The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-05-02
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THE STORY. OF A SIN.
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BY HELEN Is. MATIiEIs.

and blessing in one. She had forgot
ten Frank, who stood at a litsle dis
lance, looking down on that half-hidden
face upon whose mouth smile mad
waxcd too holy
And left the lips praying.
Suddenly she looked up and saw him
standing apart-downcast, and paie,
but with so much nobility and bravery
in his face as i'll belitted The character
he just then filled.
Frank-whO had never lied to her
whom she had never known but as her
faithful friend and sweetheart-after
all these years to come back and stand
face to face with her thus.
She passed her hand across her brow,
looked at him, then away, then back
again, crying out from her very heart,
for her own happiness made ptiful,
"Oh, Frank-Frank-'
He knew all the question contained
i'll that cry, and stood Silent beneath it,
motionless rs u carven image OF de-
spair.
She had come close 10 him; he felt
as though he were wretch thrust out
into hell. and yet able to look up at the
star-lit skies of Heaven. as he slowly
lifted his eyes to her face. on which
was great light of pity, and trembling
Frank" she said. and he turned
suddenly toward her, wishing that this
moment, in which she looked and spoke
so kindly. might last forever" You were
so young then-yOu did not knOw-but
now you will repair the wrong you did
her-she has suffered so much-and she
loved you"
"What do you wish of me, Madcap?"
he said.
"You will make her your wife," and
she took one of his hands between both
her own: land we will love you. he and
l, better than ever"
"You know not what YOU ask, Mad
cap" he said sadly: lit is impossible
women do not understand about such
things"
Somehow as she looked at him then,
she realized that man may truly love
a woman, yet have another side to his
character, of which she knows nothing;
and his likeness changed in her eyes as
she looked, and grew hateful to her
some jealousy perhaps, mingled with
her scorn, as she cried
mo! they can only suffer; God does
not let them die; andman will not let
them understand; and so you have been
bad all through coward and traitor
to both her and me. IL you had grain
of manliness in you, you would have
told me the truth before her, and not
given me half an hour of such agony as
lifetime of happiness could never
wash away the memory of"
Half an hour" he said; lit is long
time; yet some miseries last a lifetime"
'As hers must" she said, with a
scorn that showed how the stone was
rolled away from her heart, and the
spirit elastic, and unbruised as ever,
within her. But at least will go to
her; 1 will tell her that did not wrong
her, as she thought; perhaps she will
forgive me then"
''She babe me tell you that she would
not see you," said Frank slowly. ut
will be unwise in you to make any such
attempt"
Are you my keeper" she said, her
eyes flashing; then trembled, thinking
Of how near this woman and she had
been to each other an hour ago; and,
passing Frank by as if he had been her
lackey. went proudly away, till pride
gave place to sorrow, and that in its
turn to joy; SO that unconsciOusly to
herself she danced along the last few
steps of the coppice like maiden hur-
rying to the tryst.
"She did not suffer long," said Frank
aloud, when the last white fold of her
gown had vanished; lit was quickly
over; and l will take care of the rest"