The Red Cloud chief., 1883-05-18

earnest roman
MY uncle. Edward Earle. had mr.
cured me the friendship % If th. LADY,
IN whose hou-e ] had passed q twelve
month-Mrs- Lucisn Granger. . distant
cousin Of his own Wa an u~nsai.ri~d
governes- or companion. our reruots
cousInship bring always made available
pf my uncle. IL was during INV resi-
denee with tha; lady that my fate came
to me. A young nephew II Mr.. Gran
gers came 20 the hall He was an ar
tisf- young and handsome. and fresh
from a four YEAR. sojourn In Rome.
need not weary YOU with the PRO-
iesue or the epilogne II our love. for
words are 40 poor To express III. hearts
utieranee- q golden days. o tender.
passionate nights. o princeiy heart.
coine back To me,
Alan Leighton vas the las, -yn Of a
high-born family. and beear-e of the
blue biood-the united blood If all the
ffowards-fiOwing in his veins. Mr..
1ranger Interpo-ed her fiat against our
love. dreading. doubtless. the plet,ian
adrnixfur. If mine.
IL j. n pity that blood does not always
Tell IL was an ~inglorious triumph 10
me-yet still n triumph-to bare NV
white arms 10 the shoulder during our
gala nights-tO which ms voice uas al
Ways insited-contrasiing their sstiny
smoothness and perfect contour with the
lean, brown appcndagsS Mr.. Granger
folded over her aristocratic heart.
But n cloud crepi into the sky. aud
ifs shadow fell across our path.
Alan was called suddenly by Telegram
To England. where his grand old father
lay diving. We had but n moment for
our farewell-. for Alan's heart wa rent
wlth sorrow. and ! helped to expedite
his departure.
But one letter ever reached me. His
father was dead. and he was Sir Alan
now.
VI PEErIors HELES: Ny father. whom I
loved and respected above all men. died y.-
frrfsy. need nu; tell you bow ds-solais We
81 every nook and corner. Ny dear mother y
Frustrated sith the blow which has taken
axay the lover OF her youth. and ! shall not
te able To return Ia you for some weeks. An
nounce our ts;rothai. dearest. 20 ms aunt and
uncle. which. you know. wa- ms Intention the
very night ] Wa called away. le true To me.
my deriing Helen. a. ! shall be true to you.
sooFnfght, dear love. ] shall write al kength
a. -pOn a. ms mother and I havr uafur-d our
plans for her lon.iy future. Goodnight good
night May angels guide you. and may the
good Father fold about you His everlasting
arms. Your friend and lover.
ALAN LEgGHToS."
Two wears had dragged their slow
length along since that letter came. AMI
i had neye heard from Alan. though
craving his presence a. the prisoner
Graves the sunshine. / had written him
once, and | had regretted that. HE
was soon TO be- welded "a an Earls
handsome daughter" Mrs. Granger
read aloud from ~ open letter in her
hand; I'm fact. il WAS an old affair.
prior To his visit To the hall. etc. etc.
How | regretted / had writtrn.i though
the words had been few. merely asking
If he had been enabled To procure me a
certain book We had made mention Of
together. and the time was more than a
year ago when | had the right thus Ia
address him. And now. o pitiful
Christ: another woman WAS 10 toe his
wife. and now ! must never think of
the old DAYS, or the old dreams. or look
into his dark ewes. or feel his kisses
upon my unkissed lips. Never. and |
might live fifty years.
And o the pity Of IL. out Of all this
worlds million possibilities | had only
the chance of two-either 10 we'd Rcgi-
maid Dacre. a man old enough Ia be- my
father, or Ia be- a companion Ia some
naughty III | had decided upon
accepting Mr.. Dacre. The tiny note of
barely two lines | had placed between
the leaves of a book il was his nightly
custom Ia read.
But Alan, but Alan. | had thought
him 81 true. - noble. ! had called him
'-my prince" INV king" alone in the
warm dusk under the stars.
II viii not soil thy purple with NV
dust" | had whispered in my heart.
Nor breathe my poison on thy Venice
glass | went down To the
sea & listen Ia It's snlleu roar: hear IL
tell It's tale of human misery: If fair
faces dead under its waves; Of gold and
jewels living IN green beds of moss; Of
argosie> gone down. the wall of human
misery their requiem. | tried to ~
member all this. 50 that mine might not
seem such 4 great thing amid a world If
sobbing and tears. 1t was agood thing
To think of the suiferings IF others. and
try To ignore your own; a good thing.
But, my misery, the misery of the Girl
called Helen Preston.
This Girl was somewhat IF a genius.
the people said She possessed the gift
of song and she MAS handsome. too.
men said. And she had two chances in
the world. and If she had had money
enough To have utilized her gift If sons
she might have had three.
But She had smirched her soul. for ali
h,r hao.t.r- .nf .r.fs-- Ill -, I'll q.
herself. TO God and humanity; false.
too. tn Reginald Dacre. for she kept her
love for Alan locked in her heart.
II have sold my soul for houses and
lands" she said. and | am wretched.
Mea culpa. Mea culpa,'
Il have sold myself with open eyes,
she said. knowingly. with malice pre-
pen>e. i have no one la blame. That
Alan forgot his VOWS did not make il
right that l should forswear myself" !
But the sea, with it, fuss and fret,
made my heart ache. and the turbulen,
water seemed wooing me thiiherward.
The chimes of our quaint old church.
PLAYING an old song. caused a choke in
my throat. i would go and invoke
grand airs from the organ. and mayhap
1 should forget the seas oar.
Ii WAS nv wont Ia 90 there to prae-
tice. and l knew the service would not
be held for q half hour. The lights
were turned down TO n semi-darkness.
and the old sexton. with whom | was n
favorite. had left the key in the door
for me. The moon shone across the
organ keys and across my face: and the
trailing folds Of my white dress hooked
almost CHASTITY in ITS light. o quaint
old church, o quaint old chimes, Too
soon | would be far away from YOU.
over the sea To my suitor's lordly home.
carrying with me a heavier heart than
my wears should warrant.
But il was too late To look back: and
the fault vas mine. had ruined my