The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-08-02

Ho WAS KnuneSS ana hospitality
combined to the man who professed to
be his friend.
His horses, and his home, and his
wife, we're always placed at Sartoris's
disposal, and before his very eyes the
two lived their life.
People saw and remarked upon it.
People said Egerton was as blind as
bat not to see the desperate Irritation
going on under his nose.
But, as usually is the case, no word
Of town-talk came to his ears, the in
jured husband or deserted wife gene
rally remains longest in actual ignor.
ance.
And then, as if the furies had added
their choicest benson upon Sartoris
and Marguerite, it 50 happened about
this time that Mr.. Egerton was obliged
to be absent from home several weeks.
And thenl
After he had gone, Marguerite suf-
fered awfully in her conscience, that,
faithful and true, had struggled up
from it's prostration and renewed it's
good word.
But Sartors had no such inward
monitor, and because his influence over
Marguerite was the strongest that had
ever been placed upon her, it was
hardly a matter of surprise that, when
in his sweetest and most persuasive
way he urged with her that their
only hope of happiness was in her CIV
ing her home, her husband, up, and
going with him.
After little, Marguerite consented.
And left her home, her beautiful
home, while the man who loved her
was away, loving and trusting her with
all his great good heart.
Well, she was wicked, but don't
judge her too harshly.
Had she been wholly depraved, her
conscience never would have given her
such ruthless twinges, and never, in
the very midst of her fairest dreams of
bliss, was there moment when she
was not in mortal fear and terror Of
the God she had thus dared, by her sin.
Then, Egerton came home, to learn
all about it.
Did he hate her?
Did he wish her evil, or burn for
revenge upon her for the wreck and
ruin she had worked in his life?
Perhaps you may not believe it. but
that night when he reached home and
sat down alone, he laid his head on the
arm of his chair and cried like child,
not for shame, not for anger, but be-
cause he loved her so.
And if Marguerite had come to his
door just then he would have snatched
her iii his arms, and begged her to be
merciful to him.
1t was a terrible experience for him
out in the world, and alone in his
empty house; but the weeks passed
away somehow, as they will pass
whether one suffers, or enjoys, and the
months rolled up into years-three of
them-just one year more than he had
enjoyed with the woman he loved 50
well.
Three yearsl
He had got into the new groove by
this time, and had learned to live his
life without her, when one stormy,
sobbing November night, she came to
the door and rung, and was shown in,
SO mutlled in her wells and wraps that
the servant did not recognize her.
Not pulse of his heart quickened as
he saw who she was.
He arose, and handed her chair.
"You are not angry, then, enough
to cast me out of your house?"
She threw aside her veil as she spoke,
in her sweet pathetic voice, that had
once been the most enchanting music
to him.
"I do not know why T should cast
you out.''
'I am not in the habit Of turning
chance comers from my doors.'
81 presume you wish to see me, or
you would not have taken the trouble
to CALL"
"Robert, Robertl" she cried out
agonizingly, "I would rather have you
strike me than speak to me like that
'"Tell me you despise me, hate me,
scorn me as deserve, as do myself,
anything rather than like that"
He looked at her--elegant, ladylike,
beautiful and young as the day he saw
her last, when she had been his wife.
There was a cold curious look in his
face, thoughtful, pitying, but oh, cold,
cold as ice.
81 don't understand the good taste
in your coming," he said at last, "but
if can be of any service to you l hope
/ may be.
care you in trouble, or is Mr.. Sar-
torisp"
| Not a faltering of the quiet, icily-
polite, thoughtful voice as he spoke the
name, but an awful deathly agony
spread over her face at the sound OF it,
and she rose to her feet, pale as dead
woman.
"Don't call his name in my hearngp'
"You know as well as l where he
| is.n
"I never have seen him since that
accursed day when l went with him
from here"
81 swear to you did not sin against
| I(nhocf. lint x,rIn ,.rc,,1I Hnl,