The Dillon tribune., 1885-07-25

five hundred sovereigns would seem to
schoolboy. The remembrance of her secret
marriage haunted her like the remnants of q
ghastly dream. Five years. Five long years!
Surely something must happen before they
we're spent. Something did happen!
What were her feelings when the truth
arst came home to her: When she knew she
could cheat herself nolonger! When no mag
mary ailment would account for her condi-
ton! When in plain words the TACT tnat she
was to ear the burden common to woman
hood was forced upon her. Then Beatrice
prayed that she might die!
Even then she would not 90 to her friends
and tel them all. Still those long uncer-
tain years stretched out before her. If she
could only conceal this now trouble as shs
mad concealed her marriage, there was peace
-peac, fer years. Sarah was told what she
ali eady guessed, and upon hearing her mis-
t,ess wishes simply set about executing
them.
The child was born, and none save the
mother and her maid knew the truth. Hard
as was the task, it was no harder to Beatrice
than to others who, without the aid and
faithful service at her command, have
concealed what if revealed meant ruin.
xuC c4uSl NOuA0A OAeCA 0AA' s0AAS sSAs
her mistress as servant leaves: she
prepared place, and when the time came
Beatrice found her grief lightened by all
loving woman can do for another in such
plight. OF course there was deceit-deceit
seemed to have forced itself into the girls
lfe There was long visit to pay soHe-
where, visit from which Beatrice returned
q shadow of her former self. But none
knew, none even guessed the cause.
Until the child was born Beatrice's prayer
was that both she and it might die. Can
sadder, more pitiful prayer be framed by
woman. The truth could then he told to all.
The early death would lie the full expiation
of her folly. The few who loved her would
forgive and pity her, But her prayer was
unanswered-death never even threatened
mother or babe.
The child was born. the tiny head nestled
on the mothers breast and a strange new
feeling awoke within her-the ovcrpowering
instinct of maternal love- Her thoughts
which had once been, in case the child lived,
to hate it for the fathers sake, turned to pure,
sweet affection for the innocent, helpless
little being. So far from wishing it dead,
she would not now have wished it unborn.
When she returned to her home she left it
with many tears in Sarah's charge.
For years she saw ii by stealth saw il
grow more and more the picture of perfect
childhood; loved it and worshiped it more
each time she saw it, and at last, when she
returned to her fathers house, and felt that
her visits to her treasure would now per-.
force be less and less frequent, wild crav-
ing to have it with her always, to see it
every day, every hour, awoke IN her passion
| ate heart.
Then came the second quarrel, and the
hDrv,o And cha SoffinI n or,
| down to her uncles' the nucleus of the daring
scheme for regaining her hoy framed itself
| in her brain, and was eventually shaped into
form and acted upon with perfect success.
But the five years were passing, passing.
At the end Of them stood what Beatrice
shrank from picturing, a convict who would
come and claim his wife, Beatrice had, in
deed, expected that when first arrested hc
would find some way Of proclainling his
marriage, If only in fulflllment of his threat
of dragging her name into the dirt.
Yet be made no sign. He was crafty and
calculating. The term of the sentence was
not to him an eternity. When it ended be
knew that by keeping the secret he should be
matters to his own benefit. Beatrice would
be we'll past twenty -one, aud in command ol
large income. He meant to be thoroughly
revenged for the obstinacy she had displayed
in refusing to perjure herself, and 50 find
him means to buy up the forged bills, but h<
meant to have money Also
This is tho story OF the lite of the last five
years upon which Beatrice looked back that
afternoon. These are the pictures Of the
! man and the woman-the husband and wife
who were to meet ON the morrow like foes in
deadly duel
And over and above all this. there wa
another matter ever present in the girls
mind--another name which came to her lips
not in accents Of hate, but love. She had at
tempted to deceive him, but not herself. Ii
fact, it seemed part OF her punishment-ths
, hardest part Of all-that she loved Franl
Carruther>. She had sobiel out the secre
; on the faithful Sarah's breast. She had wep
. through the weary hours Of many night a
!, she thoMght OF the utter hopelessn.ss of low
between them. His coming to Oakbury lla,
doubled her grief. She had not only t
lament "wl,at has been" but to regret 'wha
might have bcen.'
Blame her if You must! Forgive her il yo
can! 1t least pity her!