The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-12-02

some haven Of rest. peace for my tired
heart.
was not wicked man, nor a mean
man, nor a dissipated man. I was
only murderer-to the world never
that, but my own conscience, yes
A thousand deaths were In my heart
and one poor victory-if I could call
it that
Il consent to the marriage"
Secret Of courseY
ut 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 a terrible tragedy.
1t was six weeks since that I over
heard Huldah Evans speak the first,
Vane Telford made reply. Then her
final words-@my love, my adored
one!" She whom ! worshiped was a
party to q clapdestine complication
with a rival I had never feated, nor
before that even suspected.
He had come to the village, a
stranger. He had made several calls
on Huldah. I was curious, but she
never apprised 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. I left it
vengeful, embittered, my soul i'm
mersed In the blacklist despair.
I 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 1t
all. She loved another l flung my
self on the grassy bank, watching the
swift eddles just above the waterfall.
1t was an unfrequented spot for the
present, for the old. foot bridge had
been condemned, as all the regular
townsmen knew, new structure be-
ing proposed, and the roadway on
either side of the stream was block
AIDED some distance back. There signs
were up, warning the approaching
driver and pedestrian of peril.
/ sat in q daze, staring blankly at
the rushing waters, madly tempted to
plunge beneath their surface and end
all my misery. It was getting on to-
ward dusk when a sharp, CHEEKY whis-
tie attracted my attention.
There, not fifty yards distant, was
Telford. He was warbling a careless
carol, swinging along like a man in
love with life, as if he had just heard
some joyful news.
In a flash 1 pictured the situation.
He, my hated rival, was beloved by
Huldah. was the despised one. A
blur of blood passed before my eyes,
and then
"He is headed for the bridge-he
doesn't know" uttered breathlessly.
started up in wild alarm. In
flash l saw that, making @ short cut
for the town by an unaccustomed
route, Telford had struck into the road
at point ahead of the blockade. He
had missed the danger sign. He had
no knowledge of the condition of the
bridge. Two days previous horse
and wagon had gone through the rotted
plankway, great hole gaped in the
center of the bridge, and some of the
stringers were hanging suspended by
mere splinters
"Stop-"
The word died in my throat mean
ingless, for the devil had seized me.
What was this man to me, that I
should not allow him to go headlong
on his careless way? He had embit-.
tered by existence, why should I seek
to save his life? My manhood cowed.
Hatred, cowardice, guilt, held me spell
bound beyond the saving moment
Crash Ia Shrek, a splash, a CUR
gle, and ali was overall save the
footsteps proceeding across the hollow
echoing plankway - tramp! trampl
tramp!
But now all that was human within
me aroused. In horror I regarded my
L
Of the bridge, shouted wildly. I
tore down the dim shore, calling mad
ly the name Of the man I had-mur-
dered
Only the sound of the waves, the
roar of the falls below, the night birds
thrill answered me. The void had
opened up and swallowed my rival.
Huldah was free, but tramp!
tramp tramp! ever the accusing foot
steps, and always behind me. pursu-
ing, challenging. accusing.
Looking back now I marvel how I
passed those dreadful days, those
wakeful nights Of the two weeks sue
ceedlng Twice had called upon Hull
dab. I was amazed at the fact that
she betrayed no anxiety, none Of the
suspense of a bride expectant whose
object of devotion had mysteriously
disappeared. My guilt drove me to
make my visits brief and constrained
although Huldah seemed glad to see
me. She had with her now a cousin,
pale-faced, hopeless-eyed girl, who
seemed an invalid Martha Dawes.
No word of the fate of Telford had
reached the newspapers. I had lined
the river for miles, making cautious
inquiries, but with no result. Then
one evening those torturing footsteps
drove me to a resolution: 1 would see
Huldah once more, confess and leave
tho nlana forovar