The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-07-28
him: and. in low, broken accents, he


him: and, in low, broken accents, he
continued:
..From the moment of.my ruin, Eli
nor, felt and knew that you were for
ever lost to me. l could bear this; /
did not think my life would be long
one; it had been hitherto lit by no star
of hope. shone upon by no sunlight OF
love. Togue la galere! Let it 60 on
its own dark way to the end. l say, l
could bear this, but could not bear the
thought of your contempt; your aver
sion; that was too bitter. l could not
come to you, and say: i love you; l
have always loved you; l love you as l
never before loved, as never hoped to
love; but am swindler and a cheat,
and you can never be mine! No, Eli
nor, 1 could not do this; and yet you
were on the eve of coming of age. Some
step must be taken. and the only thing
that could save me from this alternative
was the generosity of Henry Dalton.
81 had heard a great deal of your
uncle's adopted son, and had met him
very often at Arden; l knew him to be
as noble and true-hearted a man as ever
breathed the breath of human life. I
determined, therefore, to throw myself
upon his generosity, and to reveal all.
He will despise me, but / can bear his
contempt better than the scorn of the
woman 1 loved 1 said this to myself.
and one night-the night after Henry
Dalton had first seen you. and had been
deeply fascinated with the radiant
beauty of my lovely ward. that very
night after the day on which you came
of age-I took Henry Dalton into my
chambers in Verulam Buildings, and,
after binding him with an oath of the
most implicit secrecy. I told him all.
"You now understand the cruel posi-
ton in which Henry Dalton was placed.
The fortune which he was supposed to
possess on marrying you, never existed.
You were penniless, except, indeed, for
the hundred year coming to you from
your mothers property. His solemn
oath forbade him to reveal this to you;
and for three years he endured your
contempt, and was silent. Judge now
of the wrong l have done him! Judge
now the noble heart which you have
trampled upon and torturedr'
VII, 11OldCC. dCCs "udt
this money has brought upon u.s."
"No, Ellinor. What misery one de-
Walton from the straight line of honor
has brought upon us! Ellinor. dearest,
only beloved, can you forgive the man
who has so truly loved, yet so deeply in
jured you?"
Forgive your
She rose from her knees, and smooth
ing the thick. dark hair from his white
forehead, with tender, plying hands,
looked him full in the face.
Horace" she said, "when, long
ago, you thought 1 loved you, you read
my heart Alright; but the depth and
truth of that love you could never read.
Now, now that am the wife of anoth-
er, another to whom owe SO very much
affection in reparation of the wrong I
have done him, l dare tell you without
a thought which is a sin against him,
how much l loved you-and you ask me
if l can forgive. As freely as l would
have resigned this money for your sake,
can forgive you for the loss of it. This
confession has set all right. will be a
good wife to Henry Dalton, and you and
he may be sincere friends yet"
"What, Ellinor, do you think that,
did l not know myself to be dying. 1
could have made this confession? No,
you see me now under the influence of
stimulants which give me false
strength: of excitement, which is strong
enough to master even death. To-mor-
row night, Ellinor, the doctors tell me.
how x,,;l1 1Nnpov hn -, th;,
world weak, vacillating, dishonorable
wretch called Horace Margrave."
He stretched out his attenuated hands,
drew her towards him, and imprinted
one kiss upon her forehead.
''The first and the last, Ellinor," he
said. "Good-by."
His face changed to deadlier white
than before. and he fell back, fainting.
The physician. peeping in at the half
open door, beckoned to Ellinor.
''You must leave him at once, my
dear madame" he said. Had 1 not
seen the sreadfully disturbed state Of
his mind, should never have permitted
this interview"
'Oh, monsieur, tell me, can you save
himp"
''Only by a miracle, madame. A
miracle far beyond medical skill"
''You yourself, then, have no hopep"
'.Not a shadow of hope.''
She bowed her head. The physician
took her hand in his, and pressed it with
fatherly tenderness, looking at her
earnestly and mournfully.
'.Send for me tomorrow" she said,
imploringly.
'Your presence can only endanger
him, madame; but 1 will send you It'd
ings of his state. Adieur'
The following morning, as she was
seated in her own apartment, she was
once more summoned into the drawing
room.
The Sister of Mercy was there, talking
to her aunt. They both looked grave
and thoughtful, and glanced anxiOusly
at Ellinor, as she entered the room.
"He is worse?" said Ellinor to the
Sister, before word had been spoken.
''Unhappily, yes. Madame, he is
''Oh, do not tell me any more! For
PHYS saker' she exclaimed. $50
young, so gifted, SO admired; and it
was in this very room we passed such
happy hours together years ago"
She walked with fearless eyes to the
window, and. leaning her head against
tho rrl,,- loal-ol 1or-,, ;r%o ka