The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-11-14

are mine?". 1t was a moment Of deliri-
UNI that passed two swiftly. He stea-
died himself, and put her away from
him with shaking hands. He felt as if
a ghost were pushing them apart. "No,
no." he faltered, sit cannot bel"
She chung to him with pleading eyes.
II love you she cried. I never loved
another. If you cast me aside I will
throw myself into the sea. You will
have my death on your soul. Do not
think of poor Rates. delirium. He is at
peace now. Our happiness will never
break in on that eternal bliss. God
does not permit such things. Oh, my
beloved, why may we not be happy,
! too?"
Would CASTOR have been human if
he could have resisted those tender
arms?
The leaves were turning in the frost,
and the scattered gold of the ruined
woodland drove through the air. In
Claire's heart it was spring, and the
blossoms bloomed and the birds sang
continually. The wedding was to be in
Customs home, for she was alone in the
world. The grand old rooms were
bright with flowers. The bridal
chamber was fragrant with pure white
lilac and snowy roses. CASTOR, glanc-
ing into it on his wedding day, shud-
dered as if with q chill. The bed, SC
heaped with snowy draperies, looked
like a grave under snowdritts. He
would not have felt surprised to see
starting from it a CHASTITY specter-to
have felt a skeleton hand on his should
er, and to have heard a voice crying,
"Romember thv vow!""
Castor has changed painfully in the
last three months. He looks like q
haunted man. He lives in a world Of
shadows, and hears voices from the
spirit land, and sees shadowy. bekoning
hands. The sunshine on his wedding
day does not warm his heart. "Ah,
suns may shine and we be cold" Have
we not all learned that lesson?
Somehow in his restless mood the
house Expresses him. He is ready for
the bride, but the time is not vet. He
knows she is in the hands of her maid,
and that his mother fingers fondly near
her. Somehow he can not face the
guests just yet. He steals out a side
door, and breathes freer in the crisp
air. The woods are gorgeous in their
tlnts. and look like huge bouquets
bridal bouquets offered by nature for
his wedding. Poor little Claire would
she mourn for him if chance or fate
should take him off? He grows chill
at the thought. Has he not seen fate
reckoning him day by days What was
the vow he swore? He heard his friends
dying tones ~forevert They had blend
ed with Claire's sweetest lovewords!
"You must kill the mani"
He had cheated Rafe into happiness
In his last moments. His last words to
the friend that died for him had been a
lie, and now the lie weighed him to the
earth. He scarcely knew where his
steps led him, but stopping at last he
looked about him, and uttered a crv.
The face, so divine in suffering, so hu-
man in its love, was there-a Christ on
the cross!-the same, the very same as
that beneath which Rafe had sworn
eternal friendship in his bcvhood.
rob, friend of sinners, forgive" he
cried. II will keep my voww
Claire's merry tones rang out as she
gazed at her bridal gown.
"llook like an early frost" she said;
for the lace was thickly sewn with seed
pearls.
Call CASTOR, and let him see me be-
fore I do down. I don't want to dazzle
him suddenly"
They sought the bridegroom every
where, while Claire grew as white and
cold us the seed-pearls that cleaned
like frost on her gown. The very cur
rent of her being seemed to freeze as if
she had been indeed struck by an I'M
timely frost. After a while she would
wait in silence no longer. She joined
the frenzied seekers. who were hurry
ing over the grounds, and it so hap.
pened that she came upon CASTOR first
of all, lying prone at the foot of the
cross, a shot through his temple, and
a dye deeper than the crimson stains
of autumn pouring out on the leaves
and grass beneath him.. He had kept
his vow.
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