The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-06-01
A GILDED SIN.
CHAPTER Y.
BY BERTHA u. CLAY.

blossoms under his feet, tTampling down
the smiling flowers, beating aside the
trailing sprays, his heart beating his
brain on hTe, Sir Marc hastened across
the r.k. II seemed TO him that the
who.e world had suddenly crumbled 10
ruins. He mutteTed bitter terrible words
10 himself II the stars had fallen from
heaven, II would have surprised him less
than the fact that Veronica had done
wrong-his Ideai, the one pure. noble.
gentle soul in whom he had placed all
his trust. All that was beautiful, poet
ical, maidenly, and charming seemed TO
be vested Ia her; and now his ideal had
been rade:y destroyed
81 will never believe in any human
being again while i've" he said to him.
self-"never, So fair, so beautiful, 50
loving. so tender. yet so lost to ali sense
Of what is right! / viii never look again
at womau's face"
He reached the railway station at
Hurstwood, and there, half hidden by a
long, black veil, he saw Clara Morton.
She rose as he came up 10 her.
cit is WELL" he said, that you are a
women; if YOU were = man would
horsewh;p you :" There was such fierce
hot anger in his eyes that she shrunk
back. "Iou need not fear" he added
scorniully. "Give me your proofs, name
your price, and then never let your
shadow fall across my path again"
Dealing with man was different from
frightening delicate. refined girl, Clara
Morton found. She began whole string
OF excuses
Not one word" he said. "Slmply re.
peat the story. Let me hear all the de-
tails, and thea give me your proofs and
name your price,"
She told him the story, and then
added:
My proofs are charred remains Of the
parchment that | took from the fire, on
which you will plainly see these words.
Last will and testament of Sir Jasper
Brandon
"What do you want for it ?" he asked
contemporary
ut is not for myself, Sir Marc-it is
not indeed. 1 want five hundred
psancs."
"You are modest in your demands.
certainly. and you have ruined - But
ULy should / waste words upon such as
700? If I give you the sum you name.
YOU must not only surrender what you
are pleased TO cal your proofs, but you
must take an oath TO keep the secret and
cave England. If you return-listen 10
NV tkreat-if you dare to return and
address by letter or by word of mouth
G.ai nap.ess lady, viii! have you indict-
e,i for conspiracy, and your sentence will
probably be hard lanor for life As TO
your conduct il is SO utterly, horribly
base, have no patience to speak OF II. ."
The woman murmurel some words.
lie did not even listen to them.
81 have no wish 10 hear more" he
said, 81 will give you a check for five
Lundred pounds on condition that you
r:ye me your proofs and take the re-
CURED oath. Tremble if you dare to
break it-tremble if your false, wicked
face is seen here aSa.n !"
He took out his checkbook, and, go
.ns into one of the station ofaces, made
out check for the sum named. On re-
turning he placed it quietly in her
nanis and 81. gave him the packet con-
tanning the chsrred fragments of the
| will, and took the oath upon which he
| had insisted. silently he pointed to the
great open gates. and she passed out OF
/ them. They never met again. As she
/ passed out OF the gates, so she passed out
! :: his life.
| Whether the punishment of her wick
edness ever came in this world he never
! knew.
Then Sir Marc went away TO London
! What 10 do with himself he could not
ell. lie felt that it was impossible for
/ n.In to take up the broken thread Of his
\ l;fe In the first hot, angry aGsh OF hi:
/ disappointment he had not realized what
! life without Veronica would be. Now
J that Z stretched out before him in al
/ Its chill, terrible reality, he WAS at los.
how to endure it. There were time:
| even when he Almost wished that hi
! had forgiven her. Then he TecoieJ
from the thought. How could he .ov'
woman TO whom the word honor
was an empty sound?
Sir Marc was most unhappy. II,
| read with stony face all the paragra pils
which said that there Was no foundation
!or the rumor of the approaching mar
rage of sir Marc CaryII-that he wa:
/ going abroad. He made no complaint
no moan; but he owned TO himself thai
| h.s life WAS ended. lie would Close
| wervehurst Manor, and spend the re
mainder of his days where nothing could
remind him OF the love lie had lost
/ There was to be no angel in the houst
for him. lie knew that he must love
/ Veronica until he died-that no one elsC
could ever take her place-that no ont
Csc could ever be to hI;n what she had
ben. Had she died, it seemed 10 hin
that lis grief ~oU.d have been easier tC
bear. Then he would have retained al
his love; now his love must 20. while ht
was stranded. Life had lost all its at
;raci:oa Tor him.
He had freed Veronica from her bond
acc-of that he was pleased to think
No one could frighten her now. Sh,
was quite safe, and the terrible secre
was dead and buried. He locked ava,
the charred fragments he did not de
siroy them-he could never tell why
and that one simple proceeding altered
the whole destiny of his life. Had ther,
been fire in his room when he reache,
home. he would have tossed the llitl,
! packet into the flames; as it was, tn,
door of his iron safe was open, and h,
Gun. the packet into it.
Then he set about making arrange