The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-05-24

SA~S ~
lie."
"whom do you go to meet then, like thing
OF infamy, as they have called your"
She was silent, while the glow of the fire.
flames flckercd over her white changed face,
and showed him the pathetic misery OF her
imploring eyes.
You will not say. Well, then, believe the
worst Tho woman who withholds a secret
from her husband would count it a small
thing to dishonor his name, his love, his
rights. Your looks. your words, condemn
you. You have had my love you have smiled
my eyes You have talked Of lifetime
spent in the JOY that has made this past week
week II very paradise; and now you have de-
ceived and betrayed mop
III you think that" she cried, with the
sudden anger and indiguat ion of her outraged
womunhood, "your love is little worth. II
you can listen to the tongues of SANDER and
believe such vileness as you have imputed,
you are loss worthy OF my love than oi
yours"
The fiery indignant words touched him
with remorse.
"What secret is it, then. you withhold from
me2" he pleaded. "Oh think, is not my love
wide enough to forgive, my trust deep
enough TO shelter you from all conse-
quencesp Is 1t some youthful folly, some
girIish imprudence that has woven this mys-
terry and secrecy about you? Only tell me,
Nnette; you do not know what sufferl''
Tho agony Of his voice, the passion in his
eyes, touched her more deeply than any re-
proach. She threw herself at his feet the
great salt tears binding her gaze as it sought
his face, and sought in vain for the love and
trust Of old.
'I don't know" she moaned, "for suffer
too"
"Then tell mo; trust me"
81 cannot"
Once moro these fatal words; once more
that terrible despair which dened all en-.
treaty, and admitted of but ono interpreta-
ton. He laid his hands upon her shoulder
with the grasp Of desperate man.
"To kill you were q crime; yet heaven
knows it were a crime justified by tie mad
ness and the shame that is my portion hence.
forward"
The fire of jealousy scorched his heart as
with a hot iron. Tho ferocity of an undis-
cipliped race, stern of creed and rigid of
honor, stirred and woke beneath this bitter
provocation. The light OF certainty showed
him but ono belief, to that he c!ung, though
its agony maddened him. Before that cry OF
inability. before that silence OF shame, his
doubt grew surer. his faith fell as tree
whose roots the ak has severed
$50 to him you shield" he cried wildly;
who once loved you; once. ay, once, but long
ago, long agoI The woman 1 loved is
deadp'
Then he released her, and without another
look upon her face he went out from the
house, ere ais strength should fail him. ere
his hands should be stained with the blood
Of the fair foul creature he had brought to
his hearth and homo in the fullness Of II
passionate joy, in the trust Of great love.
She lay where he had left her, in the glow
Of the wavering flrelight fearless sobs
shook her, a great dread numbed and froze
the blood in her veins. The intense agony
of those first few moments would have made
Inconsistencies q blessed relief, but 1t never
came. Each sound, each sight, from the
ticking of the clock to the stir Of a leaf or
the rustic OF branch against the open case
ment, all came to her with a clear and pain-
full dstinctness. The GOODNESS Of the mid
summer air deopened, the gray hues OF
twilight then at last she roso and dragged
her weary frame to that accustomed seat by
the fire, and shivered in the warm golden
glow as If the coldness of wintor reigned
around.
"He must let mo TELL" she moaned. "My
oath cannot outlast such wrong and misery
us this. But how to reach him now? Oh
heavens, if should be watched, tracked,
discovered y
She sat there motioness, her brain racked
with tho effort at invention OF schemes and
plans, each in its turn cast aside as futile.
The serving girl came and cleared away the
untasted meal, and spoke wonderingly to
her, and asked her if she needed aught. but
she only shook her head and answered moth
ing.
To all external sounds and cares she
seemed blind and deaf. Tho reaction that
follows upon intense excitement was with
her, and she lay in the dull heavy stupor of
II misery SO intense that it numbed her
senses to all sentient life, and left her but
tho memory of suffering.
The delicious coolncss OF the air rs it swept
over her aching brow brought the first sense
of relief she had yet felt. A cluster sof rose
foliage smote her as the wind stirred it; tho
quiverng luminanco of the moon and stars
lit up the whole quiot garden grounds; the
tar-off murmur of the flowing water broke
in monotonous music against the motionless
wheels of the mill.
As her gaze swept over the vast stretch OF
silent country. she heard a step on the path,
a shadow fell across the silver lake which
tho moonbeams had made on the dewy
sward.
"Are you looking for your husband, Mis-
tress Leroux?" said harsh voice in her ear.
'You will never SEQ him more--he has en-
listed as soldier. and marched with the
troop yonder, an hour ago"
CHAPTER VI.
FLEDi
II n tie ruined tower