The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-08-19
COL. LAKES REVENGE.

Leigh Lake. say innocent, because 1
had imagined it sport to him rs well as
to myself. He had the reputation of
being not only the handsomest man in
his regiment but the greatest firt, and
laughed when he had been presented to
me, and said, to myself, cit should in
! this case be diamond cut diamond"
Somehow my eyes had fallen under his
first admiring glanees, but l fortified my
self with the thought:
80 he always looks. 1t is the first
move in his attack"
I met glance with glance, smile with
smile, and pretty speech with saucy re-
tort or sentimental repartee, accordingly
as one or the other could be delivered
with more telling effect.
''Are you sincere7" he questioned, one
evening. "Answer me, frankly. If you
are not, tell me so now"
''In other words" answered, "throw
down my weapons, acknowledge my IN
armed condition, and smilingly invite you
to advance to victory"
"No," he said, sat your hands prefer
defeat You acknowledge, however, that
you hold weapons-in other words that
you wear q mask"
'.No," replied, 81 wear no mask. I
carry ho weapons. Be merciful, Col.
Lake"
He grew pale, and opened his lips as
if to speak; then hastily rising, and max
ing a brief adieu, he left me.
For the first time was a little fright
ened, little in doubt as to it's being
wholly a matter of amusement to him-a
little dubious as to how Roger would re-
gard my conduct in the matter, for Roger
played a very important part in my life
ever then, since-although 500 miles
away-Le had my promise that on his
return I would become his wife, and |
determined OF the colonel's next visit /
would turn the conversation into other
channels.
But had no opportunity to carry my
good intention into effect. His first act
when he entered the room next evening,
where l sat alone, was to cross directly
in front of me, then to stoop and take
both my hands into his.
"You asked me last night to be merci-
full" he began. "God help you if you
did not mean those words. They have
been ringing in my ears ever since
Child do You know-do you dream, how
love you? You have raised in me the
first passion of my life, though L am to
day thirty five years of age. What
little frail thing You are, and yet you
hold in these little hands a strong mans
destiny. Speak to me, love! Tell me that
my wife is here before mel"
La that moment my coquetry took
wings and fed away, and il its place
came dull realization OF what L had
done.
l strove to draw my hands from his
As well might tried to have dislodged
a stone imbedded for centuries in the
mountain side. My self possession for
sock me. In my fright blundered out
the worst possible thing [ could have
said
81 cannot DO that. l cannot be the
wife Of two men! thought you knew 1
was engaged"
\ look of steely, icy contempt flashed
into his eyes. He wrung my fingers an
instant until cried with the pain, then
threw them from him and folded his arms
across his breast.
You dare tell me this, " he said in low,
concentrated tones. "Answer me one
question. What mean, pitiful motive
has made you DO this thing2"
Il did not know you were in earnest,
l replied, remembering, as | spoke, how
hard had tried to make him so-though
never, In my innermost thoughts, TO this
extent-never, as the Great Father is my
judge, to blast his future, or to bring
about his mouth the white lines of agony
now drawn there.
Il thought, a moment ago" he answer
ed then, very slowly, "that in my life l
had no othe, prayer to make to heaven.
| make one now, and that is, that l may
live to see you suffer through your love
as You have dealt suffering to me through
mine"
His words soundedIike curse. They
filed the room and oppressed my very
soul with nameless dread and haunting
prescience of the future.
Shivering, I buried my face in my
hands. When I lifted it I was alone.-
Col. Lake had left me.
"When Roger comes home l Will tell
him all about it, whispered to myself.
But somehow, when three months later
Roger came. L had so much else to think
of, in the busy preparations for my mar
riage, and my sky was so blue that I
could not bear to risk upon it a single
cloud.
The colonel's words seemed very idle
now. As though any misery could grow
out Of the deep heart love Roger and 1
felt for each other! How small, how un-
worthy Of him and of myself, had been
my idle coquetries of the past. Never
mind. | had all my future to atone.
Then came my wedding day, when the
outer world gave ME its smiling benison,
in bright sunshine and balmy breezes.
Twas Rogers's now-his very own-and
could have defed the universe, in my
exquisite happiness.
Six months later my husband entered
our little sitting room, one morning,