A Daughter of Maryland — page 199: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

174 A DAUGHTER OF MARYLAND. Cuttytower. I met him in the army, and he died beside me confessing to the deed. With the great truth revealed at last, General Langier, I trust that hénceforth there shall be no barrier between our families. I am sure that father looks down upon this reunion with great joy.’’ ‘*Amen,’’ said the other fervently, clasping his hand. ‘*A fearful burden has been lifted from my mind. ‘Bertha, do you know that all these years I have seen the shadow of your death hanging over my life, though in the sight of heaven I felt that I was innocent of the crime. Carroll, your father, Daniel Berners and I all believed that our shots killed this woman. She rushed between us at the very moment we fired, at the same time falling through the ola floor into the river. We searched for her body until morning, without finding any trace of it, when believing it had been washed away by the water, we pledged our- selves to remain forever silent over her fate, knowing that if a wrong had been done it could not be righted. What that secret has cost me in silent pain no one knows, though it was purely an accident. Your story has come late, Bertha, and it is strange, but better late than never. The happiness of this hour makes the past brighter. If Robert, poor boy! was only here what a reunion it would be. I long to meet him that I may ask his forgiveness. ’”’ As he finished speaking Esten Berners, who had’ been listening to all this with intense interest stretched out his thin right hand, saying: ‘*Carroll Southard, can you forgive me for theswrong I. have done you in thought if not in deed? I thought my dear mother’s life lay at your family door.’’ ‘As I did,’’ replied Carroll, clasping the proffered hand in an earnest grip. ‘‘We have all much to forgive and to be thankful for. To still further prove my kind regard _ toward you, I want you to have Graymont for your own. Do not say me nay, for I find thas you really are entitled to it as much as myself, according to Cal Durand’s inheri- tance, which he lost.’’ EComicboo rae 4032" m4 yd { FY * : mi 4 - , ai ors one % <0) nN Ye L ae «