Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-10-16

it What made you want to Kill me-
Bradbury faced him with the courage
of despair.
Because l couldn't bear life without
Bessie Forester, and YOU had come TO
/ turn her against me You found out my
hiding place after all these years you
came to ruin and disgrace me, and the
! thought drove me mad. Yes. / was
mad-mad!"
| Erskine watched him attentively. A
second idea had flashed across his mind.
Look here, Bradburyi I'M not going
to harm you. Stand up like a mani Tell
me the truth-what made you draw back
your hand? Why did you change your
mindg"
Bradbury rose and fixed his eyes on
Erskine's face, wondering at his milder
tone.
q don't know he answered. .unless
devil and angel We're pulling. me two
ways at once. For ] tell you. when !
| stopped | seemed to see Bessie all at
once, dressed in white. coming down the
1 slope from the Point, and the sight OF
her held my hand. | saw her as plainly
as / see you, and as | started back /
overbalanced myself, and and sou saved
met"
| CHANGING towards the hill, under the
roof line of the open sheds, Erskine I'M
derstood the angel part of the story, for
a girl in a white frock as descending the
| green slope singing aloud in sheer joy
of existence. Bradbury neither heard nor
saw her.
you said just now" Erskine went on,
that you thought it was your last
chance. What did YOU mean? Could you
think it possible that | would nurse an
injury for years, waiting for an oppor
tunity like this TO denounee you and
spoil your life? Now listen to mel You
are not mad, though you've done your
| level best to become SO by moping alone
| in your hut, nursing morbid fancies. But.
| for five minutes, you were really cut of
| your senses beside yourself, as people
say-and the impulse came over you to
murder me. II came upon you from out
| side seized you, and passed It was a
near shave, but it passed. Don't forget
| that. Now, what you and | have TO do,
| for Miss Fortesters sake most of all, is
| to forget the last ten minutes. Do you
understand? Our quarrel is wiped out
With this incident. You win start fresh
| from today and leave the past buried
for ever. For your future wifes sake,
| Bradbury, we will both agree to this"
'You mean it ?" said Bradbury huskily.
One glance at Erskine's face shamed
him out of his doubt; he took the prof
fered hand in his own.
"For her sake Then Joyous
shout interrupted him.
"John!"
Turning hastily, he saw Bessie. and
the light of a wondering gladness flashed
into his tired eyes. Seeing something
amiss, the girl came up quickly, put her
arm round his neck, and faced about de
| family.
Doctor, what have you been saying
to him?"
Giving him a prescription for the
| blues, Miss Forester-that's all.s an
swered Erskine, and then he turned away
| and left the lovers together
| The dinner proved success beyond
| Mrs Lynn's expectations. Bradbury bore
| his honors like man. while Bessie
blushed with pride and pleasure st his
modest self-assertion. True, he broke
down utterly when attempting to return
thanks for the proposal OF his own and
his fiancee's health and future happiness.
but 40 one thought the worse of him for
that. Tie burden of years had fallen
from him; he no longer feared what fate
might send him; the past was for ever
sealed, and the future lay free before
| him
! Late that afternoon Erskine took his
! departure, but not before Bradbury had
put into his hands an envelope contain.
| ing check for ESQ. He had added
| ESQ as interest.
! Erskine did not open the envelope till
next day, and then he smiled pitifully.
Poor beggarl" was all his comment
Two days later Bessie Forester was
astonished to receive draft for f15O.
An enclosure accompanying it read
"A wedding gift from j. r Erskine.
| With sincere good wishes"
| And to the end of her life Bessie Brad.
bury will never know why the doctor
sent that money, for her husband kent
his word, and none but himself and Err
skine ever guessed how nearly grue-
some tragedy had darkened the sunshine
that day in the kairanga gully f. f..
Miller.
THE END