The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-04-09

s.OOi' surely you WOutu not nave me
drop the mask and resurrect my buried
love. 1t would soon be the same as DO.
fore. You have not yet learned the les.
son OF love, that two who lovc truly
should need no one but themselves to
bring contentment and happiness.
Think better Of it, Fannie, before YOU
deepen the shadows, for when YOU
think the matter over you will see that
am right"
She leaned against one of the pillars.
pale and silent Us marble statue. her
lips quivcring and tears glistening IN
the radicnce of the moonlight as they
streamed down her checks. He threw
away his cigar and paced carclcssly up
and down, humming an operate air.
ooh Fred, pity me. Before heaven
am sincere. l love and admire you
above all men. was headstrong and
foolish, and imagined you tyrant in
your great love, and cfafed under the
supposed bondage; but that love was
truth itself. When I cast you of, in
return the world offered me shallow.
ness such US Inever dreamed of, and
have suffered, heaven knows. I was
harsh to you when Ishould have bright
ened your life, encouraged and aided
you, unmindful of those who eagerly
helped to build the wall between us.
But want to atone! Oh, Fred, for
the sake of old days so dear to both, do
not be so cold, SO Indifferent to me. 1t
is not pity nor contrition, but love
that knows no end.
She held out her hands imploringly,
the tears raining down her silver haloed
face. and her form shaking with sobs.
There was q tenderness, world of
longing in her beautiful eyes, and when
he met their agonized gaze, his face
filled with pity and the cynical lines of
his face and mouth softencd. He hesi-
tated moment, as if debating with
himself. Then yielding to the tears, the
love and all the witchery of old, he
drew her toward him, and imprinting q
kiss on her forehead, said softly:
''As You will, Fannie. Let us drown
the bitterness of the past, and live our
lives over again"
'Oh. Fannie, Fannie" and calling
thus Mrs. Elwood emerged from the
parlor. "What on earth keeps you so
long? Come in or you will catch your
death of cold. Evcrton wishes you to
sing" She eyed them slspiciously
and with puzzled air.
lido not care to sing tonight. am
unwcll and will 60 to my room. Please
make my excuses"
Nonsense, you shut yourself up in
your room too much," said her mother
sharply, but Fannie was out of her
hearing and Castle had rc-entered tho
parlor.
''What have you done?" she asked
half angrily, following close upon him.
He turned, and regarding her with a
quizzical look and an aggravating smile,
said:
81 have been undoing your work"
She bit her lip with vexation and cha
grin, and with an angry glance, hurri-
ed away to Fannie's room, and neither
appeared again that night. Elwood
watched Castle all the evening whit
queer smile, and Everton, pale and
nervous, entertained a vague idea that
Castle had triumphed over him after
all.
"Well, I declare" cried the genial
Mr.. Liggctt. staring in open-mouthed
wonder at letter and marked copy
of the Ghost Lake Reporter, ''if Fred
Castle isn't going to get married to the
girl that shot him."
"Who is shc?" asked the book.
keeper.
"Miss- Miss Fannie Elwood."
"Humph, she shot him through the
heart two years ago, but her mother ex-
tractcd the ll."-Frank W. Lee, in
Des M0ines Mail.