The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-03-23
CHAPTER XNNIII.

CHAPTER
Olive Dumbartxl spent a walletui
restless and troubled night, vivid and
soaring thoughts she was powerless tt
Danish, p%icturing the past with its
troubles, dwelling on the present with
its seemingly ~impenet-able mystery
showing the future with its dread pos
sihilities. But when at last sleep
came it was profound. nor did she
wake until late in the morning. The
fog which had hung m~ournfully over
the city the previous evening had not
vet quite lifted, and at first thought
the dull gray atmosphere was the light
of early dawn. n glance at her watch
showed her it was past 10 o'clock, and
she touched her bell.
AS if awaiting the signal, Veronica
Immediately entered, hastily yet noise
lessly crossed the room, and tlinging
one arm round her mothers Shout
ders. kissed her.
Oh, mother, mother the girl mur-
INJURED, with g sob in her throat.
The terror dominant in V%eronica's
voice struck its nearer, in whose mind
Immediately arose 4 fox s~hadowing of
pain. a foreboding of horror.
What is it. child?' she asked,
scarcely able to frame her sentence.
Something has happened"
An, | KNOW he IS dead, oilNe
Dumbarton replied in a one of de-
Spair.
Not Mr.. Rostock," said Veronica
quickly.
No. Who them" her mother asked
hurriedly, a load lifted from her heart.
her eyes fixed ouestioninsly upon her
daughters.
"Valertus."
"ValerlusG" repeated Olive Dunbar
! ron rnrai,t1nI1Sl, ." tba t,s,,th MT ,-,t
reaching her mind.
He was found dead this morning on
a couca in his study. His man came
here to tell us, but I would not disturb
you. 1t is terrible, terrible, mother
dear"
A low moan was the only reply Olive
Dumbarton gave. But no sooner had
she realized the sudden death of one
whom she had seen in health and
strength a few days previously than
her active mind began to form sur
misses, her vivid Imagination to shape
fears. After a long pause she said:
This is pitiful. Poor Nalerius. Tell
me all, Veronica
1T is thought-it is feared-but
nothing is yet known. A letter lay
on his desk directed to George Coris,
and on the table a bottle which had
contained chloroform."
A chill struck Olive Dumbarton to
the heart, then, even while her grief
was keen, her anxiety began to AXE
defnit form, her suspicious to
strengthen. though her loyalty to the
mise which seized upon her, sinking
her heart, bewildering her brain, and
nlling her with agony.
Presently, she asked In a voice that
was lmost a whisper:
rs there no letter for me?"
Il don't know. mother. have been
SO scared, but I'll go and see"
Left alone in the semi-darkened
room, her grief and pity for Valerius,
together with the fear which lay be-
hind them, overcame her, and she be-
gar to sob and cry Historically. See
ing this. Veronica on her return. could
nc keep back her tears, and they both
Wept bitterly for some time. When
eventually he girl was able to control
herself and had partially succeeded in
soothing her mother. she produced an
envelope directed by valerius and
sealed with red wax bearing his mono
gram. And the curtains having been
drawn and the blinds raised, Olive
Dumbarton with trembling hands
opened the letter and read there the
confession she had dreaded and antici-
pated.
Often She paused. for her eyes be-
came blinded by tears. while there
was horror in her mind for the terrible
crime he a committed, there was no
resentment in her heart for the shame
he had made her suffer, no bitterness
because Of the cowardice that would
nave seen the blame of his deeds borne
by others, no censure for the hypocrisy
he had practiced. For she remembered
him only as he had been before the
shadow of crime had fallen upon him
bnghted his better nature and ruined
ms manllness; remembered his kind
ness to and thought for her; his hand
some presence; the charm of his graz
cious and cultured mind; his
buoyancy and the soothing, cheering
lhnuence he had exercised over others.
Ana the pity of his death and the
necessity he had felt for effacing him
SELF appealed to her, wringing her heart
ana filling it with more tenderness for
MN now he was dead than she had
ever felt toward him while he was Iiy-
ing. In part, she realized the misery
ne must have felt before bracing him
sell 10 quit the world whose joys he
lully appreciated. Never to see his
race again. never to hear his voice, ever
70 remember him with a sacred feeling
lhat must s,lrnount her sorrow, was a.
thought that made her feel sick at
heart.
II only he had never met her hus-
odHo ina Iatal night, or, meeting him.,
had not AIKEN his life; il only the past
could be undone, il only he had battled
against n overcome the fate which
had brought shame and death in its
train. There was no need for him to
ask her forgiveness. for she gave 1t
without reserve. and with 1t all her
pity. So for long she cried bitter tears,
her heart torn by grief.
And her mind having been stunned
fright n pain it was not until
she had thought for some time over
Valerius that the result of his confess
sion daWned Upon her. Not only would
h now be freed from the in1pt,iaiion
of a terrible crime, but the nan who
for her sake had falsely accused him
self would likewise be exempt from
blame. The darkness would be lifted
rom her life and his; he mystery
would be made plain. And even at
such a time a thrill of satisfaction
passed through her as she remembered
her refusal to believe in George Bos-
tock,s guilt, and her declaration that
merely TO free himself because he be-
lleved it otherwise impossible to es-
Btabhsh her innocence.
therefore her Keller and gratitude
We're great that sorrow and shame
sWould be lifted from her life, and his
good name restored to the man who
would have sacrificed it for her sake.
even While she regretted the cause by
winch this good would be affected.
all was confusion in the