St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-08-12

until you tell me that you cannot love
me as husband. Say that, Ethel. and
you shall not hear another word Of love
from me-"
He looked at her as he spoke and saw
his answer-saw it in her glowing
cheeks and downcast eyes, in the heav-
ing breast and the quiyering lips. For
moment the girl struggled visibly to
speak, but the conflict within her was
too fierce, and she threw herself npon a
couch and buried her face in the pill
low, sObbing Historically. Philip came
to her side and endeavOred to take her
hand, but she snatched it from him as
though shrinking from his touch.
Etnel, listen to reason one moment"
ne cried. What is it that troubles you?
Ihere is scarcely a spot on the earth,
save England, where you and l may not
lawfully be man and wife. Happily we
are not tied to England. Let us go at
once to some country whose laws are
not disgraced by the cruel folly which
would keep you and me asunder."
mo, no!' exclaimed Ethel, master
ing herself with great effort, and rising
TO her feet. 'Would you have me,
though | was your wife in one portion
OF the world, stand on different footing
mere before my friends and relations,
and all for whose opinion | care? But
there, ! cannot argue the matter.
nave said too much already-so much
that can never be happy again, 1t
must be goodbye, indeed, Philip
good-by forevern'
Forever! No, no, Ethel, not that!"
"HoW are we to meet after this? How
shall L ever look you in the face again?
You are no longer my brother. You
cannot be my -. Oh, Philip, Philip!
ever make me Own-3'
Before she had finished, the words
died away on her lips. She took a step
toward the door, then reeled, and War
rlner lad scarcely time to catch her be-
tore she fell fainting to the ground.
Two years had passed away, and
Ethel Maclean had kept her resolution.
save Tor all almost silent taking
when she left the house, she and Warri-
ner mad never met, and no word had
passed between them since that scene
IN the drawing room at Claythorpe.
About the end of the two years Phillip
was astonished by the receipt of let
ter from Mrs. Maclean, of whom he had
heard little or nothing since his wife's
death. The letter said that the writer
was very i'll, and implored him to come
to her at once. Philip went.
He was absent for a few weeks. and
on his return he went at once. to Mr..
Bodkln, the vicar of Claythorpe.
Il want YOU" he said. to publish the
Danns OF marriage between myself and
Ethel Maclean"
Inc Old gentleman took off his spec
tacleS and looked at his visitor in silent
establishment.
Warmer repeated his request.
III you really mean it, Mr.. Warriner,'
sad the vicar, ''of course can not re-
fuse to publish the banns. But YOU
know as well as do that there exists
Just cause or impeachment to anything
further.''
Il think not. Allow me to explain.
! have just learned that Ethel Maclean
Is not lawfully my poor Wife's sister,
The late Mr.. Maclean, the father of
them both, was twice married. Con-
stance, my wife, was the child of his
first wife; Ethel, of the second. But in
English law, the second marriage was
no marriage at all. The two wives
were sisters. For the sake of the
younger child, and, indeed of the sec
ond Mrs. Maclean herself, the facts were
kept secret from both daughters
and as the marriage took place when
Constance was an infant, she was
brought up to consider herself the
daughter of Ethel'S mother. Not till a
few days back did Mrs. Maclean disclose
the truth. She believed herself to he
dying, and in consequence of something
which she had gathered from her
daughter, she made this confession in
the hope of removing any obstacle to a
marriage between Ethel and myself.''
But, excuse me-" said the vicar. a
little bewildered; II do not quite see at
the moment how this removes the OBJ
Stacle."
Mrs. Maclean not having been law
fully married, Ethel is not lawfully her
daughter. In the eye of the law she
is fila nulliuS. She has no legal rela-
tons, and, consequently, she is not my
sister-ln-law. | satisfied myself by coun-
sells opinion that this was so before
breathing word of it to Ethel. You
are, of course, at libhrty to do the same,
and hope that the result will show YOU
that the law forbidding marriage with
a deceased wife's sister is ridiculous in
Its legal consequences, as it is cruel
and oppressive to men, women, and
childrer.''
The vicar refeored the matter to his
bishop. The bishop, in his turn, referred
it to the highest legal authorities. The
result was as Warmer had said. The
marriage was accordingly celebrated
with very little delay, and among the
first to congratulate the happy pair
were the neighborhood responsibilities
VINO had been the means of driving
Ethel from Claythorpe.