Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-08-30
CHATTER Nv.

You did me great injustice" said she.
YEARLY. You should have acknowledged
this sooner. Had you done So"
Well?" came the eager question.
Miss lllerton finished her sentence with
icy cOmposure:
Had you done so you would have spared
me much annoyance that is ALL"
Does Clara know that?" commenced Mr..
Cover then paused abruptly.
That you and came to an understanding
yesterday? No, she does not
Amoment of silence. then spoke Mr.. Cow
er ~9 2guin must not aesDise me-. now. Chris.
tine"
Il did-yes. I despise what appeared tc
me an unmanly weakness and pitiful false
hoo;. did not consider the mistaken sense
OF honor which caused you to hesitate be-
fore 1nfllcting an imaginary pain"
If you had ever loved me, Christine"
But never loved YOU" she interrupted.
with great earnestness. This marriage
was arranged between our parents. We
lent ourselves to the sinful plottings of
have been miracles OF obstinate Stupidity"
Christine. suppose that all had been diff
ferent; suppose that"
That you had loved me. Is that what
you wish to say?"
We'll. yes that had not loved Clara
would you then really have sacrificed your
Miss Illerton did not answer Immediately.
she sat for moment quite still, her head
resting upon her hand.
4 can not tell" she said at last. hall
dreamily. Heaven help me. can not tell!
believed that was doing right" Then.
with sudden energy; Never mind what
MIGHT hare been! Think only OF what is!
Wait here, I will be back presently" And
she hurried from the Dom.
She was back presently-with Clara Vol
ney. The young lady was very pale, but
preserved a remarkable composure. Miss
Illerton's keen eyes, however, detected the
sudden flush. and her firm fingers felt the
tremor of the little hand they clasped.
But here was one who would not waste
so much as one poor word on all this an
guish. Leading her companion forward
she paused before her visitor: then she
spoke:
Mr.. Arthur Cover. give you my cousin
as WIFE"
"Christine!"
DO not interrupt me. Mr.. Cover has
been making a confession and SO have I.
and we understand each other now, You
1t was Mr.. Cover who interrupted her
here. He had taken her hand AID kissed it
reverently.
What can say. Christine?"
MY dear boy. say nothing-to me. There
is Clara"
She turned away laughingly At the
door she stopped suddenly. then retraced
her steps.
DO you see nothing?" she asked. DO
neither of you miss anything?"
Il do" cried Clara. Where is it?"
Are you sure that you understand me?"
All, yes. am sure! Oh. Arthur. where
is it?"
But Arthur said never word. only stood
silently gazing at Christine.
He does not know" averred the latter,
with mock gravity, but will tell you. 1
threw! it in the river this morning when
was riding"
tn l. 4
10! the ring. the token OF betrothal was no
longer in its place!
Thus had she decided the matter OF her
marriage with Arthur Cover.
X
There had been a busy time at The Crag.
such a busy time as inevitably precedes a
marriage. and now came the lull which as
inevitably follows those periods OF hazard
Gus excitement.
The pretty pageant was over. and Arthur
was gone, and his wife was gone, and only
u lonely woman remained at the old place
Very lonely woman, one who had let her
hopes go by, had nut her suffering aside.
anu now, patiently bearing the purden OF
the day. waited for that night for which. in
the cruel pangs Of her anguish, she long
inoly yearned.
So time wore drearily on, until one day
Miss Illerton sat in the library trying to fix
her mind on the book which lay open in
her lap. when suddenly. she knew not how
II came ABOUT, q strangely EaptuiouS eA-
pectancy seemed to have overcome her.
when directly she heard the drawing-room
door close and visitor enter. charm
took possession OF her. and she Immediately
arose and crossed the room, and as she
parted the portiere her breath came in
deep, gasping sobs. and she stood quite
motionless, her eyes resting on Ralph
Gresham.
"Christine!"
The woeful eyes brightoned now.
Il heard of this. Christine. I have been
away, you know-far away. 1 have come
for you Chr. stine."
And / have waited for you. oh, my be-
loved!"
His strong arm was about her now, her
head was pillowed upon his faithful breast.
and If tears wet her cheek be sure they
were very happy tears. The past. with it's
sorrows and shadows. was gone; and now
love so great had come to her that
through its radiance she read the promise
of blessed peace. and JOY unutterable.
If you do not believe that the fates were
kind to Christine ask Ralph Gresham's
wife.
The world always judges man (and
rightly enough, too, by his little faults,
which he shows hundred times day,