The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-05-14

when her husband joined her.
But day by day he watched the sweet face
grow palcr apd the slight figure more frail.
One day he came to her with an open letter IN
his hand, happy tight in his face
/ "ilarold has written me, darling-thc friend
whom | had told you | love so well-he is
conf ing To- visit me. Hc will be here TO morrow"
"Harold," she gasped, and her tace grew
1 CHASTITY.
He threw his arms about her, fearing she
would faint.
4 you know HIM o. he asked, in surprise.
mo, no." she trcmblingly answered u
was FAINT for moment. That is all. | am
glad for you will be ready to reccl7e your
| friend"
"Iarold," she murmured to herself, when
alone again. Am | so weak that the simple
uttcrancc of the old name thus moves me?
AS though there were not thousand llarolds
In this great world. Oh heaven, thou wilt
grant my prayer Thou wilt never let me see
his face again"
The next afternoon Lillian was alone among
the trees, when suddenly she heard the sound
of voices. 1t was her husband speaking.
you will think her beautiful, Harold She
shall be to you sister. OF you | will not be
jealous"
u The next moment a turn in the path brought
the two men to view. One instant her glance
rested on them both then she sprang to her
tect pressing both hands to heart, awaited their
lapproach in silence her face colorlcss as her
dress, her figure swaying a. the lily.bel on its
stem.
"Harold, my Wife" said Sir Hubert, then
,,lookcd from one to the other III amaze.
The young man made no motion to out
stretch his hand. He bowed low. Lillian
neither stirred nor spoke.
Il you have met before!" Sir Hubert said:
hat, Tod IIarn
Courtney.
Lillian still spoke no word. Once she pass.
ed her hand across her eyes, as if blinded;
then turned and walked swiftly toward the
house The two men, left alone, looked in
each others eyes.
What does It all mean ?" asked Sir Hubert,
and his question was both stern and pleading.
i ASK your wife" answered his friend.
"Only bid me goodbye, and let me leave your
rect
Wait until Tomorrow" replied the host
l"Lllian has never deceived me-she will not
do so now"
But Just then came the summons for dinner.
The young mistress, pleading sudden indispo
sition, begged to be excused. The two men
sat down IN silence 1t was wretched meal,
and an evening yet more Wretched.
At an early hour SIR Hubert conducted his
guest To the rooms apportioned to him, ana
} withdrew to his own. Restlcssly he paced
=, their length tor half an hour when he resov
ed to seek his wife and have the mystery ex
/, planned. She might not love him, but at least
she had no cause to fear him; she would with
hold nothing
In slippered feet he crossed the corridor
} His way led him past Lilian's boudoir; the
door was half open; within he heard voices
} His very blood froZe in his veins; it was his
wife speaking.
I He stood rooted to the spot.
Harold, you must 60 at once-at once"
"How dare you tell me what l must dol"
J answered the man; you who have wrecked
| my lfcy 1t was for you toiled to amass the
wretched fortune | now loathe. The death Of
an uncle gave me success sooner than had
hoped. | thought but OF you by day, by
night. Wild with happiness, ! returned to
clam you-to learn what? That you had
married and gone. Desperate, did not even
, ask the name of the man who had bought you,
until today came here to find him my friend.
' Oh, Lillian many murderess has less stain
on her soul than you"
2 Harold, spare me! spare me. They forced
me into it. They knew loved you--my moth
. er! my husband! She told him, but still they
; wished that should marry him. What could
( | dog prayed for Heaven to help me- but no
, help came. l called your name all through
the DlRuI, WI you WOulu uot huSWcI
The man listening outside the door leaned
against the portal with groan but within,
wrapped IN their own misery, neither heard
Lillian, you love me still, then9 Oh, my
: little love. must lose you forever?''
"IIush-hush! Oh, If lived to be an old
woman, could not repay him. Tomorrow |
will tell him all, after you have gone; for you
must go IN the early morning, dear, before any
one Is up. Then | will say, Il promised to
do my duty, Hubert. l have done it. l am
sorry that the Harold loved was your friend
but he has gone now, and must try to make
up to you his loss and by and by, if you will
nave patience still, will learn to love you,
husband-not as l loved HIM, perhaps, but
with better love- You will 90, Harold ?
You see am not strong | have made you
suffer, but you can see that have suffered too.
In the old days you never said me nay. You
will not say 1t now?'
$50 to your sleep content, little one. You
will see me never again. But, Lillian, | shall
be hungry for many years. Hubert said you
should be to me as sister. win you not give
me a sisters kiss"
She stood still. He stopped, and on each
Iquiverng cyelid pressed his burning lips.
Then he almost rushed from the room, but the
silent figure, an instant since on its threshold,
had fled.
! The next morning Harold Courtney had
gone; but when Lillian stole to her husband S
side he hushed the first words on her lips.
r II know, child know" he said.
She thought he meant that her mother and
= Harold had told HIM. Somehow change
had come over Lilian's life. Her husband no
longer caressed and fondled her. Every luxu-
ry, every wish was hers to command, but his
kiss no longer fell on her lips and though
ever ready to so with her wheresoever she de-
sired, he never intruded upon her privacy
!, Then, too, her old fear of strangers had dis
| appeared. The one face for which she had
sought had come and gone, 1t no longer
, haunted her dreams, either waking or sleeping.
Sometimes she would softly breathe the old
name, but her voice did not trcmble, nor her