Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-10-30

let the crushed paper fall, and she sat
staring straight before her with a look
of such blank despair as | hope never
to see again in any human face.
"What is the writer Of that letter
to you?" I cried, with pang of keen,
though underlined jealousy.
"He was-he is-my husband" she
said, slowly, as if every word was a
weight dragged from her. Then,
with sudden, feverish haste. "You
did not expect to find me an impostor
But remember, I warned you {! All,
you are silent You would not drink
that pledge to friendship now ?"
"Not to friendship" broke in,
reused out of my stupor, "but to love !
Why should a man you hate stand
between you and.
"stop, Mr.. Deuvea," she interposed
gravely, "stop, before speaking any
wordto destroy the single pleasant mem
ory of all my later years. Do l look
like woman" she continued, lifting
her head proudly, to "to sacrifice hon
Or to happiness Have I ever given
you glance OF a tone that could let
you think that ?"
NO." said I, bitterly, lyon have
been prudence itself 1t is so easy to
be prudent when one is cold so easy
to say-Go, for I do not love you |"
There was moments silence and
then voice, her voice, but as | had
never heard it yet, spoke my name !;
"George," it said, softly, 81 do not
say-Go, for I do not love you but,
Go, because l love you Hush You
know me well enough to know that
means good by forever not one
word more, if you would have me
believe you worthy of my confession" "
She had known how to use an ap-
peal impossible to resist. | set my
teeth to keep back the struggling
words, while she continued, 81 count
on you to help instead of hindering
me. / feel too stunned, too bewilder-
ed to think clearly" She took up the
letter again, and looked at it as if some
sort Of conflict were going on in her
mind. "Nonsense she said, finally,
with bitter smile "such delicate
scruples are misplaced between hus-
hand and wife; 1 will respect your
confence as you would respect mine,
James Huntley.' And with that she
opened the letter again and read it
through deliberately.
81 have no time to lose" she cried,
when it was finished. "Tbat man,
Webster, has somehow discovered my
secret, and betrayed it toto him.
striking the paper. "tle will follow
his letter, he writes, at once--why.
good God !! he may be here, then,
at any time-this very day !
No, | have not an instant to spare
She stood up, and holding out both
her hands, looked long and earnestly
in my face Good by, George" she
said "wherever and whatever my life
may be, it will be the brighter for the
memory of you. God bless you, and
good-by forever y
"Not quite yet" pleaded. "You
will let me have one look, one word,
at the very last must, | will !"
She hesitated my face, perhaps.
warned her not to tax submission too
far. "You will promise me, then, to
make no attempt to change my resolu-
tion, or to keep any hold on me =? for
Heaven, that knows all have borne,
and all could not bear, in the old
life, Heaven is my witness, that |
would return to it sooner than-1 have
your word, then ?"
"You have my word" l answered,
perceiving by the determination in her
features. that any hesitation would be
worse than useless.
"Come again in an hour, and you
will find me ready, My preparations,
like nv friends are few" she said,
with another of those bitter smiles /;
and with that we separated.
walked through the streets like
one in a dream, seeing nothing before
me, nothing but what had left be-
hind-the woman l loved passionately,
and in one little hours time was to
lose forever But, with all the pas
sion and will that was in me, vowed
that | would not lose her thus. |
would fulfill the letter of my promise
to her l would not seek, by word or
act, to sway her from her conscience ;
but l would keep myself informed of
her movements, and contrive, some
how, sooner or later, to be near her F.;
l would wait for her till death, if need
were but let her pass wholly and
forever out of my life, l neither could
) nor would.
On reaching the railwoy station,
even my preoccupation became aware
of some unusual excitement. Ijoined
a knot of eager takers, and learned
that there had been an accident to a
passenger on one of the eastern trains
just in. The stranger, who, according
to the general testimony. had appear
| o1 to bo 4, a c;pr,,1or burp onJ nv