The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-09-19

what, had it not been for this avowa1,
you would never have known.
"One day, % You remember, Gix years
ago, ypu came TO my ,hbuse; id The kb-
sence OF my husband, to beg from me
the means of assistance and concealment.
In ct Of passion you had challenged
fellow student to an unlawful duel.
You had fought and had fed, wounded
yourself, from the field where you had
left your contestant, o. you thought,
.mortally wounded.
"You had succe eded in reaching the
Hall before the alarm had been sounded
and the pursuit begun. I listened to
your story with horror. You implored
me, by the ties Of blood and old &C.
quaintanoe, ami for the honor Of our
name, to hide you until your hurt should
be healed, and you could make your es-
cape to another county: I did 20.
The excitement ia the town ran
high, for the young man whom you had
wounded lay between life and death;
but at imminent risk to myself. I con-
cealed You in an empty tool house with
in my own park, and ministered myself
to your wants. By my action in thus
befriending you I ruined my whole life.
my husband returned two days be-
fore you effected your escape. A treach;
erous member Of my household aroused
his suspicious: Ny solemn promise to
you bound me in iron letters, and when
he questioned me, and implored me; Il
it were indeed possible TO explain my
mysterious nightly absences from my
home I was obliged to remain silent.
All that sustained me through thAt
dreadful interview was the hope that in
. brief while You would be far away
and safe from the disgraceful conse-
quences of your rashness, and then ]
could tell my husband ali. But that
hope was not tobe realized.
"He left me in bitter anger, and have
never seen him since, nor heard from
Linn, until year ago q friend abroad
sent me papers containing the account
of the loss Of . French steamer; one Of
whose M-fated passengers he was.
thought then / should die, but God
willed it otherwise.
"Cousin Ralph, surely you will never
approach me again upon subject that
can only add one more pang to the sor:
row that through you'll must say it,
though it wound you-must forever bar
the entrance Of happiness into my
heart"
There il q moments pause, then q
mans troubled voice breaks il:
"And it was my hand that wrought
you this sufferingl Though he ]
wounded recovered from his hurt, and
my hand is free from the blood of 9
fellow.being, I have slain . soul
Cousin Violet, forgive me if you cam
can never forgive myself"
There is sound of retreating foot
steps, and woman's sob; then, unable
to control any longer the emotions that
impelled him. DESERVING his friend, and
climbing with agile quickness up the
balcony supports, Carroll Denton stand.
before the wife he had lost but had neve,
ceased to love, despite the torturine
doubts that had embittered the Last darl
years.
my wife he cries; .my injured
Violet! Il is your husband, not dead
but alive and beside you, who has heard
your exoneration from your own lips
Do you not know mep Do not shrinl
from me. Il is indeed your Carroll
asking upon his knees pardon fo1
the sorrow he has caused you to suf.
fer"
The cry ID full Of an unutterable
sgonized longing, and a. Violet hear.
and feels herself gathered close intt
an embrace that proves beyond mis-
take the life and we'll being Of ths
husband she hos deemed dead, happi.
ness once more springs joyously bacl
TO the throne to which IL has beer
. stranger for 30 long and dreary !
while.
And thus Mark Blair learns the secret d
his friends sadness, and feels no small
qualification at his own share in the bliss
full reconciliation.