Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1917-05-17

fear she might conStrue his presence
here into callous seeking into the mys-
terry of the secrec that hallowed grave
might conceal.
A fine bitter scorn came into that
lovely face he had not believed 1t cnpa-
BILE of expressing, as he said simply:
"Pardon me-" and started respectful
ly to move on.
"Oh, l understand :" she sald--"they
even enlighten strangers as TO the
wretched calumny that killed my poor
father"
you mistake" spoke BlatchfOrd
speedily. ut was reverence, it was
sympathy, II was a solemn pity at the
presence of that strange word
'hush'r'
She fixed a look upon him as If in
tent upon reading his very soul Then
her eyes softened. She turned her
face away. He caught the faint echo
of q sob.
"If | dared TO believe that could
be Of service to your he was con-
strained to speak, mot to intrude on
your sorrow, only to tighten your bur
/ den, If that were possible. Believe
me, al / see, all surmise, appeals to
/ the depths Of my very soul"
! Again those translucent eyes fixed
/ his own. She put out her hand. She
/ did not withdraw 1t until she had led
| him to rustic bench at the edge OF
! the pathway.
| "'Hush' !" she said. do you under
stand what that means2 Go ask any
! gossip Of the town, look back in the
! public prints a year agone, learn all
! the tragic story as others tell 1t. Then.
| if your soul does not shrink from the
hideous presentment, come to me, as
! friend, as counselor of q broken-heart-
! ed woman with but one thought in
! life-to clear the memory of a noble
| father unjustly accused, driven to his
| death by the uncharitableness Of a
cruel persecution"
1t was strange soul communion.
He welcomed It. he cherished it. And
all the time his mind was repeating
that name, "Wllliston Burgoyne."
The single name had simply awakened
his memory, the two together-it all
came back to him now! He did not
tell his inpussioned companion what
was in his mind. He listened to her
story and n new tlood Of light resulted.
She told OF her father, rich, honored,
respected, accused BY u business rival
who hated him OF faithlessncss in the
! sacred trust OF widow and orphan.
Long since the just division of au es-
tate had been concluded. When Mr..
Burgoyne went 20 set lire papers prov
ing every step he had taken in the
trust, they were gone
'The house had been burglarized
month before narrated Miss Bur
goyne. whoever took iewelry and
money also carried away a portfolio
containing those papers. The wicked,
relentless, prosecutor saw his power
and urged Il cruelty. our claims were
treated as fiction, my father was dis
graced. The blow killed him. The
thief probably threw the papers away
for I have advertised large reward
for their return"
An appeal for help, for sympathy,
for interest was in those beautiful!
eyes. Batchtord arose, great pur-
pose in his mind.
Dear lady he said, and his strong
voice trenbed, your pitiful story has
| opened u sealed chamber in my mind.
l may have great news Tor YOU within
| fhp paxf TavtN-pirht hours -
He had for this had happened:
Nearly year before his law firm had
closed up tie affairs OF q notorious
criminal and his wife had brought all
Of his papers 20 the Office Distinctly
now Blatchford recalled Il package of
documents bearing the name willis
| ton Burg0yue." Back he sped to the
city. on a dusty shelf of the vault
of the Office Blatchford found them,
where they had been cast aside as hav-
ing no bearing on the estate of the
| criminals widow.
But to Barnabetta Burgoyne they
were everything, for they were the
documents that proved her father an
innocent man!
1t was the glory of her life, the re-
Mobilization Of that beloved parents
memory. 1t was Blatchford who
| stanchly assisted her in the task.
In the glow of a beautiful summer
evening those two, with joined hands
and joined hearts, saw removed by the
carver's chisel from the little obscure
tombstone, that soaring, sinister word,
| Hush :"
True Good Nature.
! Good nature does not mean easy,
] hannN-crn-l llnl-l- ~. 70 Inat Arhnn Tho