Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-07-25

l shall never see Ellen Meriwcther
again, any more ,han | shall SEE Grare
sheraton again after | have married
her What happruS after that is not
ny hu~iueSS, II is my business. Colo
ne Sheraton, and yours, possibly even
You" >ou'S'-l smiled 1T Harry ITO
find Gordon Orme | claim him first.
II do net Kill him, then you and
You last, Harry. because yeu are least
iii
"Gcutlrmcu. is il all agrecdy' ask
ed. tossed the knife back on the
mantel and turned my back to it and
them.
Jack" said my old wire hair. pr,
Roud, Il pray God | may never see
this done again to any man. thank
God the woman loved died years
ago, She was too good they're all too
good. l. physician, say they are all
toe good. Only in that sap between
them and Ms lies amy margin which
permits you to lie to yourself ut the
altar. To care for them to shield
them they, the apple of the eye. That
is why we mon are hero" lie turned
away, his face working.
Us It agrrcdy" | asked Of Colonel
Sheraton StcrUly,
His trembling hand sought mine
NeS," he said. our quarrel is dis
charged and moro than So. Harry,
shake hands with Mr.. CowlrS And
now. men, our quarrel now runs ~
Gordon OrmC, Tomorrow we start
for CHroliua where We had his last
address. Mr., Cowlcs. my heart hlcNdS,
it hlccds, sir, for you But for her
also for her up there, 'lnc courts
shan free YOU quickly aud quietly ms
soon rs II can I've done II is you who
have freed us all. You have been
tried hard You have proved yourself
man"
The door at the stair burst open, a
black maid. hrcathlcSS. broke into the
room
She's a-Srttin' there Miss Grace
just a-scttn' there" she began and
choked and stammcred
"What Is IT." cried nr Bond sharp.
!
him 20 up the stairs lightly MS though
he were q boy We all followed,
say thai we mon of Virginia were
slow to suspect a woman. hope we
are still slower to gossip regarding
ono Not one of us ever asked nr.
Bond question. fearing lest we might
learn what perhaps he knew. lie stood
beyond her now, his head bowed, his
hand feeling for the pulse that was no
longer there. The solcmnity Of his
face was louder than speech. II seem
ed to me that heard his silent dc
mand that we should all hold our
peace forever.
Grace Sheraton, her lips Just parted
In n little crooked smile. such rs she
might have worn when she was n
child sat ut a low dressing table. star
ing directly into the wide mirror which
swung before her ut its back llcr
left arm lay at length along the table.
Her right, with its hand under her
cheek and chin, supported her head,
which leaned but slightly to one side,
She eazcd into her own face, into her
own heart, into the mystery of human
life and its double worlds, | doubt not.
She could not tell us what she had
learned
Her father stopped to her side OPP
poSite the old doctor. ! heard sobs rs
they placed her upon her little white
bed, still with that little crooked smile
hAp
young. very young again.
went to the window, and Harry,
think, was close behind me. Before
me lay the long reaches of our valley
shimmering in the midday autumn
sun. 1t seemed scene of peace and
not of tragedy. But even as looked
there came rolling up our valley slow
~. almost as though visible. the low.
deep boom OF the signal gun from the
village below. 1t carried news. the
news from America
| saw Colonel Sheraton half look up
as he stood bent over the bed. Thus,
stunned by horror ns we were, we
waited 1t was long time, an inter
minable time. moments, minutes, II
seemed to me. until there must have
been thrice time for the repetition of
the signal If there was to be one.
There was no second sound, The sig
nal was alone. single. ominous
Thank God. Thank God, cried
Colonel Sheraton, swinging his hands
aloft, tears rolling down his old gray
cheeks. ut is war. Now we may
find forgetfuIness!"