Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-09-12

the Waldheim physician was in the
/ house Of a patient in the village. He
was summoned and brought the faint
ing girl to herself very speedily. Her
wound was not dangerous, but the
doctor shook LIS head and cast a pc
culiar glance at the forester, who had
followed all his manipulations with
great anxiety.
Inc doctor was a frank man, with
somewhat harsh, rough maners. He
stepped abruptly to the forester and
| said few words to him in a not very
low voice.
The old man staggered back as if
struck deadly blow, stared at the
doctor as though he had lost his rea-
son and strobe out through the door
without even a glance at the sick wo-
man.
Uncle, uncle forgive mel" cried
the girl with heartrending voice,
but he had disappeared into the dark
night
Just then Sabine appeared upon the
threshold breathless. A maid followed
her carrying huge bundle of bedding
upon her head and a basketful of
Dandages, delicacies, and all sorts of
practical and necessary things.
Good heavens, Berthat child, what
sort of a trick is this to be playing?'
| cried the old woman, with tears in
her eyes, as she s-W the colorless
face in its bandages upon the pillow.
And this very day when you went out
at noon, thought you were looking
brighter; you had such rosy cheeks
The girl buried her face in the pill
lows and sobbed convulsively.
The physician gave Sabine some di-
rections, forbade the patient all
speech whatsoever, and left the room
Not speak" exclaimed Bertha, as
she sat upright in bed. Silence may
Well come easy to such an old man,
! with cool blood in his veins and meas
ured thoughts under his white hair;
but l must speak if it costs me my
| life
She drew the old housekeeper down
upon the edge of the bed, and weep
ing bitterly, confessed her fault.
She had had a Iiaison with Won
Hollfeld. He had promised to marry
her; but she had had to swear solemn
| ly to keep the connection secret until
| he authorized her to mention it; for
| he represented that he must consider
his mother and relatives at Lindhof,
! whom he could only win over gradu-
ally. The thoughtless girl took the
| VOW, and in her excitement added to
1t another: not to let any word pass
her lips to any human being before
she could proclaim her proud secret
to the world. Their meetings had usu-
| taken place either in the nuns tower
or the pavilion in the park at Lind
/ hof. No one found a trace of them.
But one day the Baroness Lessen, be-
coming suspicious, flew into a rage
and forbade the girls further pres
| ence at Lindhof.
This did not crush Bertha's high
flying hopes and aspirations, for HolI-
field comforted her, an pointed to the
! future. But then came Elizabeth Fer
Der, and from that moment he was a
! changed being. He avoided her, and
when she finally forced him by means
of threats to meet her, he showed
! her a contemptuous GOODNESS and
scorn which drove her almost to mad
ness.
When at last she saw that she had
to do with scamp, the whole terror
of her situation became clear to her.
She fell into despair, and from this
point dated her roaming about at
night. Sleep had deserted her, and
only in the cool forest, where she
could cry out all the misery that
burnt into her soul, did she find NO
mentary quiet.
To be Continuad.