns me the
worst has not yet come. Are we not to
be friends, Carol"
Then she laughed-such a hollow mock
cry of a laugh. 1t was no more like the
ringing merriment of old than she was
Ike The artless girl whom Roger had met
that fateful day.
"You come here and ask me that-you,
of all men on earth? Does not your heart
reproach you, the heart to which human
misery appealed in vain? You tell ME |
look like death. Well, my heart is dead,
and to you belongs the blame. | live,
and yet do not live; / breathe the fresh,
pure air of heaven, but there is nothing
fair in my sight now. A blight rests
upon all the earth. When the eye is dis
torted all objects upon which it falls as.
sumo the same phase. So it is with ME.
Need l say more, sir?
He stood there, stricken dumb with
amazement, aye, with horror. What a
terrible crime he must have been guilty
of in her sight to call out this from the
lips that had never spoken a cross word
before. 1t began to anger him. He mad
suffered as man could hardly suffer twice
in a lifetime, and he counted it as naught.
Finally he found his voice. and, in spite
of his efforts, it trembled like a tightly
strung cord.
Carol, We stand here face to face. The
post, with all it's joys and sorrows, lies
behind us, the future before, but we live
only in the present. Since last we met
you have changed wonderfully. Tell
me why it is you look with aversion
where once you loved"
Something in his voice aroused all the
impetuosity Of her nature. For the time
she forgot how she had loved, did love
even then, deep down in her heart, This
man who stood before her with barred
head, his arms folded across his chest.
and his frank eyes fastened upon her.
She only remembered how he had deceiv-
ed her, and that beneath this proud ex-
terror must beat a heart blacker than
sin.
Where once I loved; You have said
it, Roger Darrell. May heaven forgive
you for deceiving me as you did," she
cried.
Il deceive you, Carroll" he echoed.
"Ihos were my words, sir. l will put
them stronger If you ~wish-basely deceiv-
ed me. On the very night after you
saved me from that wicked wedding.
Nora Warner was dragged away by the
minions of that wretch of a mad-house
doctor, dragged off to misery and rack
ing pain, and by YOU orders. Do not
attempt to deny it, sir, for l can see the
assumed look of innocent surprise on your
face. You brought her to a living death.
you ruined the life of the gypsy girl. Bar
bara Merriles, and then. with your face
n sweet words, you tried to lure Inc
to destruction"
WHAT"
The word burst from him like a pistol
shot. As IL by magic the cloud was lift
ed, and he saw into what a terrible mis-
take the young girl had fallen. His eyes
were opened to the truth, but it only
served to make his blood flow more rap
idly with Indignation and anger.
"For whom do you take me-" he ask
ed coldly.
You yourself declared that you were
Roger Darrell. and Roger Darrell Is the
man who sent his wife to the asylum to
he made mad. Surely the curse of heay-
en- must follow that man forever; surely
the cries of his victims must ascend on
high and reach the great white throne.
For myself, l forgive you freely. because
l love-have loved you in the past, but
in the name Of those whom you have
wronged in the past | could almost ask
heaven to crush you, broken-hearted as
l am"
Save your pardon for those who ask
it, Miss Richmond. As for me, | do not
seek it. Looking back upon my past
life, do not see an event for which l
may have occasion TO blush. As for
these things Of which you accuse me. the
day will come when you will realize what
a terrible mistake you have made. and
you will cry out to heaven to cover your
head. l am a proud man, and from TO
other lips than yours would | hear such
words. You have now gone too far.
Some day shortly | will seek you to 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
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