The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1888-07-07

eyer love. Yes, my resolution is taken. |
will break this bondage, will be free. My
life shall be haunted no longer"
She turned away from the glass with an
expression of fixed and settled resolution
hardening every line of her beautiful face;
then bestowing few finishing touches
upon her costume, went down to the guests
who were already filling the parlor of her
beautiful home. AS she entered the room
her gaze sought out particular figure, and
long, throbbing sigh parted her lips as a
handsome man with masterful bearing
came quickly forward and saluted her.
From that time until the guests departed
he was oftenest and longest at her side;
his casual glance, his lightest word causing
hei heart to thrill to its inmost depths.
And yet several times she caught his eye
fixed upon her with searching, probing
anal tlcal gaze that sent a strange trenor
through her pulses; and when at last the
guests had departed-Gerald last, and with
a lingering pressure of the hand-iG was
with strangely compounded feeling of
JOY and dread that she wended her way to
her room.
A letter lay on her dressing-table, the
sight of which made her heart stand still
and breaking the seal with nerYeless fingers
she silently reaG the few lines t contained:
"MIRA-my wife; for so you are still,
though for years we have been more than
strangers,-l haye kept my word and left
you free from my presence; but my heart
pleads for dTeary ending of this exile,
and return of those joys we shared for a
brief time together. Shall not the past be
forgiven and forgotten and our liyes united
once moreP l will wait until midnight in
the summer house at the foot of the garden
for your answer. REGINALD"
The letter dropped from Mira's hand,
while cold chill shook her from head to
foot. Reginald coming TO claim her at the
very hour when she was preparing to sever
the tie that had bound them thus far to a
hollow mockery? Was it a premoniton of
this that had been hanging over her all the
| evening?
Her first feeling was one of bitter anger
and resentment. He had held aoof from
her all these years, and now was coming
only to dash aside the cup of happiness
about 10 be held to her lips-for Gerald's
eyes had that night told the secret of his
heart as plainly as though he had spoken.
"Yesp' she exclaimed, starting up under
the impulse of feeling; 81 will go to him
but it will be to tell him that there can be
| no reconciliation, no reunion between us
that the bondage have endured so long
must and shall be thrown off foreverr'
Catching up light, neecy shawl, she
threw it over her head, and going noise
lessly down the stairs, made her way out of
the house and into the moon-lighted gar
den. Swiftly and silently she approached
the summer house, then paused for mo-
| ment to control the sudden agitation that
swept over her. In the entrance, with the
moonlight falling over his handsome fea-
lures, Reginald CleYe was standing-the
same, save for the maturing touch of years
but with an expression of tender, wistful
yearning upon his face that smotc upon
her heart with strange pang
Seeing her advance, he stepped pace
forward and held out his hands.
"You have come. Mirap' he said with
fervent pathos. "Does it mean that am
welcome? that the past is past foIever?"
But she was powerless to answer him for
Imitable pathos of the scene before her;
and when she did speak, the first words
that sprung TO her lips were the last she
had thought 10 utter.
81 can say nothing to-nightp' she gssped.
"Give me time let me think-cone again
tomorrow night and will answer you're
then without another word she turned and
fed like hunted creature back to the
house.
Alone in her room, with the door locked
and barred, Mira paced the floor like mad
creature. What was this strange new feel
ing that possessed her, that had sprung
: into birth as it were in a moment? She
did not love her husband-she had never
without a pang; and to forego her purpose
was TO give up forever the only man sh,
! ever could love; was to shut out from hel
: life all that seemed most dear,
And yet, strange to say, spirit seemed
to have awakened within her, urging by al
the strength, the fervor ami intensity oi
the new feelings to which her heart hat
lately responded, to keep the fidelity Il
which she was pledged; to preserve 1T
honor, its brightness, its integrity invio
late and unstanied.
For hours she wrestled with the conflict
3. ing forces of duty and passion; but dut
triumphed at last, and tottering to tn
S window she lifted her face tosthe tende
! light of the new day.
Goodbye forever to passions dream!
4 she murmured, in faint but firm tone
S 'He Is my husband-his heart has bee
n faithful to me-and he Is bound to me b.
n VOWS have no right to break, and will no
! dishonor. He shall assume his rightfu
! place In my home. and though l have n
love TO offer, / will not fail in the duty
pledged at the altar"
e With sad but firm step she went to kee
e her tryst at the appointed hour; but as sh
II neared the place low cry of almost hon
II ror broke from her lips, as there advance
o to meet her, not her husband, but Geral
IS Ayre.
e ''ForgiYe me il | have tresspasscd" h
exclaimed with strange agitation. "Bu
'r this unexpected meeting gives me the op
n portunity to say what | have long desire
u to do-that l love you, Mira"
'p The charm these words would once haN
e. held seemed turned now to scorpion
10 sting as she waved him from her.
rs ''Not another word, Gerald Ayre! sli