Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-06-27

piOy my tlule uoW u tue petttfheut
Of my situation. l have failed, and
you have won. But let me throw the
cloak aside since I know you can be
Of no service to me. care not what
punishment you may have-what SUI.
fering-because l recognize in you the
one great cause of my failure 1t was
you, sir, with your cursed expedition
that defeated Aaron Burr"
He turned, proud and defiant even in
his failure, and when Meriwether
Lewis looked up he was gone.
Even as Burr passed Meriwether
Lewis heard light step in the long
corridor. Under guard Of the turnkey
some one stood at the door. 1t was
the figure Of a woman, figure which
caused him to halt. caused his heart
to leap.
She came toward him now. all in
mourning black-hat, gown and gloves.
Her face was pale. her eyes deep, her
mouth dropping. Theodosia Aston
was always thus on her daily visit to
her fathers cell.
Herself the picture of failure and
despair, she was used to avoiding the
eyes of all, but she saw Meriwether
Lewis standing before her. strong, tall,
splendid In his manhood and vigor.
in the full tide of his success. She
was almost in touch Of his hand when
she raised her eyes to his.
These two had met at last after
what far wanderings apart. They had
met as if each came from the Valley
Of the Shadows. Out Of the vastness
Of the unknown, over all those long
and devious trails. into what now
seemed to him world still more vast.
more fraught with desperate peril, he
had come back to her. And she-what
had been her perils? What were her
thoughts?
What he saw in her grave face. her
mournful eyes uplifted to his own
this was the solution of the riddle of
his life, the reason for his moods of
melancholy. the answer to thousand
unspoken prayers, He felt his heart
thrill strong and full, felt his blood
spring in strong current through his
veins until they strained, until he
felt his nerves Jingle as he stood, ST.
lent, endeavoring to still the tumult
within him.
To her he was-what? A tall and
handsome gentleman, Immediately
clad, governor Of the newest Of our
territories, the largest and richest
realm ever laid under the rule of any
viceroy. A bystander might have pom
dered on such things, but Meriwether
Lewis had no thought Of them. nor had
the woman who looked up ut him. No;
to her eyes there stood only the man
who made her blood leap, Der soul cry
out:
Yea, yea. Now l KNOW
To her also, from the divine compass
sion, was given answer for her ques-
tionings She knew that life for her,
even though it ended now. had been no
blind puzzle, after all, but was glori-
Gus and perfect thing. She had called
to him across the deep, and he had
heard and come. From the grave he
had arisen and come again to her.
Even here under the shadow Of the
gallows-even if, as both knew in their
supreme remuneration. they must part
and never meet again-fOr them both
there could be peaceful calm, with all
lifes questions answered, beautifully
and surely answered, never again to
rise for conquering.
"Sir-captain-that is to say, Gov
ernor Lewis, she corrected herself
II was not expecting you
Her tone seemed icy, though her soul
was in her eyes. She was all upon the
defense, as Lewis instantly under
stood. He took her hand in both Of
his own and looked into her face.
She gazed up at him, and swiftly,
mercifully, the tears came. Gently, as
If she had been a child, he dried them
for her, as once when a boy he had
promised to do. They were alone now.
The cold silence Of the prison was
about them, but their own long silence
seemed a golden. glowing thing. Thus
only in their silence could they speak.
They did not know that they stood
hand In hand.
"My husband is not here" said she
at length, gently disengaging her hand
from his. mo one knows me now.
Every one avoids me. You must not
be seen with me-a pariah, an out
cast. l am my fathers only friend.
Already they condemn him, yet he Is
as innocent as any man ever was"
Il shall say no word to change that
belief" said Meriwether Lewis. But
your husband Is not here? 1t Is he
whom must see at once"
"Why must you see him?"
"You must know. 1t Is my duty to
him and to tell him that am the
man who-who made you weep. He
must have his satisfaction. Nothing
that he can do will punish me as my
own conscience has already punished
me. It ia no uSe--I shall not ask you
to forgive me. will not be so cheap"
"But-suppose re does not knOw?"
He could only stand silent, regarding
her fixedly. H.
He must never know" she went on.
1T Is no time for Quixotism to make
yet another suffer. We two must be
strong enough to carry our own secret.
It is better and kinder than 1t should
be between two than among three. l
thought you dead. Let the past remain
past; let 1t bury its own dead"
1T is our time Of reckoning" said he
nj length MGnilty "a have been. sin.