Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1920-06-24
TRUE AS STEEL,
By ALDEN CHAPMAN
.Neetern Newspaper UnIon.

| N~"+'f - ''Nf
Everybody in Rayford wondered
why Edwin Darrell did not attend the
| wedding of ElinOr Blair and Alison
Dacre. They had known each other
intimately and had gone a good deal
together. although there had never
been any hint of an engagement pres
ent or prospective.
The bridegroom was stranger TO
the people Of Rayford He had flash
ed upon the quiet village apparently
an old acquaintance Of Richard Blair.
Then Flinor was seen a good deal in
his company and the marriage took
place. Bride and groom and Mr..
| Blair left Ruyford to settle somewhere
in the South, and their former friends
and acquaiutances soon forgot them.
All but two perSons-Eunice TruI-
ton, the aunt Of Elinor and Edwin
Darrell. They knew!
j. was at the home of Miss TruXton
one day that Darrell was drawn closer
TO Elinor in pity and love. She had
for some time past evaded him and
had shown a sadness he could not
fathom. They were alone on the porch
when Darrell. impelled by irresistible
emotion. put his arm about Elnor and
confessed his love, She swayed
toward him with incoherent words.
They conveyed sure token that this
affection was returned, but that the
situation was hopeless for both Of
them. She chung to him in frenzied,
historical way and was lost in sobs
and tears Then, voiceless, she fed
into the garden. Darrell sought her
to be confronted by Miss Truxton. She
was pale and agitated. and to Darrelfs
Inquiries stated that Elinor had gone
home.
you must not seek to visit her or
meet her here again. she told Darrell.
Poor child Something has happened
to cloud her life that | cannot tell
you now, but, oh Mr. Darrell, what
ever you hear, do not misjudge her."
What Darrell to his utter despair
later heard was that ElinOr was to
wed Alison Dacre and this was fol-
lowed by the marriage which drove
him temporarily FROM Rayford. When
he returned the Blairs had left the
village Crushed and comfortess, Oar
rell sought Miss TruXton.
ut was a sacrifice, cruel immoa-
ton of youth and innocence to save
an imperied father" was all she
would tell Darrell. and she never al
luded to the subject again. She left
Darrell to surmise that Dacre had
held some power over Mr. Blair which
bent him to his will and compelled
ElinOr to accept him as a husband.
/, The only assurance for Darrell was
that Ellnor loved him Victims to cir
cumStances they had the mutual con-
viction that nothing could ever sepa-
rate them as to soul affinity, but It
looked a lonely dreary road.
At the first EIinor kept up a cor
respondence with her aunt. Then
there was a year of silence, In her
anxiety Miss Truxton wrote to the
town from which Elinor's last letter
had come. She learned that Mr.. Blair
had died, that the Dacres had sepa-
4, | AtNA'A anu mat iAllhOi anu litI niue
child, Priscilla, had disappeared.
Shortly after that Dacre appeared
in Rayford, He did not go near Miss
TruXton, but visited and borrowed
money from some former friends, and
; died after prouacted drinking bout.
, Having no means, he was about to be
buried in a paupers grave when Oar
. rell came forward and arranged for
his funeral.
Then Miss Truxton passed away.
Darrell took up his dreary life, but not
alone. Within month there arrived
at Rayford a coIored woman with
little child Of three. She had letter
for Miss Truxton, 1t was from Elinor,
who asked her to care for her little
chlld. As for herself, she had an op-
portmlty to engage as companion for
a wealthy invalid lady, which would
enable her 20 send some money TO her
aunt to provide for Priscilla.
Thus, strangely, Edwin Darrell had
been the only one to care for the
dead husband and now for his child.
Every three months q small amount
was sent from 2 different place by
me absent mother Darrell rented q
small flat secured housekeeper and
grew deeply attached to the little
woif
H was q beautiful summer after
noon when little Priscilla accompanied
Alm ON stroll It led to the beautiful
/ town cemetery. ana on q sa,+ 80.