Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-21

cause must go through the world alone. /
told you that the name / bear is not my
own. have been obliged to change it, be-
cause my own name is disgraced; because,
were to name it. there is not a man here
Of those who just at present are praising and
making much of me, who would not shrink
from my side."
"No, Ronald, no; 1t cannot be-"
"It Is true, dear; nv name has been
associated with the foulest of crimes. I
have been tried for numbering q woman,
and that woman near relative. was
acquitted, it is true; but simply because
the evidence did not amount to what the
law required. But in the sight of everyone
1 went out guilty"
"Oh, how could they think so?" Mary
said, bursting into tears; show could they
have thought, Ronald, those who knew you,
that you could do this?"
"Many did believe it." Ronald said,
''and the evidence was so strong that
almost believed it myself However, thus
it is. 1 am a marked man and an outcast,
and must remain alone for all my life,
unless God in his mercy should clear this
thing up"
mot alone, Ronald, not alone" the girl
cried; there, you make me say it,"
"You mean you would stand by my side,
Mary? Thank you, my love, but could
not accept the sacrifice. can bear my own
lot, but could not see the woman loved
pointed at as the wife of murderer"
'tBut no one would know" Mary began.
"They would know, dear. 1 refused
commission the General offered me to-day,
because were to appear as an officer there are
a score of men in this expedition who would
know me at once; but even under my pres
ent name and my present dress cannot es-
cape Only this evening, as came here, I
was taunted by drunken soldier, who
must have known me, as a murderer OF
women. Good Heavens! do you think I
would let any woman share that? Did l go
to the most lonely part of the world. I
might escape for years, but at last the blow
would come. Had it not been for the
time we passed together when death
might any moment have come to US both,
had it not been that 1 held you in my arms
during that ride, should never have told
you this, Mary, for you would have gone
ava to England and lived your life un-
hurt: but after that could not but speak.
You must have felt that I loved you, and
had 1 not spoken, what would you have
thought of me?"
ct should have thought, Ronald" she
said quietly, "that you had foolish idea
that because my father had money, when
you were but a trooper, you would say moth
ing: and I think that should have sum-
moned up courage to speak first, for knew
yon loved me, just as certainly as knew |
that loved you, just as certainly as know
that shall love you always"
"T hope not, Mary" Ronald said, grave
"; sit would add to the pain of my life to
knoY that 1 had spoilt yours"
1T will not spoil mine, Ronald; it is good
hrrn
and that one loves him even if we can never |
come together. 1 would rather be single |
for your sake, dear, than marry any |
other man in the world. Won't you tell |
me about it all, Ishould like to know"
"You have a right to know, Mary, if you |
wish it," and drawing her to q seat, Ronald |
told her the story of the Curse of the Carnes, |
of the wild blood that flowed in his veins, |
of his half engagement to his cousin, and of |
the circumstances of her death. Only onca |
she stopped him.
ibid YOU love her very much, Ronald?"
"No, dear; I can say SO honestly now. No |
doubt 1 thought loved her, though had
been involuntarilY putting of becoming |
formally engaged to her; but know now,
indeed / knew long ago, that my passion
when she threw me off was rather an out
burst of Disappointment and perhaps of
jealousy, that another should have stepped |
In when thought myself SO sure, than of
real regret. 1 had cared for Margaret in
way, but now that 1 know what real love is
1 know that it was but as a cousin that I
loved her,"
Then he went on to tell her the proofs
against himself; how that the words he
had spoken had come up against him; how
he had failed altogether to account for his
doinos at the hour at which she was mur- !