The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-03-29

her living husband-the man whom
for two years she had mourned a,
dead.
He came forward at last, closing
the door behind him, and advancing
with feeble, tottering steps, towarc
her.
Speak to me" he said. "Give me
one word Of welcome, one word O.
forgivenessn
She opened her lips then, but nc
sound came.
"I-I know" he went on. aYou
need not tell me. You we're to have
been married. 1t would have been
a crime. But for this, l would NOT
have come. I would still have lei
you give credence to my death. oh,
Sydney win you not believe me when
Iswear to you that, both for your
sake and my own, I wish to God
were!"
The utter misery ofhis tone brought
her own desolate anguish more fully
before her. With a low cry, she bur.
led her face in her hands. The letter
she held fell from them. Still she
heard her husband speaking as
though from afar of.
Courage, sydney!" be said. "You
will only need patience, dear. Look
at me! 1t is not hard to see that
am doomed man. I have never re.
covered from the wound l received in
the ARRAY in which they reported me
to have been killed. Dissipation
helped the work along-though since
that night, Sydney, no drop of liquor
has touched my lips. When man
stands so close to death that he recog-
nizes his icy breath, he sees things
with new clearness. During my long
and desperate illness, l thought Of
you with a longing you can never
dream Of, but l dared not send for
you. l felt that all my right was for
feited. Nor will trouble you now.
When am dead, you shall learn Of
your freedom. Until that time, you
will hear of or from me never again. !"
He stopped as he finished. She
knew that he lifted up the material
of her dress and pressed it a moment
to his lips.
Slowly and falteringly he again
crossed the room. His hand was on
the knob of the door, when she broke
the spell that bound her, and rose up
to her feet.
"Stay, Harold" she said. "Your
place is here. 1t was you who de.
serted me. You shall not say that /
deserted you"
He staggered against the wall.
"0h, my God!" he cried; sis this an
angel or a woman who thus speaks to
me2"
'It is no angel" she answered;
"only a woman, striving to do the
duty so plainly marked before her"
But the strength that had upheld
him in his hopelessness now failed
him. With great cry, he cast him.
self down at her feet, striving in vain
to check the sobs which so cruelty
rent him.
Very gently she soothed him. She
had no time to realize her own misery,
until, at last, she left him, quiet and
sleeping, in a room beneath her roof.
How the night passed, she never
knew. With locked hands clasped
before her, she sat watching the dawn
break, conscious neither Of heat nor
cold, of day nor darkness, until, al 8
o'clock, her maid brought a cup of
coffee to her door. The servants had
been apprised Of the masters return
the night before. She took the coffee
now and drank it.
"When Mr.. Winston comes" she
said, "admit him yourself, Marie, and
bring him Immediately here to me-"
An hour later, her door opened.
"Not dressed, my darlingl" cried a
happy voice. Sydney, in Gods
name what has happened2"
For he saw now the white, haggard
face, upraised so piteously to his.
With marvellous strength and calm
she told him all. He listened silent.
ly until she had quite finished, and
then, with one bound, he had gather.
ed her to his arms.