The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-08-21
CHAPTER Nv.

CHAPTER Nv.
CONCLUSION.
One year later from the date on which
our story opens, Mr.. and Mrs. Col.
Lennox were the invited guests of the
wealthy and respected Lady Morton
of Westchester. Once only had Edith
met Cyril Balfour, and that was as she
was awaiting her husbands return
from distant city, where he had been
on business.
She had driven herself in her car
riage to the station, and was standing
on the little platform awaiting the in
coming train. The first passenger to
alight was Cyril Bafour, who, catching
glimpse of her face, gave slight
start, and retraced his steps to her
side.
"Ah, Edith, is that indeed you, after
so many years OF cruel separation ?"
he said, dofling his hat slow glad 1
am to see you, and alone, too; how for
tunate."
"How could / have ever thought of
him in stronger light than mere
friend?" she asked herself. my
tastes have changed vastly" she men
tally concluded.
"Mr. Balfour, you are now addressing
Mrs. Lenox," she said, drawing her
self up with dignity.
Indeed! had almost forgotten the
fact of your being married." he had
said, with sneer. However, you did
not show much regard for my feelings
after your betrothal to me, and your
VOWS of eternal constancy."
1T is false l never engaged myself
to you," exclaimed Edith, with height
ened color, "and if you please, Mr..
Balfour, 1 desire to pass, as am ex-
pecting my husband every minute"
He went on, muttering about death
bed marriages and the colonel of dra-
goons. Nothing exceedingly compli-
mentary, however.
AS Edith recognized the stalwart,
manly form of the Colonel approaching
now, she felt safe from further annoy
ance.
A couple of weeks later, as Edith
was sitting nursing severe headache,
and gazing from her chamber window.
Eric came bounding in with, Come,
Edith, love; we are going to have u
ramble, and 1 want you for my part
ner."
Edith pleaded headache, and told
him to not nope at home with her, as she
wished him to enjoy himself with the
rest.
He went with them. against his will,
Edith gazing after them as they disap-
,Naoral opooof, tha folio~o &C +ha troae
What a capital idea it would be"
she said to herself, ito meet her hus-
band when he would be returning, and
claim his partnership the rest of the
way home"
She tied on her hat, ran lightly
down the steps, and was soon hurrying
along the lane toward the babbling
brook, where she determined to await
him.
She had not been sitting there long,
when she heard his familiar step, &C.
companied by another lighter one. Be-
ing screened by huge oak from the
path, she could not see any one pass
ing by without arising to her feet, and
being exposed to the others observa-
ton.
He was talking earnestly, answered
at intervals by sweet, silvery voice.
AS they drew nearer, and she was about
to make her presence known, she was
rooted to the spot by hearing her own
name spoken, and this is what she
heard:
Eric Lennox All, heaven! saw
you yesterday. L knew you at once.
And you-oh, you have not, cannot
have forgotten your love, Alice Rut-
land!" came in joyous, dulcet tones
from the lips of the beautiful Lady
Alice Vandeleur.
Il remember Lady Alice Vandeleur.
The mellow voice of Eric Lennox
quivered with the strong emotion so
suddenly called into life, which he was
sternly controlling-pain, anguish, pity,
for her, for himself, the phantom, and
the phantom only, of the past.
But what wonder that the miserable
listener utterly mistook it all Then
Lady Alice's voice came again
"Why do you torture me so? You
knew month ago that was free, for 1
sent you that paper. Yes, Eric, 1 dared
to bridge the gulf which / knew YOU
would be too proud to cross. and L
knew that we both loved still, and"
Alice! Alice In pity, for honors
sake, spare us BOTH" he said hoarsely.
ut comes ten years too late. / am mar
ried !"
There was sharp, bitter cry from
Alice, then Edith heard her husband
say, sadly:
For honor's sake, farewell Alice"
but she did not hear him add: Il love
my wife too well to wrong her in any
way"
Edith fell with her tall, slender
figure at full length upon the grass.
She did not faint. but lay moaning and
writhing in Inundated agony. 40
think that he had married her out of
pity, and loved another all that time !"
And now comes the sequel.
Edith was sitting that evening upon
the hearth-rug, gloomy and despond-
ent, whom her husband entered the
room. She shrank involuntarily from
his caresses, which he attributed to the
only cause that he could think of, the
meeting with Cyril Balfour.
Edith" he said, in a tone of an-
guish, Il was in hopes, until to-day, that
You would learn to love me. But il Won