Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-05-31

AS she drew rein or tried to curb tho
excited animals he cast bitter LOOT
at her.
'"rhe time for explanation has gone.
Mrs. Leveridge. Perhaps you may al
we'll witness the contamination Of your
own work.
my work.
He lifted his gun resolutely to his
shoulder. Stillman as reSolutely
grounded his. Murder was about to
be committed before her eyes. With
a strenuous turn of her delicate wrists,
which left them powerless for further
action, Mona brought the horses heads
about just in time to intercept the bull
let aimed at Stillman's heart. 1t went
crashing through the back Of the vehi-
Gle. Leveridge had never once loosed
his touch upon the trigger.
With wild shorts of terror the mad
dened chestnuts swerved and dashed
out of sight. The reins fell from
Mona's helpless hands. She sank to
the bottom Of the drag. Her destruc-
ton was a matter of mere minutes
Perhaps seconds. She felt strangely
indifferent to everything. Only she
wanted not to suffer very long.
On, on, swifter, still faster, now
swinging her frail cradle clear of the
uneven ground: now laundering across
a wooden bridge that gave back hollow
echoes to the irOn-shod feet; now rush
ing with smooth vehemence by the
side of a fiower-fringed streamlet, the
chestnuts bore her forward to meet
her fate.
Rescue was impossible, and she
knew it. She opened her eyes and gaz-
ed heavenward prayerfully. There
was so much she would like to unuO II
she had time She was not praying
There was no time left for prayer. A
black-winged bird i'll turquoise sky
was the one object her failing senses
grasped.
How serenely it scared on broad
slow wings, far, far above the turbu-
lent world she was fastening out Of
Would those brutes never exhaust
their demoniacal strength? Would TIor
ace suffer very keen remOrse wnen lie
came to learn how things really stood
Perhaps, after all, she was escaping
long, weary years of hopeless strug
gle to adjust the unadjustable. How
little it all mattered now? How far
away, how small, how unreal the
world, trouble. hope, disappointment
1t was something like getting to the
end of tiresome story which present
ly she would forget all about.
The chestnuts paused for second
on the brook side A violent downward
plunge-space seemed suddenly TO en-
velop their rushing feet. The world
reeled. The busy brain stopped like q
rudely Jared watch spring. Two
small, white hands were stretched de-
spairingly to grasp at something any
thing.
The ashen tints Of November en-
wrapped the woods where Horace Lev
eridge had invited his doom. Aline
Register still fingered at Leveridge
Hall loving ministrant to it's widow
ed mistress. But Rafe was waxing
impatient and she must tell Mona thai
her wedding day was fixed. She kneel
ed by her friends lounge.
Mona, you once said you had
wronged me because Rates. fancy
strayed toward you, small blame to
him, dear. How can ever ask your
pardon for all I have innocently
brought upon you?"
Mona laid a silencing finger upon the
girls lips.
at was not your fault 1t was moi
mine. My poor Horace! am glad he
knew the truth before he turned his
gun upon himself. My granite refused
to be chiseled, Aline, although love
held the chisel in firmgra sp. Per
haps, If l had not wearied In we'll do
ing it might all have come right ir
the end"
There were those who said-on hear
ing that in paroxysm of remorst
Horace Leveridge had taken his owr
life, supposing Mona dead--that the
Lord must surely have repented HIN
Of ever creating the Leveridges, ant
the woman who thought she could
mold them was either very presumptu
GUS or very silly.
"Rut she Is yOung" the kindly COS
sips said, "and heart-wounds hea
quickly. Praise be to an all-wise dis
DensatiOn. ILLUSTRATE Bits
nofRs Cfrines RI Prav