Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-09-18

lutely declined TO advance the money.
Stunned and stupeaed, for one mad
hour Leo dreamed Of suicide; but he
was young, the love Of life was strong
in him, and he thought Of his parents
and Stella with q deeper affection
than he had ever felt before. But
what could he dop It would be inn
possible for his father to raise the
money in so short time, even II he
consented, but Leo did not be-
ieve he would consent, and he
felt it would be easier to die
than to ask him. But to be default
er! What high-spirited young fellow
could bear such a thought Thatnight
he took Stella into the gardens in
front of tho house, and there he told
her every thing, with burning, miser--
able shame and anguish. She wept
and wrung her hands. Was there JUS
tice in Heaven if this awful calamity
could fall on one so loved, so guileless
Tin her eyes) as Leon those dear
people who had been as father and
mother to her. She rallied against
Standish. and vowed she had always
mistrusted that stern face of his. She
lay awake all night, her golden hair
tossing on the pillow. her white face
rosy with feverish anxiety. She would
see Standish, would plead with him
yes, on her knees. He had always
seemed so glad to do her smallest be-
hest; surely in a matter of life and
death he would not refuse her. She
contrived to see him, and alone.
With bushes that scorched her fair
white face, she pleaded to him as in
the watches Of the night she had
scooled herself to plead. Then STAN
dish unmasked. He kept the passion
of his heart and eyes in leash, but he
told her without disguise the only
terms on which he was prepared to &C
cede to her prayers. She was the
price of Leo's deliverance. He waxed
eloquent; his voice and manner were
tender as woman's as he poured out
his love to her--the love with which
he had loved, nay, worshipped her
from almost the first moment
when his eyes beheld her. Stella re-
coiled from him in horror; then, re-
covering herself, she appealed pas
sionately to his generosity, to his pity
even. Pity! he had no more pity than
the tiger whose prey is within his
grasp; desire knows neither mercy nor
pity. Her tears, her distress, kindled
still more the violent and cruel side of
his nature. Yet his voice was tender
and persuasive. He would make her
the happiest woman alive. She should
not have a single wish ungratifed;
nay, Leo himself should be the first to
benefit by her sacrifice. He ventured,
even under the burning scorn of her
eyes, to compare the boys love with
his. Once more she implored him,
with a very agony of entreaty, but he
was inexorable; there was only one
condition. And so he left her, bidding
her think it,over. .s"-
When she told Leo his rage for the
moment overcame his despair: He
called Standish by every name with
which "a man can brand villain.
Would he have his darling sacrificed
to save himself ten thousand times
deeper disgracep But after the first
passionate excitement, despair came
crawling back. Disgraced, dishonored.
was he nearer to his lover Again he
thought of making a clean breast to
his father. But that very night al
dinner the Admiral had seemed out OF
sorts, and had darkly limited at an un.
lucky speculation into which he had
been betrayed. Leo thought of his
young brothers and sisters. We're they
to be sacrificed to his criminal
follyp All! he could call it by it's right
name now. He and Stella sat with
clasped hands and sorrowful eyes; they
had never loved each other as they die
now. Then in the night, as she lay
lIAA uA0UA Ao VAOAA AOI ULOuUl0 Stul
| Leo's, the instinct of self-sacrifce
which is in every good woman's nature
which has made heroines and martyr;
of them so often, inspired her; and
with shudderings and tremblings, she
resolved to save Leo even at the cos
of her own misery and despair. With
out a word Or hint to Leo. she
wrote Standish that if he would not
have pity on her, knowing how she
felt toward him, she must needs accep
his cruel terms, since she loved hel
cousin more than aught else in thu
world. Would he, she wondered, still
want to marry her after thatp
He took her at her word with 10,
and triumph. He would know how tt
guard her against leo-against every
man in Christendom; and he had al
the fatuity common to lovers who be
lieve they can make woman love
| them. Even then Stella had hope tina
she would be able to creep out of he,
promise through some loophole; bu
Standish was far too clever for that
Leo had obtained a weeks delay fo1
the paynent of his Goodwood losses