River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-03-27

ulSnOuOrdDl0 coward. hOTTlDlo as
such abasement would be, IL 1t were
her duty, she could do 1t; what she
could not, what she would not do, was
to tear the veil from the pure and
mystical passion which had been the
flower of her heart. Not If it cost
me my soul" she said, with the fro
zen quiet of despair; 'it is awful, but
can't do i'll" One thing did remain;
she could remove the picture. That
false witness of what had never been
should go. No eyes should ever fall
on it again. 1t should never deceive
more. She walked toward 1t firmly.
She lifted her hand-and 1t fell. II
can't!" she moaned. ''I'll do it to-
morrow" She could not remember, in
years, so weak compromise offered
her conscience
But she felt sense of respite, al
most relief, once having decided, and
she recovered her composure enough
to go to her chamber and battle her
eyes. While she was thus engaged
she heard a knock. 1T Is he," she
said quietly; well, the sooner the bet
ter"
1t was he, he had come earlier than
he expected, he explained; he was
most grateful for Miss Wings kind
message. He looked like his uncle, as
vthe members of family will look
alike. He was not so tall: he was not
so handsome. Perhaps most people
would call him more graceful. And
his English was faultless; he must
have spoken it from his childhood. In
the midst of his first sentences, be-
fore they had permitted him to take
chair his eyes travelled past Miss
Wings face. She perceived that he
saw the picture; she knew that she
grew pale; but, to her amazement,
calm like the calm which had wrapped
her senses on the day of her finding
the picture, closed about her again.
81 beg pardon?" said he.
Eyes, that is Count Won Buffers por-
trait" said she, in clear voice, with
out emotion. He was not so COM
posed. Then it was you" he said.
Following her example, he took a
chair and looked earnestly at the pic
tured face. when Miss Raimund
spoke of you so warmly, | noticed
that the name was the same, and |
determined to inquire, but 1t seemed
to me unlikely. Yet it is. Miss Wing
I have message to you, from my un
Gle"
II was with him when he died.
That was a strange thing to hear
when the message of his uncle's death
had come to him in another countrys
she hoped that her brain was not go
ing to play her false.
cit was fifteen years ago last July,
you know. ] never knew how many
details you received, or only the bare
fact in the papers"
Fifteen years! fifteen years! What
was that date he was giving? That
was the day on which she sailed fol
America, the day after-what was that
story he was telling of visit and
fire and a child rescued and an ac'
cident? But still she listened with the
same iron composure. The next
words she heard distinctly.
at was like him to lose his life
that way; and he did not grudge it,
Yet it was hard that | should be the
only one of his blood with him. he
could speak with difficulty when he
told me to take lock of hair and his
signet ring to you. He dictated the
address, himself, to me. You must be
trJy N sold 'It 1G IN
the lady that / hoped would be my be-
trothed; you must tell grandmamma
about it, too. She has my picture and
she knows-but tell her'-and then, l
think his mind must have wandered
little. for he smiled brightly at me, say
ing. I'll tell her myself and then the
doctors came. He said nothing more,
only once, they told me, he murmured
something about his betrothed. But
had the ring; he took it off his finger
and kissed it and gave it to me. Child
as was I knew that it was sacred. !
wrapped it in the paper, and after
ward put the lock Of hair beside It.
So soon as l could, ! went to Heldel'
berg. to tho sension. You had gone
and there was no address, no trace"
81 left my address with the coun'
tess"
"My aunt is dead" said the young
German gravely. ~9 would not criti-
CHE her, but she had her own choice
Of a wife for my uncle; I do not think
one could trust her with addresses.
1--WE all gave ours to her to give to
Frau Muller"
"That is why, then, / could not find
Won NV grandmother also tried. But
you were gone. | thought OF the
banks. long after, but l found moth
ing. Often it has seemed dreadfu'
that YOU should learn of this only
through the papers. But / could not
tell whether-any~hing When came
to America, I confess it was always in
my mind. l always carried my un.
cle's little packet with me. viii
have it sent to you.
excuse me-" said Miss Wing gent
". "Will you please bring me the
glass Of water-I-am afraid can't
walk to it."
But She would not let him pour the
water on his handkerchief to battle
her head. She slipped the water, ana
very pale, but quite herself, brought
him back to his own matters. she
found that it was a cousin, miscalled
an uncle. in the German manner, VINO
had died. It did not seem to her that
Max's nephew could be unworthy OF
- e1,xf nv q q.