no
TIIE WEST SHORE.
our ny up ihc uoaLUin trail, Edith Mason, her sa
!! hU rnUrd, and mywlf, and htood breide the grave
tUt l.re Jir M&aon'a name alx;ve it
Tlf )T little wife knelt and rested her pale
tnrt'homl on Iho rough stone wall. I turned away.
Whihfr was prayinp, or recalling happy, by
iptM low, I could not tell; I only knew that to look
BIn lifT Mrrow WM In fwl mc unnl pnmnm witli
guilty n-rnorM', I walked away and eat down on a
tnm cxoTCi rock ly the bank of the stream, looking
down, with eyca tlmt saw not, upon the lovely, undu
Uting valloy that lay far Mow, like a beautiful paint
ing, in ( miftty frame of encircling mountains.
AfWr a lime Mm Maon joined me, and stood for
moment regarding the scene with silent, rapt
I'-rnnity; then, turning to me, she said, slowly-
"Ihoro ii Romethinff emmWv hunfifni ;
II'"kU f l-ig laid to mt in a stony grave, high
ffl"K the M rapgo.1, eternal monntnion with each a
that loath, ,d BMgl)t bat mvi
"J bm . U canopy ll0V(, j,
''If' 1'l!lli,,1,01ryi,Wii
fnly it tnmty corner n l f.;i u .1 , J
ta altnimt nrry that I camp; lnt cow that I am here
ft -'!' -Mo would hnt m
1 t-) (hew word, liko one but half awake
.Iu ,U,ri,,B,liBto
" l- that ' . 7,,1"li,,g f lal8
'"ii- .I,,!, , " ; B Mfil hundred,,
'l'-l.),w,,,in. '", no J the ,no of that
'"'llllgUfl 1)0, I r. I
"K I- the n-...; .'"I1 t('r Dlninn ;
I'f UlrB fr .,., ,. "ul 1 W not; I hd ,im.
Uiseaorf. 1 f"t Hone to
I tort! ttr ftwl , a to noUee rnv
Wmw 'Wlj rtortwo
Mason," I reflected, desperately, "if I could but get
my hands on you, I'd make you face this music."
One thing was quite clear, and needed no debate
in my mind Roy Mason's whereabouts must be as!
certained without loss of time, and he must be made
aware of the state of affairs. Bnl in flm ti'
what could I do to prevent, or at least, delay, the
opening of the grave!
Acting upon a swift impulse, I turned, w'th an.
other lie upon my lips, to the poor, defenseless nn"
suspicious nine woman at my side.
"Mrs. Mason, I trust I have misinterpreted the
meaning of your last words. I hope it is not youi in.
tention to to remove your husband's remains."
She turned and looked at me wonderingly, with
eyes blue as the heavens above, clear and pure as the
limpid waters that tinkled over the pebbles at our
feet
" Why, certainly, Mr. Blake." ata
Iy, that is what I came for. I thought you under,
stood."
I groaned inwardly, but outwardly adjusted my
mask for the part I was compelled to play. Assum.
mg an expression of sorrowful commiseration, I laid
my hand on hers, and said
" Then, my poor lm hecQms
painful duty to tell vnn ffiof
i """v uu umyuosoDy
viola mg the last wish of your husband."
bhe started, and shrank, as if hurt
Then he-did not wish ine to-take him home?"
Ao he did not," I answered, firmly, while my
lfed hf " Fre me hirto, I have
o t en entirely frank with you. The truth is, that
an 1 T I, i Dmm near Bml ar friends,
afd to l n hA ip8 8 Ustory of bi9 "4 V
Sl eTf f bI'e89 her' There is bnt 0M "V
he b 1 J" fr0m the ea"i"g ctai-8 that bind
Edeat";8' i8 at last- w"Un aygraep.
Er, m I re'!r br- Md that i9 ar at hand
strl l ? '6 B0Mtttin 6id. ere the little
for no aortal f-.Let D0 oae distwb T "P
She ... , , me a &met mausolenm.' "
Me but t 8 f'?ight iDt e'e wHIe 1
"ftl,'f.OI,ted,,P
Blake, "S1 WOrd8 refeired t0 me- Mr-
tarb him? d " he was not to di-
rainier th8 tear8' aot t0 ar the vibra-
ht? vhftTr , yho else could he have
I removal?" el8ewoilld be likely to undertake his