Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1882-04-29
He staggered against the wall.

ut Is no angel, she answered on
ly woman striving to do her duty SO
plainly marked before her"
But the strength which had upheld
him in his hopelessness now failed
him, With a great cry he cast him
self down at her feet, striving in vain
to catch the sobs which so cruelty
rent him.
Very gently she soothed him. She
had no time torealize her own misery,
until at last she left him quiet and
sleeping, in a room beneath her feet.
How the night had passed she new
er knew. With locked hands clasped
before her she sat watching the dawn
break-conciou neither of heat MOI
cold, of day nor darkness, until at 8
o'clock her maid brought a cup of
coffee to her door. The servants had
been spprised of the masters return
the night before. She took the cof-
fee now and drank it.
when Mr.. Winston comes" she
said, "admit him yourself, Maria, and
bring him Immediately here to me-"
An hour later the door opened.
"Not dressed, my darling !" cried
happy voice. "sidney, in Gods name
what has happened?"
With marvellous strength and calm
she told him all. He listened silently
until she had finished, and then,
with one bound, he had gathered her
to his arms.
"What is this man to you, that he
should take you from me? You are
mine-mine l never will forego my
claim !"
At the old tender masterfulness of
his tones, her womanhood reasserted
itself. She bowed her head upon his
breast and burst into a passion of
sobs.
my love-my own |" he whispered
"This is but chimera of the dark
ness. Our wedding day has dawned,
you are mine Oh, my darling,
come to me !"
But now she lifted up her face.
HE is my husband, George" she
said. "My duty lies with him. Now
leave me l can bear no more. You,
who have always said you loved best
in me my womanhood, my purity
you would not tempt me to sin? No
dear. Leave me and forget me.
You are yourg-you have but to look
for happiness and find it,"
"No, Sydney. cannot resist your
words you bid me go, and I obey you.
But first, love, exact promise, when
you are free, send me word. l will
leave an address where a letter
will always reach me. 1 must put
the ocean between us-I could
not stay around here and prove
obedient else; but, my own, never
will renounce my claim-and be it
one year or ten, or twenty, one line
will bring me to your side, to leave
it never again"
Then, with a thousand mad kisses,
he sealed the promise he had exacted,
and went out from her, believing
earth held no such wretched man as
he.
Five years had passed-fve years
to Sydney Reed of faithful, devoted
duty-fve years during which her
love and Gale alone fostered the
feeble spark of life in Harold Reeds
remorseful heart, and then he laid
the heavy burden down, and with
his last words murmurs of grateful
love and blessing, the tired eyes
closed, shutting out forevermore the
vision which all these years had been
their light and glsdness.
She had had no word from George
all this time. He had dept his prom
ise faithfully. For a year longer, che,
too, would be silent, and then-ah
then she would send for him. Once
more she would look into, his face
once more listen to his voice.
They might be friends only, but
would friendship eer before have been
SO sweet? The love she long repres-
sed as sin still held sway. 1t had
burst its fetters and had renewed its
strength. When the time came for
her to write the letter she knew not
how to word it, though every day
for months she had fancied the hour
when she should pen it. But at last
she wrote these simple words:
"Come to me, George, You will not
| ,. ,onro,to, ,,,s and TT have lived hut