Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1867-01-24
9eIeGt 9torn.
WR0NGaD AND leIGMTEfD.
BY cARoIINE o0NRAp.

l5i a'fzt tsst' '42-Atik
81 VISA ato sec Miss Lesttr," said
Vance Whitney to the servant who an
sgcred His impaterr ring at the door OF
lhe Lester mansion, and he spoke with
an irate emphasis that startled the girl
into swift vanishing upon her errand,
while he strobe himself toward the par
Tor, unguided
lie had not to wait long, though every
moment seemed an age to him.
1 The door swung noiselessly very soon,
and'Oliv Lester came ShrinEingly and
White as the lilies on her bosom toward
him.
He advanced eagerly to meet her, cx
tending his hands, and endeavoring to
clasp her. But she shrank from him,
dropping her beautiful eyes, as though
too frightened to ma9t his glance, and
covering her flee with her hands.
solve, my little Olive" he said, with
a reproachfu' agony, trying to take her
p hands from her face.
"No, nor she cried, wreDchiOg ber.
= self away from him, "I'm not your o.
i've any more, Vance; IL don't"
| "What, Olive"
81 dou't love you. ! thought | did,
til he clme. have promised to be his
wife. Don't blame me. Vsnce-doh't
Took SO at me. | am sorry for you,
Vaace-I an sorry"
"rush!' broke 10 VarIe Whitney, his
chiseled features convulsing with the
rage and anguish OF the moment
"Whose wife have you promised 70 be =
he demanded. almost ferceIy, his hand
falling heavily upon her delicate Shout
der. ''.
; She murmurOd something in scared
voice, very low, but he caught the name
and started as though a viper had Stunt
him.
["You were almost my wife, 6t,ve, IL
. said, in a passionate whisper, "snd h,
was my friend l may forgive you
whom he hiss 5cguiled; but will neve
e forgive him. till | have punished him 7
, The next instant Olive was alone, an,
Vance Whitney, with mis- hat crushet
p low upon his trOwa, was hurrying dow
the street, as though pursued BY the vcr
vengeance he logged to call down upor
his false friend.
He remembered that morning, as h
stood in Ernest Bvermont's spacious Ii
brary, jus, ten years from that day, hi
hand closing with an iron grip upon
piec, Of paper it held, his deep,sel eye
7 fastened relentless aud stern upon tn
wretched man who covered before him
unable to lift his white face or stead
his shaking hands, or do anything br
moau in a quivering voice:
"Have morcyl God knows, l VII
only tempted to do it in tie hope to say
from beggary apd ruin my wife and m
child. BE merciful for her sake, Vance.
"For her sake you stole from me, wit
deliberate begui'ing," Vance said, viii
bitter sarcasm, as tbrusiing the paper i
his pocket. he left the room.
AS he was descending the stops Of tn
vCrandah outside, shower Of roses cam
20 I lpelting in q fragrant avalanche upo
.s him, and a laugh eushingl5 sweet as Il
.a thrill of a mockipg bird, gurgled OF
from somewhere among the scarlet hear
ed blossoms that had cImcd to the vcr
q roof Of the verandah, and lay there i
= bright drifts of perfume and color.
d He flung dark look overhead
pretty jest, this. to play upon man ben
upon the errand he was-and he sa
re peeping at him through the leaves tu
eyes black With mischievous fuo an
sparkle, two round dimpled arms, owe
flowing still with roses, and ooisipg. then
selves to repeat the pretty iHaiotion whc
l had just SO shocked him.
( The child started little at sight
his face, and dropped her roses, sayin
in voice as sweet as the laugh ha
r been:
81 AMI sory-I7thought it was papa
Vance Whitney glzed at the prett
creature like a man in trance. Sue
denly he turned, and swiftly rctraced h
steps to the library, in which 'Ernn.
EVermont still sat, his head bowed to II
table in the extremity Of his dispair.-
Vance paused in the doorway and locke
at him.
"Erneat," he said, "there is one cor
dition upon which 1 will forgive thi
wrong, aud that other deeper one you di
n me long ago. Gal
Eyermnnt l1oked nm In half deIar;ou