The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-05-16
MAD CAP;
OR
The STORY OF A SIN.
BY HELEN b. MATHERs.
OR


one other than the man for whom it
was intended heard 1t, as while Frank
had retreated, job advanced, and at a
distance of half dozen PAGES was both
spectator and nearer of the scene.
Master" she said as one who, recall
ing the dead by name that he has for
gotten, seeks to remind him of her by
one more familiar still, tits Hester;
and I've done you no harm yet, and l
wouldn't harm her."
He did not stir beneath her voice,
but shook off her timid touch with a
silent contempt that for the moment
cowed her, then reused in her breast
that spirit which loneliness and suffer
ing never quite quench in n woman's
heart.
"You could not harm her if you wish
ed, he said coldly. 1.-The sin was yours
and mine; the punishment be ours, not
hers"
''Ourss" she said, with both hands
pressed against her bosom. And do
we share anything? Do you take your
half of it all? Does your heart cry out
for our little dead child? Does it go
with Janet to her living tomb? 1t it
does, I'll forgive you. But you've got
her and your own children; it can't be
equal. 1t never is between man and
woman"
She was struggling hard to repress
the rising passion in her; she had meant
to be so humble, to ask from her knees
the onepoor favor that she coveted; but
the consciousness of real power would
not be kept down; only whatever hap
pened, Madcap should not suffer.
my share of it is to remain, "he said,
''yOurs to go; mine to guard her against
ever discovering the'truth, yours to per-
form no deed that could reveal it to her.
The whole consequence of events is due
to yourself only--had you placed me in
possession of the truth they could not
have occurred, and their consequences
must not, shall not, fall on an innocent
head"
"iShaH not!7 repeated Hester. "You
talk like God, and am to go" she
struggled for quietness, but the tide
within had risen beyond her control.
"YOu take in your hands human life,
and say it shall be thus and thus-it
shall do certain things, and leave others
undone-aS though you were force to
compel it when its force is in itself, and
it must obey itself and God; and can't
go-not yet; it's like snatching the
bread away from starving mouth; you
must love him yourself, though you
never loved little children"
He did not reply. and in the uncer-
tain light she could not see which way
his features were inclined-perhaps to
mercy, she thought, with the anger
overborne in her by those thrObbing pull
ses of motherhood that from her child's
birth had set this man beyond and apart
from her as something lost, by which
had come something better; as she
strove to read his face, and an impulse
e. 1.1xra hnv. IN,
YOU'D never have loved mine, but
You'll let me love yours; it'll harm neith-
er you nor her, and I'll never try to
speak to her, and l could bear it all,
the baby's drowning, and Janet'S going
away, if only you'll let me stay" the
wrung spirit of the woman, the failing
heart huttered and sunk in her breast,
like a dying bird, as she uttered her
plea, might have moved him, as per-
chance it moved the nightingale above,
who had ceased his song, shamed out
of it by the throbbing passion OF that
human voice below.
But there is not on earth so cold q
hearth as that on which ahastily kind
led fire has flared up, and died out sud-
denly; it is only the steady growth, the
warmth Of years, that fingers long after
the fire itself has ceased; as there is Oh
whom love is offered that he does not
desire.
1T is impossible" said Mr.. Eyre, in
that tone none had hitherto dared re-
sist. Your mere presence here is an
outrage upon" he stopped abruptly,
and the omission of Madcap's name, as
one not to be spoken in her presence,
stung Hester keenly.
''She kissed me, and you can't stain
such lips as hers: and when she knew,
she wanted to come to me. Il must 90
to her-to Hester, she said; he told me
so-that she called me that, and yet her
names too good to be said before me-
the shame's in the lips of those that
speak-you can't shame her,"
"What you propose is Madness" said
Mr.. Eyre calmly; your presence here
must be perpetual annoyance to all
concerned; you will be the object Of
doubt and suspicion to the village-a
perpetual disgrace to Lord Lowell, whose
relations with you would be niscon-
travagant fancy for one Of my children
Ito crafty it, you would sacrifice the
happiness of her whom you profess to
honor; in short, by remaining, you lose
all, and gain nothing"
AS he spoke, her heart grew cold
her long faithful reticence, her proud
reserve from meddling with his happi-
ness, her lonely life, in which she had
so stanchily kept her VOW to Frank; all
these were unrecognized by him, did
not even demand one word of kindness
or of thanks, and to offer ones single
Jewel, and see it shrined high in honor,
is other than to see it cast down con-
temptuously beneath the swine's feet.
Its nothing to you," she said, with
that fierce mother-ring in her voice
which Madcap would have understood
= nothing to give up what you've been
hungering, thirsting afterfor six years;
nothing to drag child's arms from
round your neck, and go out into the
night to be haunted by them. If she
didn't love him so, I'd take him away
and make him love me. I'd be happy;
and I'm to give it all up because you
want to be happy-and so you may be.
But must have a few crumbs; she'd
not grudge them to me IL she knew"
Had Mr.. Eyre in that moment aban
doned his lifelong rule of force, to
stoop to jf,,esse-could he have spoken
one work of kindness. or in any way
treated her on that ground of common
humanity which brings soul near to