The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-07-31
some fair, sweet saint. whom it would
be sacrilege to touch? ?"

Think of me as what you please"
she answered, her eyes looking dreamily
up into his; "but whenever I am in
your mind give a Kind thought to the
girl who shared that lonely, empty mar
riage."
rs that all the comfort you will give
me?"
do you offer as much to herr"
His lips grew white.
"You have no pity. Heaven forgive
me-you show me what a brute Iam!"
Sir Lenno1 brooded over these last
words of Clytie long after he had left
her that evening.
my pure-hearted love! How worth
less I must seem to her" he thought,
bitterly, and again that dark hatred
rose in his heart against the one to
whom he had given the name which
should have bound this girls life to his.
All kinds of mad, miserable fancies
throbbed through his brain, aud he
would have sold his soul, if its price
could have purchased him the freedom
he had signed away. When his whole
heart and mind were with Clytie, how
could he give one kind thought to his
wife? How show himself true to the
one whom he was in honor bound ?"
He met her on the following morn
ing, as he was taking a meditative walk
by the river-the clear Avon, that
CLEANED like a stream of light between
its NOISY banks. A gladness she could
not conceal lit up her face at his APP
proach, aud she moved i%nvoluntarily to
meet him.
If I dld not understand you as we'll
as LIDO, do you know what I should be-
%lieve?" he asked, as he took the small,
gloved hand in a firm clasp-"that you
are glad to see me-"
81 am," she said, a soft smile trem-
bling over her lips; then she drew her
hand slowly from his, and looked down
at the swift river flowing at their feet.
The blood rushed hotly to Sir Len
nox's brow. How she tortured him!-
this sweet, dreamy-eyed child, whom
he had met in his restless wandering
this winsome stranger, who in o few
summer days had won the deep, strong
love of his life! she had hidden him
be true to himself-to seek his happi.
ness with the one who bore his name
yet in the pure gaze she lifted to his
face he read the secret of her soul, and
his eyes grew darkly passionate as he
watched her.
Il think l am mad!" he muttered,
Selling her hand almost iercely. "This
cannot go on much longer, Clytie-you
are wearing me out-heart and soul.
Clytie, are you playing with me, or are
you in earnest; are you working this
storm in me for pastime, or do you love
me ?"
He spoke hoarsely, like one wrung
with a great agony, and she felt his
strength tremble as he held her toward
him.
There was no need for her to speak.
He heard the broken sigh, saw the
hushed passion in her pleading eyes,
and knew that in this wild moment
love had swept aside all calmer feelings.
He put out his arms, and drew her to
his heart, and silently he gazed into the
sweet face dropping against his breast.
This was the bitterest trial of all. She
loved him, and in this breathless,
trance-like spell seemed to lose herself
more utterly than he did.
He held her to him, as he would have
held her had she been dying-resigned
to the unutterable despair that soon
would leave him desolate. His heart
was breaking.
Clytie knew the misery she had
wrought in him, and as she looked into
his haggard eyes forgot all else save
the love that was wrecking his life, save
that now he was patient.
With q sudden impulse she nestled
closer in his arms, and, lifting her face,
pressed her hot brow against his cheek.
The lips. so dangerously near, met, and
Clytie trembled and chung to him with
half-shrinking passion, while the
warmth Of his kisses fingered on her
face.
my darling! my darling!" he ex-
claimed, his face lit up with a wild rap
ture. "Do you mean this for farewell?
Is this parting? Even parting is sweet
Clytie, if it is this!"
His voice was broken in its impassion-
ed tenderness, and he crushed her closer
to him, as though he would draw her
right into his soul. Clytie hid her face
On his breast. She was quivering from
head to foot, and a hot mist had gath
cred in her violet eyes. After a little
while she let him lift her head.
You have not answered me yet,
Clytie." he said, his hand trembling as
it rested on her bright hair. us this
farewel1?"
This time there was no shrinking in
the gaze that met his, and she tried to
draw herself away from him.
IF l have strength to send yoc, have
you not strength to go, to keep faith
with your wife 2" she asked softly.
A dark frown crept over his brow.
why will you thrust that always be-
tween us2" he muttered fiercely. "My
love my love! let me forfeit"
"For get me?"
"No, no, Clytie. Heaven help met
that other"
"Do you think I could care for you if
I knew you were false to her ?"-the
brave, young voice scarcely above q
whisper.
IF you loved me-" he said, bitterly,
"you would not care if I forgot the
whole world, SO that I were true to
you"
II do love you!" she murmured, o
strange, tremulous glow clarifying her
face. "More dearly than you can i'm
agine; but the love you have offered me
must be given to your wife,
Sir Lennoy released her as though
she had stung him. His lips were
white. and his eyes glittered with a
strange, dull light.
The rush.of the river filed up the
silence. and the sunbeams glistening
through the leaves threw a golden radi-
ance over Clytie's white dress. But to
Sir Lennox the world had grown sud-
denly dark and VOID of every sound of
life. He took a few hurried steps
backwards and forwards, then paused