Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-06-17


him and the household.
From the moment she is first introduc-
ed to Edward Morant, she conceives a
hatred for him. The gay, light, mischiev-
Gus bearing, even subdued as it is now
by the sorrow OF his mothers death, is
repulsive to her gloomy soul. There Is
soon open war between them. But Ed
ward is no match for his powerful ad-
versary. His father, under the prose
lytism OF Madame Berne has become |
as gloomy fanatic as herself; all gaiety |
of heart, all amusements, are sins in his |
belief The Willows soon become an |
uncomfortable home for the young man,
and were 1t not for one al-powerful at
traction, he would have quilted it long
ago.
That attraction is Frances, Madame
Berne's daughter, a beautiful. melan-
choly girl of sixteen. He loves her pms
sionately. possibly because she is so en-
trely opposite to himself; and she loves
him, possibly for the same reason. In
the course OF time Edward prevails on
Frances to consent TO a clandestine mar
riage. They are quietly married at
suburban church, and return to The Viii
lows the same night.
fortnight afterwards, yielding to the
prayers of his young wife, Edward de-
clares his marriage TO his father The
old man is willing to forgive the act, but
Madame Berne is furious. Her daugh-
ter shall not be delivered over to the
satanic influences OF this vicious man.
A terrible scene ensues. Edwards
fiery temper is thoroughly aroused, and
all the bitterness and hatred that have
been seething In his heart burst forth
There is not an insult, an epithet of
loathing, that he spares his enemy. The
end Of all is a fathers curse, and his
expulsion from the home. the doors Of
which he will never darken again. He
would claim his wife by force Of law. but
he has no home to take her to-he is
penniless and an outcast. She Is kent
close prisoner-he will never SEQ her
face again.
Very soon he falls into vage.s1ndage,
and, gnawed by the burning sense Of the
wrong that has been done him-savage-
ly reckless, from vagabondage he sinks
into crime, becomes implicated through
his associates, in a robbery, and Is con-
demned to three years penal servituue.
In the meantime, a child has been
born to him. of whose existence, or prob
able existence, he Is ignorant. sad
life is that OF the mother. Mr.. Morant
would have been kind and good to her,
but Madame Berne cannot pardon her
In the eyes of that fanatic, she Is a
lost soul-she has strayed from the paths
of righteousness, and to show mercy to
her would be to participate in her guilt.
In this daughter she had hoped to ere
ate a second self-a perpetuation Of her
own austere bigotry-a mirror In whose
reflection she could worship her own i'm
age.
Frances only consolation was her in
FAINT son; Madame Berne would have de-
prived her even Of this had not Mr.. Mo-
rant interfered, and for once carried his
point. At the end OF three years the
poor girl died of lingering decline.
W,en, at the end Of his term OF i'm
prisonment, the unfortunate husband,
now thoroughly vicious and hardened,
came back to The Willows to claim his
wife, a funeral procession stopped the
way. An awful scene ensued; not even
the sacred presence of the dead could
check the wild tempest Of passion that
burst from the wretched mans lips. He
knelt down and cursed the woman the
cause Of all his sufferings. From that
time he was utterly lost-remorse. con
science, every better feeling, were crush
ed out Of his nature.
After the mothers death, the child
against whom Madame Berne felt a vir
ulent hatred only exceeded by thai
which she felt for the father-spite of
weak opposition on the part Of Mr.. Mo
rant, was banished to the care Of
nurse. Two years afterwards the poo
little unfortunate was consigned to tn,
guardianship Of the Rev. Mr.. Porter.
Madame Berne determined that Ed
ward Morant should never know of Ii
existence. neither should the child b.
made acquainted with its parentage. Be
fore 1t left the care Of the nurse a frien,
of the lovers, and who frequently pai'
secret visit to the child, sewed up il
its frock locket containing its mother
portrait and lock Of her hair, addin
thereto the scrap of writing which Mont
gomery had now so strangely discOy
cred. The locket had been given her b.
poor Frances on her deathbed 1t wa
: all she could dO---dared do Slight a
was the link, 1t might one day prove use
+ full to the boy In establishing his ider
tity.
When, after his death, Mr.. Morant'
, will was opened, Madame Berne was di,
covered to have inherited his estate an
fortune; but attached was a codicil of
very recent date, making chargeable NJ
. on the same an annuity OF $500 a yea
= to Silas Morant, known as Silas Car
ton.
/ The unlocking and opening of the doc
A aroused the dreamer, calling him baC
OH 70 Of n of Ia hnrrOl
of the future, In the person OF Mr.. job
a Rodwell, who at that moment re-entere
l. the room.
is you consentT
II Needs must" answered Montgomei
N sullenly he feared to change his toI
10 too suddenly. by the bye" he adde
1t 81 am forgetting all about the Cori
4. THAN. l am due there at seven, and
N is now FIVE"
r "The public will certainly be deprive
OF your brilliant talents this evening
II sneered Rodwell I'VE shall start abo
is ten. You do not suppose that l wou
se trust you to go alone after what h
At passed7 The night air might affect yo
t, delicate conscience II you had not
O. friend by your side"
T. but who will carry ont the secoi
ID part Of your scheme7 Who will be 20
g messenger 10 your uncleT
Would not a telegram serve the pu
e. poser"
st Montgomery started. Was 1t a stu
ly shot? or was he discovered?
er There was a dark, malicious smile u
is on Rodwells face. Whatever clev
err plots you may have been revolving