Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-06

an erring son were visited unor ~ ~
chiidren's chfldrenl The blood uor.s
revive, and revive againl
A greenwood log In the fire IA,
heaVy thud' and the roar of its burn.
ing started anew; water oozed from q.
sawed front with Kissing SOUND 80
dropped into the fiery bed
"DoctorP
The word recalled him. He star,sd
slightly, then sat forward
IF you had known the other -.
to the Ridge 1t might have been ~
sible to get there"
what do you mean? What o,,..
way?"
There's a way around the son,h
side Of the Hewston hill, Just MD
footpath in summer, under the roes
all the way. 1t is sheltered from nortn
winds, but the snow drifts In dee,
1t might be done on shoes"
/ II will try 1t now" he said.
you could not go alone. I Womb
have TO go. too-to guide you"
You" he exclaimed. "Imnossihi.,
The very devil is abroadp'
We peen OUT IN as DAD as this be.
FORE" she said. Il had no fear then
and I have none now. It's because Pm
weathered"
A faint light, alternately visible for
a moment and obscured by the clouds
Of driving snow, sent hope to the
hearts Of two people struggling blind
ly forward.
For two long hours they had match
ed their united strength to that Of the
storm, now vanquishing It again all
but overcome by its mad force.
But they still stumbled on with eyes
fixed steadily upon the beacon.
The next thing was the hum Of
voices, the soft rubbing Of hands and
feet and a gradually returning con-
seriousness of identity, Of situation and
of circumstance.
"Ah, there! She'll soon be round.
Just to think Of it! She always had
grit. Don't you mind how she always
walked her two miles to school, storm
or sunshine, sometimes wading through
snow to the waist? Never missed
dayp
AYE. do. And I'll tell ye this: 1t
may not be Christianlike, and it's not
a nice thing to say in the house Of the
dying, but If I were Lena Miller I'd
never have done it for her."
The girls returning senses caught
the word dying" and she raised her
self partly to ask, with a weak voice:
"Was he too late"
mo, dear He Is here to do all that
can be done-to give her relief from
pain. No one can save when the Lord
has called"
A long silence came, broken only by
the tick of the tall clock in the corner
and the cry Of the great storm without.
Then some one came through the hail.
way and paused at the kitchen door.
Lena Miller is called. She must
come"
For minute the girl scarcely under
stood Then, hesitatingiy, unsteadily,
she rose, and with assistance walked
to the door of the sick chamber and
there paused.
The room was empty save for the
form of the dying woman on the bed.
She went in alone, and hand gently
closed the door from without.
Alone with his mother, lying white
and still! The face. upon which Death
had so surely set his mark, bore
strange resemblance to his in the dim
light. 1t startled her to see a move
ment Of the lips and to hear the words:
''Is it you, Lena"
The girl bent over her.
"Tm dying Do you hate mel"
She tried to answer, but no words
would come. There was Tightening
Of the muscles at the throat Weak
almost to the breaking point with phys
icaI and mental strain. she could
stand, but she caught ROD OIL
the bed and steadied herself.
The voice went on:
I'm dying, and I've been wicked
woman. The penalty has been PAID.
The bodily suffering has been great
,ut the mental anguish has been dread
,ul beyond words. ] prayed COO 10
end you tonight, and be has been good
Girl, 1 lied to you and to my son.
She stopped for breath and strength
O proceed. Her voice fast failed her.
st wrote him letter, and In that
etter / said you had gone away, tar
way, to become anothers wife
pun the story well. cleVerly. Then !
ct you think he had married and Win
ny own lips told you that she was
rich"
The hand that held the iron rou
hook, then relaxed and quickly caught
{ the cold fingers.
But the paper!" she gasped.
1.-The paper was the beginning. Tnas
yas not written of my sons marriage.
ut of his-the doctor who came To-
light 1t was before he came to TINS
lien, and none In these parts knew tne
ght of It. / let them believe the
-rong so that you would hear. fon
card. and your heart was broken
now.'
The girl fell upon her knees by t1e
edside. and the pentup anguish OF
Inc long months spent itself IN
sob.
- ~