Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-02-19

from the presence Of the girl in whom
nus whole life was wrapt up, he did so in
tine most wretched state of mind mag
Unable for one who had even so lately
looked forward to happiness.
when he had gone some little distance
h'oser came to a pause. His thoughts
were IN a perfect whirl, and he knew full
wen that unless he restored order out of
'nls chaos he was in danger of going in
sane; so he shut his teeth hard together
and gradually collected his thoughts.
She IN whom his whole being was wrapt
up, and against whom he would never
nave believed the slightest whisper of
reproach-this girl had accused him of
the most terrible crimes in the calendar,
ana In a manner that told all too plainly
that she had allowed her mind to dwell
upon II believe them, instead of COM
ing to him with the story in the begin
ming.
And that woman's love-" he said to
himself, bitterly, 'the love that poets
rave about, the love that will endure all
'hlngs! Out upon it for something I'M
real, something that does not exist. As
Tor me, give me the love of a good man,
as strong and steadfast as a rock. and
as lasting as the hills. He must be- dar-
lng,' indeed, who would venture to i'm
peach the honor or integrity of the wom-
an whom he loves. Compare her love
n mine. At the bare mention of sus-
plclons, which l could have s~trangled
with the greatest ease had she but come
to me frankly with them, thi. girl finds
her sou filled with horror; love flies from
her heart, leaving it a graveyard, and to
my face she tells me that she has found
me out, that am a wretch who has i'm
prisoned his wife in a mad house. and
no longer worthy Of her love-"
Inc love Of this man was something
for the common herd to emulate. In his
heart the great powers, pride and love,
battled with a force sufficient to wreck a
common nature, but with him the battle
was long and almost without any definite
result, although pride to a certain degree
had trampled OF and throttled love.
After a time he became calm, so calm,
in fact, that it was easy to see he had
worn himself out, and that this new state
or affairs was but the natural reaction Of
the tempest that had well nigh over
whelmed him but a short time before.
1t was while he was in this mood that
he suddenly started, and then became as
immovable as the tree against which he
had been leaning, his eyes glued upon the
figure Of a man.
This was Captain Grant. He was COM
ing from the direction of the spot where
Roger had left Carol-coming with a
plain look of triumph upon his face that
made a cold chill run through the others
frame to look upon.
What did it mean? Had he been more
successful with his wooing this time?
Roger gritted his teeth with anger. and
yet remained motionless. Much cause as
he had to hate Captain Grant, if he was
to be Carols accepted lover he would not
lay a hand on him for the world.
Had the soldier but turned his head.
he could not have failed to see him stand
ing there, with that look of pain upon his
face, but he was evidently too much en-
crossed in his thoughts, and gave no heed
to surrounding objects.
When Captain Grant was in front of
him. and not over twenty feet away, Rog-
er gave a sudden start, as though an ar
row had pierced his heart, a strange look
flashed over his face, and his eyes were
glued upon the soldier with a new inter-
est.
He had noticed a striking popularity
in the walk of the other, a strange little
limp which might not attract the atten-
ton of one in a hundred. and which on
most occasions the Captain managed to
conceal.
AT the present time, however, his
thoughts being far from the subject in
hand, he unconsciously allowed himself
to fall into the old habit, and this be-
trayed him.
Roger had only come face to face with
the Captain on one or two occasions. and
then he had been heated by anger and
indignation, so that he failed to recog-
nize anything familiar in the cool CLEAN
of the soldiers eyes, or the malicious look
that shot from them.
Had he been in his right mind he would
have had his suspicious excited at the
start, which would have resulted in I'M
masking the scheming villain, but Provi-
dence, which had allowed things to go on
from bad to worse, had now decided to
draw in the net, let who would be caught
in the meshes.
That little halt in his walk betrayed the
Captain, just as trities have many a time
betrayed the most profound secrets. Like
a bolt of lightning there flashed through
the mind of the young mar who this i'm
poster, this plotter, this arch-fiend was.
aud, at the bare thought of Carol mar
rying him, he shuddered.
Then anger came into his heart, the an
ger of an upright man who has been
shamefully imposed upon himself, and
has also seen one whom he loves deceiv-
ed.
All this while Captain Grant had been
walking slowly along, and had now reach
ed a point almost directly in front of
whore Roger stood still no did NOT COO tbo