The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1881-01-21

ner pfiueftnaue ner nlue tue lFesu
gaping wound.
"You are unjust, aunt,' she said,
speaking with an effort. !" Why
should you believe what gossip
saysin
Because it has extended its
voice 20 you-it says that you, too,
are under the spell of this mans
fascination. Many is the heart he
has broken, Clare-he shall not
break yours"
off what you say be true,' she
replied, defiantly, " it is already
broken; but will not believe it!
He loves me, and II love him y
ale has asked you to become
his wife n
The question cut like knife to
the girls quivering heart.
"No; not iu words. did not
even miss them, so sure was | of
his purpose. Why-why do you
come here to torment mep
"Because | would save you, aud
because he shall never know his
latest victim. Child, look! This
was sent me yesterday
Aud she placed sheet of paper
in the trembling hand.
1t was covered with the hand.
writing of him of whom they spoke,
and it was a passionate declaration
of his love for her to whom it was
addressed. There was ueither name
nor date, only his signature, bold
aud tree.
"Clare, you believe nowr
AYES, believe she answered
softly. "Leave me to myself"
The next day when Eben Furval
called, u daintily folded note was
put into his hand. Eagerly he tore
it open, to read these words:
81 must ask you not to see me
again. You are a better actor than
|. | have wearied of the farce.
Doubtless, with the world for your
audience, you can fnd some one
better fitted to play my part"
This was all. Thus had the child
striven to hide the wound from
which was pouring what she hoped
might be the life.current.
With O bitter curse, ending in q
groan, the man crushed the. paper
in his hand.
"Oh, God y he said beneath bis
breath. After all these years, is
this "a second time to be my re.
ward Is there no truth in wo-
mani' ..-=
Aud his soul echoed, "None J"
| But Glare had beeu halfchild,
halt.woman. Only yesterday her
eyes had looked with worshipful
light into his. There was some
mistake, some treachery. Hecould
not let her thus escape him. He
had been world.worn and weary
Her love had been like finding the
cooling spring in the arid desert.
| He would write to her aud beg
her to tell him if indeed she had
but played with him. 1t so, TO let
her silence answer; If not to bid
him to como to her.
His very soul seemed to pour 1t
self out upon the senseless sheet
The next day he himself saw 1t de
livered at her door. What he I'M
happily did not see were the hands
that received it.
"Itwill but make the child griev'
, more,n reasoned her aunt; and
, with the seal unbroken, laid it oil
the flames.
For what had Glare hoped as th
weary days went byi Had sh'
expected any answer to the poo
!, little note with which she ha'
t struggled to bolster up her pride
Paler aud waner she grew Al
her hope died. Truly sue wa
r under the spel!,n said her aunt
sadly; but her own lips were dumt
1 until the strain on brain aud hear
gave way and the name she ha
4 held SO long unspoken was breath
!, ed in every accent of love and dc
8 spair from the fever-parched lips
l. as she lay tossing in delirium.
Her aunt, good woman thoug
J. she was, could have cursed th
s names owner as she listened, shut
r deringly, to its repetition.
"My one poor little eve lamb
Q she would whisper; "why migl
d he not have spared you r
But one day when the whispt
o had spread abroad that Clara Wei
o ing was dying, man, haggard al
:. white, forced himself into her pre-
l. ence.
"a "Let me see herr he entreate
It Some spirit rose In the crushe
heart at sight of him.
IT "You would see your victim
d she questioned with scorn. " Wa
e until your work is complete-Ait wi
b not be long"
,r "If you have woman's so
Or within you, tell me what you mea
NY victim Do you know that OF
10 little month ago my dearest hoI
al was to make Clare my wife. A
10 heaven! But they tell me she
IN dying. Let me but see her once
n. Was the man speaking falsel,
Q. or had she, who had meant to sa'
n. the child, brought her to this pas
ve "Wait here,p she commando
Is. and hurried from the room.
n When she returned she carried
4 -l.aa :. q .so,xnr Il, hnv hand