Year: 1876

y
judge in kindly calmness." SIG


Walter was admitted to bail, and
Leigh having failed to put in an ap.
pearance against him, there was none
to prosecute except the State, and nc
one could be found who had witnessed
the deed; consequently after long
and eloquent opening speech in favor
of the victim, exposing the deeply laid
and diabolical scheme, Walters coun.
sci gained for him the sympathy of the
public and also prejudiced the Judge
and jury in his favor, so that verdict
of mot guilty was soon rendered.


The long dreary night preceding the
trial was passed by Lutte in pacing the
floor and praying for him whose life
seemed almost woven into her own.
The gray dawn was peeping in at her
window when she laid her aching head
on her pillow for rest that came not,
for the closing of her burning eyes
brought to her troublesome, dreamy
sleep, in which she fancied Walter
hanging and dying calling her to see
her victim Subdivisions frightened
and awoke her as Elspeth entered with
a bright silver tray on which was laid
a tempting breakfast She arose,
bathed her fevered brow, made hasty
toilet and turned with disgust to the
we'll filled tray, slipped the smoking
tea, leaving untoaahed the other food,
dropped her face in her hands as if for
thought. Seeming to have forgotten
her promisestoA Rose, she began to
place her bFaak sssin i basket. Throw :
ing light wrapper about her she
paced the floor, stood moment at the
window then turned to the door, ling
cred ON the steps to chide her weak
ness, then sped out of the house with
a wild cry of. "Oh, God forgive /
must see him once more-perhaps It's
the last time this sideof the tomb! One
farewell word, one glance more into
his face, though it be full of hate and
scorn


A moment more and she stood be-
fore him. He turned to her seeming
more composed if not more kind than
when she last saw him and said !:
Lutte Sea, if what I learned this
morning be true, Leigh still lives and
| will be cleared of the crime of which
I believed myself guilty. In short
time if there be no mistake Twill again
be free, and to you | have only to say,
that the man of your choice still lives.
You too are free. Go marry him aud
receive my best wishes. As for myself,
| shall marry the woman who WAS my
friend, if not my first love.


Thinking not of self-defense now
that he was guiltless, she raised her
hands to Heaven and poured out her
thanks to the Great God in a voice as
touching as it was beautiful. Dressed
in pure white robe, with her long
raven hair floating about her sylph-
like form, her face upturned, with her
large, unusually brilliant eyes gazing
heavenward, Walter thought he had
never seen any one half so beautiful.
For moment he forgot his pride and
raised his arms as if to embrace her,
the unbanished queen of his heart, but
his arms fell heavily to his side and a
look of loathing swept over his face as
he thought of her as unworthy. Look
ing into his face so emaciated she was
convinced that he had not tasted food
of any kind. Finding the contents of
her first basket untouched she lifted
the last, and with gentle but resolute
farewell turned to look at him the last
time, feeling almost contented if not
entirely happy, that though he would
wed another he was guiltless of crime.
This one thought would aid and COM
fort her In the coming struggle with
her proud and rebellious heart.


On reaching home she found Rosie !
maid standing in the doorway with a
note for herself that read as follows


"Lutie. dear Lutte. come to me quick. /
am dying and without your pardon am
lost My immortal soul Is lost "





Lutte hastily changed her wrapping
for lighter one and followed the girl
to the dying woman. But, alas she
was too late, for her soul had passed
away on deaths relentless wing
to Him who gave it; to its final doom.
On table, in reach of the marble
fingers of the dead, Lutte found slip
of paper, addressed to herself, con-
tanning her prayer in death


Lutte, dear Lutte: Will you-can you
forgive a sin as dark. as black as mine
thought your friend, but who proved her.
self Your bitterest enemy. Not that loved
you less but that loved Walter more L"


With these words the pen dropped
from her icy fingers leaving unfinished
her sad confession.


"Oh! Rosie, could / have heard
these words from your own lips, how
much 'twould have saved US. Yes
all! Why did you not tell me your
sad, sad secret of love, and save your
soul from sin?"


Tremblingly she bent over the cold
form so beautiful in death, whispering
pardon, unheard. to the dead. Rising
she turned to comfort the parents SO
stricken with grief that much had