The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-01-30
A Case of
Repentance
By MARGARET c. CEvEREAUx

~PNA1IQA1NN
BY MARGARET c. CEVEREAUx
We have usually presumed that re-
pentance must come before death.
Eleanor Blake lost her father when
she was a little girl. and her mother
took for a second husband one VIII
liam MARYLAND. a widuwer with u son.
at the time Of the marriage twelve
years older than his stepyister. The
widow was very poor. and Mr.. Mark
land was rich. His son. Joseph. wus
Z singular youth. sometimes under the
influence Of pure and noble emotions
and sometimes apparently swayed ny
the devil himself. When he was In
the former condition be was very kind
to Eleanor. but when In the latter be
seemed to hate her.
Eleanor was q favorite With her step
father and he hoped when she grew
to lie a woman she would marry his
son. for he was aware Of the latter's
DR.. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde disposition.
and he believed that she would be
able to tide him owe bis evil periods.
but be only wished for this: be did
not attempt to bring 1t about. Flea
nor's mother died when she was a.
teen years old. and after being made
again q widower MI. Markland's at
lection for his little stepdaughter was
much enhanced. His sons periods of
wickedness seemed to be increasing on
him and were q source Of distress to
his father.
Then Joe MARYLAND. when Eleanor
was seventeen years old. delighted his
father by showing evidence that he
was falling in love with bis stepsister.
Eleanor. however. seemed to regard
him only as q brother. but AZ such was
extremely fond Of him. He asked for
= different love. and when she told
him that It was not possible for her
to give 1t to him be fell into one Of
bis wicked states and treated her
shamefully.
Joe MARYLAND disappeared one day
and was not seen at home again for q
long while. Meanwhile bis father
failed In health. and Eleanor was his
6ole comfort. She considered Il her
duty ~ we'll 40 her preference to re
main single and 70 minister to him.
though she had many suitors. All
this time no q knew where Joe
MARYLAND was till . few months before
his father died. when Eleanor received
letter from him evidently written In
one Of his angelic moods. he regret
ted that she could not love him. but
did not blame her. He wrote to ask
her forgiveness for The way - had
ffSated her. -
t-ssnor wrote that his father could
not live long and begged him to come
home and give the invalid what COM
fort he could during the short time
that remained before death. Joe wrote
that be would come at once: but,
though only q few weeks were need
ed. for the journey, be did not arrive
for several months. He reached home
the day his father died, and It was
perhaps as we'll that he did not ar
rive sooner for. though he showed no
outward signs Of bis mood to those
who did not know him well, he was.
nevertheless. In . Of his devilish
conditions. His father was barely
able to bid him goodby and whisper
ed to him that he hoped he would
some day secure Eleanor for bis wife.
Joe took charge Of the household
and household affairs till after the fu-
neral. when u search was made for
the will. No will was found. Joe.
being sole heir at law, took posses
sion Of the property and told Eleanor
that II she would marry him be would
turn over the MANAGEMENT Of It to her.
Eleanor refused. Cutie possibly, know
ing as she did that her stepfather de-
sired the match. she might have yield
ed. but she saw that Joe was 1t the
time not his better sell.
Joe MARYLAND remained at homo
long enough to put bis estate under
. competent manager. whom he direct
ed TO- pay bis sister $50 q month and
permitted her to remain In the home
stead.
One morning looking out OF an up
per window she saw her stepbrother
coming. Though some distance from
her. he appeared bedrasEIed. he wa
walking rapidly. and she had scarcely
e him when she heard him at the
door, She RAJ down to meet him. but
be was not where she bad expected to
6nd him. Thinking he had entered BE-
fore her. she went into the living room.
There stood Joe with q heavenly look
on his face. such as she had often seen
there when he had become repentant-
She was about to spring toward him
when she noticed that be was dripping
with water. And singularly enough
there was a salt Odor about him. She
ran ont Of the room to get something
In which to wrap him till he could
change his clothing. and when she re
turned with I blanket she had snatch
ID from I bed Joe was not there.
What had become Of him? She was
about 10 run into the ball to look for
49, #LLraA ZME AA - -