Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-08-15

! You did me great injustice" said she.
weariy. 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 -2g 2gain; 1;ns. ~. o0sn,so ma noun o,,
tine"
Il dd-yes. l despised what appeared to
me an unmanly weakness and pitilul false
hooJ. did not consider the mistaken sense
OF honor which caused you to hesitate be-
fore inilicting an imaginary pain"
If you had ever loved me. Christine"
But l never loved you" she interrupted.
with great earnestness. This marriage
was arranged between our parents. We
lent ourselves to the sinful plottings of
others; therein lay our fault. Why we
have been miracles of obstinate Stupidity"
Christine. suppose that all had been DIFF
ierent; suppose that"
That you had loved me. Is that what
you wish to say?"
We'll. yes, that had not loved Clara
self to me2"
Miss Illerton did not answer Immediately.
She sat for a moment quite still. her head
resting upon her hand.
Il can not tell" she said at last. halt
dreamily. Heaven help me. / can not tell
believed that was doing right" Then.
with sudden enorgy; Never mind what
might hare Jeeni Think only OF what isl
| Wait here. will be back presently" And
she hurried from the DOM.
She was back prcsently-with Clara Vol
ney. The young lady was very pale. but
| preserved remarkable composure. Miss
| lllel tons 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
eu1sh. Leading her companion forward.
she paused before her visitor: then she
spoke:
Mr.. Arthur Cover. give you my cousin
as Wife,"
"Christinel-
80 not interrupt me. Mr.. Cover has
been making confession, and SO have l,
and we understand each other now. Yon
must
1t was Mr.. Cover who interrupted her
here. He had taken her hand and kissed 1t
reverently.
What can say, ChristineP"
MY dear boy. say nothing-to me. There
She turned away laughingly. At the
door she stopped suddenly, then retraced
her steps
neither of you miss anything?"
Il dol" cried Clara. Where is it?-
Are you sure that you understand meP"
"Ah, yes, am surel oh. Arthur. where
is it?"
But Arthur said never word. only stood
silently gazing at Christine.
"IIe does not know" averred the latter,
with mock gravity, but will tell you. ]
threw, it in the river this morning when
was riding"
Here Miss Illerton held up her hand. and
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.
i II
There had been busy time at The Crag
such busy time as inevitably precedes o
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
lonely woman remained at the old place
n very lonely woman, one who had let hei
| hopes go by had nut her suffering aside
anu now, patiently bearing the uuruen o
the day. waited for that night for which. in
the cruel pangs OF her anguish she long
in2ly yeurned.
So time wo. drearily on. until one day
Miss Illerton sat in the library trying to fix
her mind on tho book which lay open il
her lap, when suddenly. she knew not how
1t came about a strangely rapturous ex-
pectancy seemed to have overcome her
when directly she heard the drawing room
door close and n visitor enter. A 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.
"Christne!"
The woeful eyes brightoned now
Il heard of this. Christine. l have beer
away, you know-far away. / have come
for you Chr stine."
And 1 have waited for you. oh. my be-