The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-08-27
THE
ACCUSING
FOOTSTEPS
By LLOYD EVANS
GO by w. q. Chapman,

~ me, dull. hollow but but e ssoos g..
precede / might have had
hope, for then they might guide me to
some haven of rest, peace for my tired
heart.
was not wicked man, nor mean
man, nor a dissipated man. / was
only murderer-to the world never
that, but to my own conscience, yes.
A thousand deaths were in my heart
and one poor victory-if / could call
1t that.
81 consent to the marriage"
Secret, of coursew
at must be that way under the cir
substances"
Burned into my brain were these
three sentences, for they started the
train of circumstances that resulted
In terrible tragedy.
1t was six weeks since that over
heard Huldah Evans speak the first,
yane Telford made reply. Then her
final words-''my love, my adored
one!" She whom / worshiped was a
party to clandestine complication
with rival 1 had never feared, nor
before that even suspected.
| He had come to the village, q
stranger. He had made several calls
on Huldah. I was curious, but she
never appraised me as to the personal
| ity of her new acquaintance nor his
motive in visiting her. That wildly
remembered afternoon I was lining a
high hedge surrounding the Evans
place when I heard the brief colloquy
noted. had come to the spot with my
heart full of hope and love. ! left II
vengeful, embittered, my soul i'm
mersed In the blacklist despair.
1 wandered towards the narrow but
deep rolling stream at the edge Of the
town, my spirit dazed, my heart dis
tracted This, then, was the end of il
all. She loved another! / flung my
self on the grassy bank, watching the
swift eddies just above the waterfall
1t was an unfrequented spot for the
present, for the old foot bridge hat
been condemned, as all the regular
townsmen knew, new structure be
ing proposed, and the roadway OF
either side of the stream was block
AIDED some distance back. There signs
were up, warning the approachin;
driver and pedestrian Of peril.
/ sat in a daze, staring blankly a
the rushing waters, madly tempted t.
plunge beneath their surface and emf
all my misery. 1t was getting on to
ward dusk when sharp, CHEEKY whis
tie attracted my attention.
There, not fifty yards distant, wa
Telford. He was warbling careles
carol, swinging along like man Il
love with life, as if he had just hear
some joyful news.
In a flash 1 pictured the situation
He, my hated rival, was beloved b
Huldah. 1 was the despised one. /.
blur of blood passed before my eye
and then
"He is headed for the bridge-h
doesn't knowI'' I uttered breathlessl.
1 started up In wild alarm. In
flash 1 saw that, making short Gu
for the town by an unaccustome
route, Telford had struck into the roa
at point ahead of the blockade. III
had missed the danger sign. He ha
no knowledge Of the condition Of tn
bridge. Two days previous hors
and wagon had gone through the rotte
plankway. great hole gaped In tn
center of the bridge, and some of tn
stringers were hanging suspended b
mere splinters.
stop"
The word died in my throat meal
ingless, for the devil had seized m
What was this man to me, that
should not allow him to go headlon
on his careless way? He had embi
tered by existence, why should see
to save his life? My manhood cove
, Hatred, cowardice, guilt, held me spel
bound beyond the saving moment
Crash Ia shrek, splash, a gu
, gle, and all was overall save IL
footsteps proceeding across the hollo
echoing plankway = trampl tramp
, trampI
/ But now all that was human with
/ me aroused. In horror regarded n
| willful act of crime. / ran to the eds
= Of the bridge, shouted wildly.
/ tore down the dim shore, calling ma
, ly the name of the man I had-mu
. dered.
D Only the sound Of the waves, Il
, roar Of the falls below, the night bird
: thrill answered me. The void hs
| opened up and swallowed my riv'
2 Huldah was free, but I-traml
tramp! tramp ever the accusing foe
steps, and always behind me, purs
ing, challenging, accusing.
Looking back now I marvel how
passed those dreadful days, tho
wakeful nights Of the two weeks su
ceeding. Twice had called upon HI
. dab. I was amazed at the fact tn
she betrayed no anxiety, none Of t