Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1872-06-29

q
Ease is laid before d jury, he will get
at least twenty years at hard labor.'
"Twenty years! Great Heaven
Death would be preferable!' y
Certainly. But in this humane
country men are not put to death tor
forgery Will you save him from his
prison doom I"
"Can you a.k I Only tell me how"
He caught both her hands in iiis.
"Be my wife! I love you as he
uever loved you! / have loved you
ever. aimee the hour when your father
put you q smiling babe, in my arms.
Promise to be my wife, and Lester Ar
mold Is safe!"
"Your wife I" she cried wildly 81
had rather die I" las ~ esa 'i4f
"As you like r he said, coldly; :"
will not urge you In two hours
shall have him. under arrest, and moth
ing can save him from the horrors of
the prisonl And, remember, that you
have placed him there"
She finng herself at his feel. She
implored him by all he held dear to
stay his cruel purpose. She wept and
pleaded with him as she wopld not
have pleaded for her own life. but he
was stone. -
Wild with grief and despair, she
rose At last and forced herself to be
calm, @ a'r A
81 accept yonr terms,s she said. 81
| have you have hated sOu always
shall never feel any differently to
wards you; but will save him-l viii
be your wifem
He caught her in his arms, ana
pressed kisses on her lips that burned
like fire. Her very soul turned sict
and faint with loathing, bnt thia wa
a par' of the price she was to pay. ant
>he iwit, ii AS best she cOnld.
SHE ma,le him swear to keep wha
he knew secret--she made him Civ
her the forged papers which wopl,
convict Lester Arpold, aud she burn
ed them before his eyes.
Then sbs wrote q note to Lester Al
mold. @ A
! ME-, ARvoLD-I have changes
my mind. In one week | am to "
eolue the wife Of George WOrtley.
ysu saDsult my wishes you will neye
let NE hook on Jour face agala..
ANNETTE RAYMOND"
4, Most men would have sought an e,
PLANTATION at once, 3ut not Lester A
. mold. He was proud as herself, an
/, accepted bis fate IN silence. III
n thoughts were hitter enough, and fd
| q tims Le was tempted to end it all b
. throwing himself into the river; but
fine opening was offered him to 60
California, and he started on the vei
, day whlch made Annette, Mrs. Wor
: FEY. 80 sas l,as taa2s
At Poplar Hall Mrs. Wortle
lreigned queen. She dressed a. .
other woman in all that region dres
ed her jewels were worth fOrtune'
her parties were the talk aud wond,
. of the city.
During the i've years that this far
. of lite went on, she had never v0lu
tarily touched her husband's hand
- she had never spoken to him In n
. tones but those Of the coolest forlna
:. ty, and when they brought him hor
to her one day, stricken down wi
!. paralysis. she never grew . sha
II palsr.
He died, hpt before he becat
;. speechless he made . confession to.
wife. He told her that the story
90 Arnolds forgery was all false-it "
:. a plot of his to win her for his wi
"A Arnold was an honest man in Cru
~ sight, and for five years she had be
u wretched dupe.
7, Even in his dying hours the m
seemed to take delight in contempt
os ing the success Of his schrmes, and
a remembering that he had blighted
* happiness Of her wboae love he '
no powerless to gain. But that, after
20 he had loved her as well as he '
~ capable of loving, was shown by
last words he ever spoke:
sr. Annette, kiss me once, and
that you forgive me-"
"a But she tnrned from him, and vi
an ont word or ges ure left th. room.
was but human, and to forgive