Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-11-30

Hollis face he judged it best for his
sake that she should come. Since he
chose to hear from her own mouth
what he had refused to believe from
his friends, he should do SO.
She came quickly to the sound of
the loved voice and glided into the
room, looking like an angel Of peace
between two evil spirits. She stop
ped short as she caught sight Of Asst
ley's face all drawn and set With the
effort to suppress his emotion, and she
threw her arms round his neck with a
cry of love and terror.
But he unwound her arms and for
the first time drew her back from her
embrace.
Mary, my love'-Holt's eyes fash,
ed fire at the tender words and tones
tell Mr.. Holt if you remember any
thing in your life before ydl awoke
from your trance in this houe 2
4 do not she said, | remember moth
ing. l have said it so many lines
Swear it, cried Holt.
4 swear it, she said, by ny hus-
band, Richard Ashley
Poor Holt! He threw himself at
her feet, clasping her knees and cry
ing passionately:
'Oh, Edith! have you forgotten me,
your husband, David Holt? Oh, my
darling, you must remembe' me, and
how happy we were for hat short
two years ?
But she broke from his grasp, and
threw herself into Astley's arms, cry
ing out:
Send him away! What does he
mean? Send him awayr She vas pale
and trembling with terror
Let her go ! shouted Holt, or by
The oath was interrupted Ey Asst.
ley.
Holt, God knows Will try to do
what is right, and for her sake | ask
you to be calm He PLACED her in a
chair, where she sat weeping for very
fright, and went on:
You shall say all you eau to bring
the past to her memory, and if she
can remember in the fainhst degree |
will give up my claim to Jours. But
if she does not-oh, Holt, / saved her
lifeP The struggle was an awful one,
and shook him as the Wild shakes a
reed.
you tell her., said Hot, bitterly +;
perhaps she will believe waat YOU say.
At any rate she will listen toitr
1t was hard to begin the cruel task ;
yet for her sake he undertook it, his
voice trembling. though he tried with
all his will to steady it.
Mary, love, listen. You know that
you must have lived twenty years be-
fore you were brought here that night.
4 do not know, she said i cannot
remember
But it mus have been 50, you were
a woman then
4 cannot understand, she replied.
4 have no recollection ofanything be-
fore that time
Ashley turned to Holt with a look
Of agony. You see hoy it is; let
US end this torture
Give me back my wifi ? said Holt
fercely.
You will not take ler,' Ashley
cried, as the thought of loing so ag-
ainst her will struck himfor the first
time.
She is mine said Hol. Go on
tell her the whole story. If she does
not understand it, she will believe it
when you tell it to her. The sneer
with which the words we're spoken
was cruel one, but misery had made
him cruel, and he scarcel knew what
he said or did.
And Ashley told her al in a few
words. She looked bewldered.
1t must be true, if you say so, but
l cannot recollect; and tb, Ashley,
love only you
She must come with ne shouted
Holt, savagely. The demon had got
the better Of him, and the poor wretch
mad with jealous pain, spoke bitter
and unjust words, that mide the ter
rifed woman cling more closely tc
Ashley for protection.
The scene must be ented for hel
sake and Ashley besousht Holt tC
leave them till next day, when, if they
could but decide upon whit was right
it should he done. For her sake, too
he condcscended to plead with tht
frantic man; and seeing that Mar
had tainted in his arms. he laid hel
down, and led Holt from the room
that the sight of her might no longe,
madden him. His rage oied out from
simple exhaustion, and throwing him
self into a chair he wept like child
Ashley reused himself. Holt, be
man. This is an awful tragedy;
wish to heaven | had died rather tha
played my part in it. There are no
upon the earth two men so broken
hearted as you and |. Let US accep
what is inevitable. but let us spar
what anguish we can to that unhapp
woman. Leave me now, and tomol
row | will see you again.
Holt rose passively. You are NJ
bier than |, he said as he turned t
go.
| 1t seemed to Ashley that his grit
! was but beginning when he tried t
explain the whole thing clearly t
Mary. The torture of putting it int
words was so intense that all befol
: was nothing compared with it, whe
| at length she comprehended, and as
ed him if he wished her to leave hin
even that agony seemed slight Co
| trasted to what he endured in tellir
7 her that he believed she ought to
so.
, Loving as she was, she could N
comprehend the sacrifice to dut
y which Ashley was striving to max
and her thorough ignorance of ii
J, world rendered it impossible to NAL
| her understand what her positic
e would be if she remained where
was. And yet this was a case
Ashley tried to persuade himself
/ extraordinary, SO different from an