Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-12-18
Life for Life.

"You have sent for me, madam
The time and place are strangely chos-
en-, but 1 have obeyed your summons
and await your further commands"
A bright harvest moon shone full
upon Oscar Redcliff's face, as, with his
handsome head erect, his straight Young
figure drawn to its full heighth, he fas'
tened his keen dark eyes upon the
shrinking figure at his side.
At that moment. eleven strokes from
the village clock sounded on the still,
air. while in the distance, through the
trees, glimmered the light from Mad.
am Riviere's chateau.
Oscar" she said, in low, trembling
tones, "is it thus that you answer me !
Have you no word of pity for me? Or
lacking pity, not one of sympathy with
my misfortunes Do you not appre.
ciate all that l do and dare in meeting
you here tonight-my husbands jealous
anger, did he discover the truth-the
worlds uncompromising scorn? To
tell you ALTO have you think less
hardly of me, if may be-to explain to
you the mesh of circumstances which
were woven about me so that l could
not escape"
"Explanations are not necessary to
me, madam. Are you aware that
have broken an engagement with my
betrothed to obey your summons this
evening"
"Betrothed ?"-even in the moon
light the man saw the sudden pallor
which marked cheek and lip, as the
man at her side gasped out the word.-
"Betrothed !" she repeated, after a mo.
ment's pause. Cruel one Have you
then indeed 80 forgotten? Oh. shamel
oh humiliationl And | sent to you to
ask for you to forgive, when already
you had learned to forget"
Nay, madam; calm yourself! Par
TALLY to tell you this, acceeded so
readily to your commands. Surely, as
the Baroness de Riviere-do properly
pronounce the title?-the fact of my
forgiveness can weigh but little!'
"Oscar, hush DO not bury me un-
der the weight Of your scorn. | did
marry an old man for his gold, but it
was at my fathers bidding, and to save
him from dishonor. The name my
husband has given me l will ever hon
or. But I could not resist the tempta-
ton, when I heard that you had re-
turned after years absence, to your
home, to see you, look once more into
your face, and hear from your own lips
precious assurance of your forgiveness
1 should be glad for forgetfuness as
well, but I cannot-I canaot!'
The mans face softened as he look
ed. The downcast head of the woman
at his side was very beautiful. The
light frame shivered with excite
ment. He drew a step nearer, and
laid his hand upon her arm.
"Blanche.' he said-and as the old
familiar name fell from his lips, it
found an echo in his listeners heart
perhaps l have been too hard but the
memory of that far off time Is very
bitter, and if at last another woman's
smile has, in measure, wiped it out,
you should rejoice, rather than mur-
mur. may have Judged you harshly.
You must remember that had I fasten-
ed coffin-lid upon your beauty it
could not have been more utterly lost
to me. All, then, indeed, l should not
have felt it lost, but for time. AS it
is, it was for eternity"
"Ah, Oscar, l buried myself, my
heart, my happiness, on my wedding
day. Say you, too have felt pang !;
that you do not despise me for sending
for you to tell you this when already
you had given the vows sworn to me,
to another"
"They were hurled back at my feet,
thank God A hand, lovely as your
own, stopped and rescued them. For
her sweet sake, life once more grew
precious. Her image came to fill tho
vacant place your haunting presence
Knocked with its emptiness--a ghost, a
shadow-which tortured while I could
not clasp it. The sunshine of her smile
chased away the gloom Of the grave
within my heart. Yet tonight she has
missed me at her side, and have come
at your bidding. But it is growing
late. Let ME lead you to the entrance
Of the park and leave you"
True! | had forgotten how the mo-