The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-03-05

But you won't forget 70 do that Halls
ever. eyer-wdl you, my Lover"
Never. until my voice forgets its
music! ! must pray God to still it for
ever, could my heart prove so false.
Something within me, Marguerite. con-
quers myself. II u -oPe springing
within my breast Will take your
money, little one . sacred debt. Wait
for me two years. fraulien; then / will
return. 10 give you richest payment. i
swear il. and I seal it with this kissi"
Hans had gone. and Marguerite was
left alone. She lived now in one little
room. high up many stairs-up which
she toiled wearily.
AT long distances apart. letters came.
Oh. how eagerly Marguerite spelled
them out! She slept with them under
her pillow by night. and they sank
and fell with every pulsation of her
heart by day.
Then there were weeks. aye. months.
when she heard nothing. and the child's
figure grew thin and her cheek grew pale.
But one evening. when she had al
most given up hope-when the great
dread lest Hans should be i'll. dying or
dead. remorselessly shadowed her path
way-the messengersssmiled . welcome.
But at last. when she broke tho seal,
something white and nuttering fell to
tho ground. She stopped TO pick il up.
What did il meanf 1t was q little
slip. with some figures In n corner.
They represented The exact amount she
had given Hans Bewildered. she turn
cd 70 the letter. Its words explained.
81 nav voa INV debt Think NV LITTLE
love. what 1t cost Us. yet / earned it,
Marguerite, on the very night of my
debut. l have sung. and the people
have listened. / looked about among
all the faces-on all the young and
beautiful women with their yes fixed
upon me-but nothing inspired me.
Then l thought Of you. and looking
straight into space 1 forgot them all.
darling. The flowers rained at my
feet. Great ladies tore the roses from
their breast; but / would have given
them all dearest. for one little. wild
blossom your hand had plucked. They
say | will be rich and famous l can
not tell-the world is tickle. The viii
lage banker will cash your order. But
you need not buy back the little home.
am coming for you soon, to bring you
TO a cage, better worthy of my noun
tain-bird."
Again and again Marguerite read and
re-read the precious words. Whai Car
ed she for the money! 1t had m@de
Hans great: /.
''Going back to your native village
you, who have the whole world
at your feet" sighed one of F~lorence's
most famous beauties. as she looked in
to the young singers eyes.
Six months had passed since he had
paid his debt to Marguerite, and still
he fingered. He had spent thrice that
amount, since then, ON a trinket 10 clasp
some fair lady's arm. Did he. in hold
ing it so lightly, forget that nee it had
been a girls all? Why, then. did the
sigh the lady uttered find n response 10
his own breastP
1T is duty which calls me-"
"Dutyr' she murmured. "Arc you
sure it is not mistaken duty? All your
life has changed, Herr Wcrter. II. in
It's early time, you pledged 1t TO some
rustic maiden. tLink-could she fill its
measure now?"
Tho be-rty's voice trembled. Ire
COO. ~softness of herfesh pressed lightly
against his Luz ming palm.
..And if i give he- up,'' he sud-
what tnenp You will be minoP'
But the Yes" she uttered was hush
cd by the madness Of his kisses.
. .
And Marguerite watched ard wa;tet
lie was coming; therefore he did n
write.
1t was tse second anniversary of thu
day that was to have celebrated their
wedding. whom tho gossips burst into
her room.
.'Ha, har' they said. "did we nst tel
- soa"pointing - they spoke to the
paper. which announced Tho betrothAl
OF Herr Wertcr and the greatest beauty
IN all florence.
leave me-" she said at last, when
.hd, looked to see what she would do.
II wish to be alone.
But one Of kinder heart, after soma
hours had passed. s.ole back into the
darkened room.
The child lay tossing In delirious few
- and tho physician, whom called.
shook his head.
The strain had been too great, he
said. She must die.
On the third day aftcr, as the watch
ers sat about the bed, q step sounded
IN the stairs. A man stained with the
lust Of travel, burst i~mpetuously into
the room.
"Margueriter' he exclaimed--"Mar-
.~ueritel" Then he storped. and gath
cred the import Of the ccao before
him. II did but fnlterr' he cried, faJ-
Ing on his knees by her bs&dAs
came back. my wild German daisy =
he'll you 90. Oh, Marguerite. Il il loss
I pay my debit"
Then. as though the voice mrst pezs-
hats the mists Of fever, the bius eyes
opened, q wonderful ecstatio Light n
their depths.
Hans" she whispered--sHansi for
| give me for the doubt which killed mas
And with the word-a dagger thrust
In his own remorseful hesrt-tAe spark
Of life hickered and wont cut:
Marguerite was dcadi She who haA
lived for him died for him. They found
tho paper no had sent her amongst her
letters.
Thus had he redeemed his debt! IAN
empty slip Of paper. worthless to all. to