Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-12-26
dead at my birth, but dying she confessed

me dead at my birth, but dying she confessed
the truth
at was who paid for Eunice's year in Canada,
knowing how fragile she was and hoping she
would obtain position as teacher. 1t was in
vain-day by day her heath grew worse till she
was helpless. We lived together, for I loved
her tenderIy, and I worked for us both. All,
Heaven! what struggle for mere existence it
was. have Teen hungry while bought deli
cacies for her. Often and often she spoke OF
James Forester, and If forgiving her parents,
he remembered her claims, she and would
never know want again.
But would not live long anyway. she said,
the rude iostle Of life is not for me, but would
leave ii all 10 you-all TO you, my sister Two
weeks before James Forrester's death Eunice
died. and when learnd she was his heiress the
temptation came TO me to perscnate her.
Il have every right to it" cried. Had she
lived few weeks longer II would have been
mine She would have left it 10 me- II was
only sophistry, but tried to ease my conscience
with it.
At have never been happy since my sin, even
had it never found me out.
ssYou. sheltered in home all your life, can
never dream what my temptation was. Only
God can tell that. 1 was homeless, despairing,
penniless. do not ask pardon, only that you
all remember with pity, the unhappy girl you
have known as ''EUNICE FORESTER
At the last words moan of agony
broke from Hugh Vernon's lips-the cry
of strong man in agony-the pallor
on his bronze face was ashen.
Genie went straight to his side, tears
on her soft, dark lashes, and laid her
hand on his arm.
.'You loved her, Hugh? Answer me
truly"
Eyes, loved her. with a mirth-
less Taught love her still. o, God, it
is terrible"
Her temptation was terrible. Hugh,
if you love her, will you seek and find
her?''
He looked up.
"You wish that? Sometimes, Genie,
1 feel have wronged you, and yet
She smiled.
"Wronged me? Nay, it is well we did
not both wrong ourselves. We were
meant for friends, Hugh-warm, true
friends, and that we will ever be-"
She laid her hand in his, and, without
a word, he bent his stately head and
kissed it.
Only long low waste of yellow sand.
dreary moan of the dark waves tapping
the shore, and a girl standing, with
shadow-flled eyes, looking over the gray
waste of waters.
A girl with clustering, red-gold hair
and sapphire eyes looking out from a
pallid, young face, whose youth seemed
| l. Id = in, 10 "a
some living pain
An exquisite face, however, despite
the weary droop of the lovely mouth
the passionate despair of the beautiful
eyes.
with bitter cry.
'sMy punishment is more than car
bear" she said. 20, Hugh! my love, my
lover
Was it her cry that was answered.
Was it fate or simply chance that he
had sought her so long and found hel
thus?
There was a mans firm footsteI
crunching the yellow sand, and then he
was at her side.
With low, startled cry she threw up
her hands, and even at that moment
he noticed the pallor of her face, the
fragility of her form.
Hugh, Hugh!'
The words broke like wall from he
lips, and then from him:
THANK God 1 have found you! m!
darling! my love"
The next moment his arms were
around her, his kisses falling on her lip'
and brow.
For a moment he thought she haC
tainted; so white and still she rested
her head on his shoulder, her dark lash
sweeping his cheek.
Suddenly she opened her eyes.
''Genie! where is she? is she"
"Genie is Wilson Errickson's wife"
'And, Hugh, can you--O, Hugh, i
does not mean"
That / love you-love you wei
enough to forgive your sin, and, in thu
brightness of the future, to forget thu
past. have learned of your sacrifices
for Eunice Forrester-of all your bore
and suffered for her sake, and the strai
you were in when you yielded to tempta
ton. Love, we will bury the past herr
on this desolate shore, and only remem
Der the future that may be ours"
Folding her closer in his arms, h
bent and kissed her lips again, and
great peace fell over her weary soul.
If human love could thus forgive, di
vine love would more surely still, and
standing thus, the evening shadow
fell around them, but the gray water
and the dreary waste of sand were boil
forgotten as their ''souls rushed togethe
at the touching of their lips" and tn
world was theirs for the time.-Famil.
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