Nebraska advertiser., 1876-10-19
"They cannot, answered wieland

"Then / have sinned against you
beyond all forgiveness ?"
"No; 1t is not on my own account,
but on yours, that say it is impossi-
BILE. Your birth would preclude it,"
"Let that be no STUN bling block, I"
exclaimed Charles. ~ have no proofs
that Mrs. Blakely was my mother
only differences drawn from circum-
stances and the story of a by no means
| trustworthy person. l will renounce
alIw He paused suddenly, mo; 1
dare not promise that !'he exclaimed,
despondingly. "I have sworn to
track the murderer, and 1 must do
my best to keep my oath!"
"You have taken a rash oath.
young man." said Wieland shudder-
ing lone which can bring naught
but affiiction upon you"
"I know it-I feel itr' was the
gloomy answer.
For a moment there was silence,
then Wieland spoke.
HAS, then, the love of your boy
hood survived ell the changes and
years you have passed through ?"
Survived !" cried Charles, impetu-
ously. "No; the love of my boyhood
has not survived. 1t is long since
dead, and another love-the love of a
man-has risen out of its ashes! A
love that fires my whole heart and
can never die while that heart beats !!
Oh, tell me is there no way you can
show me by which / can destroy these
mysterious barriers ?''
Wieland's face was buried in his
hands, and the tears were dropping
from between his fingers.
Heaven knows" be said, pressing
the young mans hand, "that there is
no man to whom would so readily
confide my darliDg's happiness as to
you. proved that in the years gone
10y, and more than ever would 1 do
30 now; for what nobler husband
could find for her than a soldier of
liberty? But it cannot be. 1t does
not wiring your heart more to hear
those words than it does mine to
speak them T; for the world could af-
ford me no happiness so great as to
see two such noble souls united; but
with such suspicion upon me-"
"But L have no suspicion, IswearI
cried the young man.
Have you been told the whole
story of the mysterious deed ?"
81 have" answered Charles, un-
willingly.
"Then you must know that all the
world believed me guilty that were
you now to go to a magistrate, and
certify my existence and whereabouts
warrant would be issued for my ar
rest?"
"Suppose 1 were able, at some fu-
ture time, to discover of myself proofs
that you are innocent?"
LET the secret rest in, the grave"
answered Wieland solemnly; "for its
knowledge can only bring you unut-
cradle misery. Hush! Blanche and
Kaufman are returning; remember,
they know nothing" he said.
"And you can give me no hope ?
Remember, the happiness or misery
of my whole life depends upon your
answer"
II can only repeat what said be-
FORE" replied the old man, In voice
scarcely less heart-broken than that
of his interrogation.
AS the young man rose from his
knees, Kaufman and Blanche, after
first knocking, entered the room. He
turned to go away, without uttering
another word; but the sight of the
pale, beautiful face that he so adored
once more aroused his passionate ma
ture-he could not leave her without
a word.
Blanche" be said, in voice full
Of tears, 'this may be the last time
we shall ever meet upon earth for
years, the dream of my life has been
to return to England to find your
heart still mine, and to make you my
wife. 1 ought not to tell you this
now when your father has told me
that my dream can never be realized.
ought not TO ask you if any remnant
of the old love still clipgs about your
heart; but although it can make no
difference In our fates, it would be to
me melancholy happiness to know
that it was So"
Blanche dared not trust herself to
speak.
II will answer for her ~ replied her
father, the warm blood mounting in
10 his face. "Blanche's nature, like
your own, is too noble not to be con-
slant. To once love with her is to
owe for ever ~
"God bless you for those words ="
'ried Charles, graspiBg his hand and
kissing it; sit is consolation to me,
n all my misery, to know that my
ove-dream has not been a mere phan-
self-delusion :" /,
Once more he turned to leave the ,
DOM, when, by sudden impulse, he
lasped the trembling, weeping girl
d his arms, strained her to his heart,
nd imprinting one long kiss upon :
Ter white, unresisting lips, rushed ;
rom the reom.
CHAPTER V.