Mower County transcript., 1906-09-19


knife cut. 'Tain't much of a riddle
how he got, it. What dye s'pose that
other man was doin' all that time?
Thinkin' so'' home and mother?" and
the speaker grinned sarcastically.
Gonzaga rejoined Lavender, whom
he found trembling with fright and
anxiety. -
"Where1is Gerald?" she asked.
But he hastened to assure her.
"Your brother is safe. did not see
him, but hear that he. has gone with
those who carried the dead home"
The girls voice sank to a plying
note. Then there are two dead?"
"No, senorita. The man WHOM you
saw borne on the litter is not dead;
only wounded. He will live-yes, he
will live" He repeated this, as if to
an inward accuser. He spoke slowly,
too, in the hope that she would catch
the meaning in his tone and ask the
reason for it. For he had now fully
decided to make the most of this web
which his own planning and unfore-
seen circumstances had conspired to
weave. But it was evident that Law
ender had, thus far, no suspicious. It
was time they were reused.
"The dead man was Jabez Miller
father of the girl whom you saw to-
night peeping in at the dancers. Do
you remember?'
"Oh, yes; the girl with the city
lover It was her poor father who was
killed, you say. By whom?"
"By that city lover"
There was a pause. while Lavender
watched the crowd ambling to and fro
about the tavern, her eyes wide with
fright. Both hands pressed the scarlet
blossoms of the Judas tree at her
breast.
Gonzaga continued: From all 1 can
learn her father had heard of the mid
night appointment in the wood and
resolved it should be the last He in
terfered-with the result we see."
Lavender interrupted him, half chok-
ing. 1T is too horrible! I have seen
enough-heard enough. Can we not
find Gerald, and then-then4 let us go
home, home to the forest, where there
is no humanity to pollute the air of
heaven"
She spoke wildly, unnerved by the
sights she had witnessed, by the brawl-
ing and ribald jests. To the daintily
bred girl from far Virginia the back
woodsman was a being whom to meet
was venture-to oppose, madness
She knew that there were exceptions
were not Gerald and her father
frontiersmen2 But outnumbering their
class were the o"gouger" and the ruff
fian many of the scum of civilization.
Gradually the revelers began, to dis
perse, and in noisy groups reeled past
where the two yet fingered in the
shadow.
"Why does not Gerald Gomez" Law
ender complained. Then suddenly,
with suspicion OF i'll: 1--WE cannot find
him. she said. "You do not offer to
bring me to him-the man on the lit
ter her voice rose to a little shrek
of agonized suspense.
mo, no, Miss Creighton; on my
honor it is not your brother" He took
her hand to steady her, and she did not
forbid him. She seemed not conscious
of his presence. But at the touch of
her, at this first sign Of yielding, his
purpose was fixed, his last scruple van
ishAd. Possession of the woman be-
side him was the goal-what did he
care for the means? All was fair in
love.
1T is not your brother. But do you
know who he is? He who lies upon a
bed of straw in yonder inn? It is the
man who murdered the father of his
sweetheart because he resented her be-
trayal. It is the traitor to his friends,
to his flag! See," and he led her, un-
willing, to the window of the now al
most deserted tavern.
There, in the corner, his pallid face
shining out of the gloom, lay WinsloW,
one shoulder swathed in white, his
and travel And at sight of him thus
Lavender gave scream that was halI
a sob. In that moment her heart went
out to him with all the atfectionate
yearning of an earliest fancy. Half to
herself she breathed his name and
moved impulsively to enter. But Con-
Zaga barred the way. "Are you sure
OF welcome? believe he came to
SEE He paused and she stood
silent. T.
Her eyes dropped before his, wherein
were, blended mocking triumph and
evil suggestion. Here, then, was the
proof with which this man had
threatened to confront her. Proof that
Winsl0w's reasons for his failure to
see her-the story Of his detention at st.
Louis were cheat--a lie. He had been,
Instead, engaged in dishonorable tryst
with a girl whose fathers blood now
stained his hand. It was not alone that
she suffered through jealousy and
wounded pride; her faith in q true and
loyal knight was shattered: She turned
sick and giddy % her idol fell. s=.:..:
The voice Of &Gonzaga recalled her;
she shrank from the pity in it.
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