The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-03-18

me, ST. Let go this moment! Ernest
ERNEST! where arc your Let 60, /
Say"
nard. in those deep, thrilling tones Of
his, II cannot-Indeed i cannot let you
90! Stay n moment-only one mo-
mentr'
How that rich voice rang in her ears!
Despite herself. it moved her strangely.
She had never heard 1t since that night
when they had parted. as she felt, for
ever.
Surely" she painted, breathiessIy, for
she still struggled to get free. surely you
will not DO guilty of holding me here by
forceP Release my hands at oncer'
mot yet" answered Bernard In great
agitation. "Not until you have heard
mo speak. I feel that have now at
least one frail hold upon happiness, and
I cling TO it as a drowning sailor might
70 . fragment Of q wreck. And my life,
what Is 1t now but q wreck. Maud
Maud. as you may one day have need
TO, for forgiveness yourself, let me
beg Of you to hear meI'r
S"Releass merp was ell she said
With = stifed groAn he obeyed hsr'
She was free.
But her arms dropped down to her
side; and after taking one hasty step
towards the door, she paused.
I At this instant the church bells ceaS.
ed with startling suddenness their clang4
ing peal. The hour of midnight had
almost come.
Trembling in every limb, with her
heart beating almost to ~suffocationI
anxious to flee. yet feeling it imposl
sible to move, she stood spell-bound, al
it seemed, by the solemn stiffness al
around.
maud" said Bernard. hrokenIy,
''the bells have done: they viii not rtsg
again till the New Year comes. TIE
duration of the old year may. now be
ireckoned by minutes-nay, seconds.
Surely this should be n time Cor me 70
invoke aIl the gentlest FEELINGS of your
naturci BY the love vou ones he'd Scr
me, do not, OH co not condemn me ~
another wear Of miser7 and woe. [ snl
here. an almost heart-hroken s~Gppiisnt,
and my sole reliance is on wcmnr's for
giving spirit. | have wrouged you
Maud; l confess to it with grief, with
shame. But how bitterly L have repent
ed Of That act of folly none can Know
except myseif-nonc except myself; for
could you guess how bitter, how sircers
has been my repentance, YOU would TT
least have pity for me, ii not forgiveness.
Do not leave me, Maud. do not crpsl
me with despair. Ere the New Year
comes e: me hear one word Of for
giveness only one and / will he coz
tent
Great us was the wrong this maj hSd
done her, Maud felt that the love which
all her efforts had been in vain to cast
out vas still dominant in her breast, and
urging her to crush down that resent
ment which she had thought she must
ever bear towards him.
Her brain whirled; she felt sick and
faint; and hen came the solemn strokes
Of the old church clock striking the hour
of twelve.
"In another moment" said Bernard,
at will be too late! Maud-Maudl For
give-forgiver'
One after the other came the strokes
upon the clock until the twelfth was
reached. and then for a few seconds,
which seemed like an age to those two
on the veranda, there was again that
impressive silence.
Maud put her hands to her throat
she felt choking. She tried to speak,
but not even a murmur issued from her
lips. Down on his knees sank Bernard;
with outstretched hand he grasped her
dress, and turned his anguished gaze
upon her. .
What did he seer Could it be realP A
mist came over his eyes, and then he
felt a trembling hand touch his,
while q voice in the faintest whisper
murmured:
Forgiven Yes-yes, Bernard! For
givenrS
AT last.'
With spring he was on his feet,
and pressing the loved one in those arms
which he had feared would never en-
circle her again. d.,
Then with a wild, mad peal the New
Years chimes rang out upon the frosty
air. Now low, then high, and anon
falling into a softer cadence, but speak
ing to Demands ears with joy inefIable.
And now Maud chung to him, while
she sobbed and cried with historical
violence. /
Thank you, darling" said Bernard
huskily. Thank you for those words.
This is indeed q happy New Year's-day
for mel Speak again, darlingl Tell me
once more that l am forgivenPn
"Forgivenr' sobbed Maud. '.For-
given freely; and what is more, the
past-the dreadful past, which even
now makes me shhdder to think about
it~that shall be wholly and absolutely
forgotten IS well as forgiven! I viii
never speak Of it-never allude to 1t in
any way. Promise me that no mention
Of that subject shall ever be made
again"
Heaven bless you, Maud! I fain
would speak; for II you knew all, you
would find some pity for mer' Il
mo. no-not n world Not onel We
have both suffered, but the suffering 10
,ver now"
"And you will trust me againP"
Absolutely and entirelyf l have al
ways felt that I could never do so, but
love conquers, and l know that you are
as dear to me as you ever werev'
Again and again did Bernard clasp
the generous woman to his heart, and
when she heard his VOWS, uttered with
an im~pressiveness that left no doubt of
their sincerity, she felt hat out of evil
cometh good.
And with a soft and gentle step Err
nest stole away unperceived, unheard.
He felt that he could not yet intrude
upon that scene of reconciliation and
trust renewed.
OnThirty Days Trial.
We will send DR.. Dyes Celebrated
Electro oltaic Belts and other Elec-