The Northern Pacific farmer., 1885-04-09

With all the passion OF his heart, Guy
loved Hester Leigh-his pur e-souled
darling, he called her-and any one
might know, when tho will was read.
that she would be the chosen mistress
of the stately home where the girls had
spent their lives.
Up and down her own room Celia
walked.
He loved Hester, and the girl she hat
ed would have love, wealth, position.
while she would have ten thousand
pounds.
II would dye nv hands red again" {"
she cried, "before Hester should reign
here triumphant. After all, my crime
might as we'll not have been; yet /
could not have trusted him. Had he
lived, I cannot tell what trick he would
have played me-"
II was to destroy the will, and then
as nearest-of-k he would inherit all,
and to me he would give one-t third. But
the fool, to never dream the other plot
in my mind,| which his coming would
thwart-a plot that will at least part
hester and Guy, and then perhaps !
will win. It is my last hope"
Whatever her plot, she played it we'll,
for when, three or four months before
the expiration of the year, Guy asked
Hester to be his wife, she simply an
swered him "No."
She gave no explanation, only turned
coldly away, but had he seen her in tie
seclusion of her own room he would
have known, no matter what had caused
her refusal, that she loved him.
my love, my lovew she cried though
all unworthy; I cannot tear you from
my heart"
All, what weeks would have been
saved-at least, what weeks of agony -
had Guy known the truth, had he known
of q gypsy mother who accused him of
wrecking her child's life, had cursed
him with mothers curse, for the gyp-
sy girl who had stood under the tree,
then fed. at Cleta's words, lay in her
grave; and her last words to her moth
er had been the name of her lover, Guy
Singleton.
my curse around him and around
the woman he weds," she cried in a
FRENZY.
Was it any wonder, then, that when
Guy Singleton asked Hester to be his
wife, white and trembling she refused,
turning coldly away from his pleading {?
It was then that Cleta played her
cards we'll, for Guy found sympathi-
zer in her, and, man-like, Guy found
sweetness in it--at least, balm for tho
blow Hester had given him.
Then it dawned upon him that this
girl, with her eyes of blue and hair Of
gold, loved him with passion he had
never dreamed of.
What man is not fattered by a
womon's love particularly if she is
young and beautiful-and this girl was
both.
With soft, sweet smiles she won him.
Not that his heart yield to her spell,
but his senses, dazzled by her smiles
and sympathy united, put his better
judgment to fight, though his heart
was, and always would be, Hester's
One of the girls he must wed, or
|: leave them both penniless. All, had he
dreamed OF Hester's pain and hopeless
ness of heart he might have less quick
ly fled for consolation to another.
A few months later-almost at the ex-
piration. Of the year-Guy Singleton
made Cleta his wife: Crime and sin
had conquered.
She was mistress of her uncle's
wealth and wife of the man she adored
She knew her husband did not love
her, but she had triumphed. In time
he would learn to love her. She must
win his love:
Yes, she had triumphed; but did the
memory of the man sho had sent before
his Judge cease to haunt her morning,
noon, or night?
Hester bore her pain in silence. If
gentle, she was far from weak, and
though her face grew paler; her eye
more dreamy, none dreamed of the
weary days and wakeful nights that
were hers: She had loved Guy with all
the strength of her heart, but he had
proved unworthy.
Did the knowledge-had the knowl-
edge killed her love? No-a thousand
times no! Love lived, though it lay
bleeding. All, how we'll she loved him
band of another!
Her life stretched bare and hopeless
before her, death would have been well
come, or at least she believed it would
have been in tho first great desolation of
her soul.
But then in Cleta's triumph-in the
very height of it, the bolt of Gods VEN
geance fell, when the end of all things
came.
One day while out riding, a man
leaped from grove near where she was
passing.
A wild cry left her lips. Dead or
alive, Vernon Singleton stood before
her. Heavenly Father, what difference
did it make? Dead had he come to
haunt her--living to drag her from her
high estate?
A mocking laugh broke: from the
mans lips as he caught the reins, and
then-then the horse reared, swerved,
rose on its hind legs, and Cleta lay white
and senseless on the ground.
Without look of pity, Vernon
glanced down on the marble face, and
the pallid lips now fecked with blood,
then turned and left her there till others
found her.
Ihey carried her nome, but the doc
tors verdict ended all hope. She must
die
All, what change comes to our spirit
at the hour of death. Then, indeed, the
eyes see clearly, and terrible fore
knowledge that fills the soul with awe
comes to us.
Knowing that it was her ath-bed,
knowing that all she had sinned for was
going from her now, she sent for Hes
ter and Guy, and told them all. The
story of her marriage with Vernon,
whom her uncle had disinherited short
ly after his wild career.
How, when all believed him dead, he
returned; and then the story of her
crime-her crime that had failed for
consciousness had come back to Vernon
when he struck the water, and the
wound was scarcely even dangerous.
Then she turned to Hester.