The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-04-04


her ~, y.h..:ss passlonsi nata... ali A.,
pressass. ~ hoAa, his words, shs had most
naturally tekea a. attended for hersels and
shs had rsslivsd them and forgiven him
at ONE. a Rear his exculpation.
.. n f Sss .b. VA. r.s ss.
TO believe .ell tie world a liar" md only
Orvtlle DssilietrAsl In that sudden rsvulsion
Of feeling non Despair to delight, abe must
have swooned. bat that SHE was 30 strong.
Nov hftf1k from his bosom a face at once
tears, she sxslainsd, In tones vibrating with
"oh 0ryills. an you here-are you indeed
here At last-eAd you love me still-you have
loved me ever! Oh, joy. joy. lot me die now!
Al: Or!lIls, Within the last few days have
my faithful love. l have sinned against sou
| In my thoughta 30 c:uellv."
'Lionne! oh. Heaven, Lionnsl" exclaimed
Orville Dssele, never returning her warm CO..
res.: hut gazing at her In sort OF panic.
YES, is it not strange that could have
stant love? But you must forgive them.''
she said, entirely installing the cause Of his
emotion.
"Lionne. Lionnel' be repeated mechanical.
ly gmsing upon her face.
why what 10 the matter? Why do you
l
.ionateiy. Oh, see / know now. It
10 because am 80 changed. Oh, yes,
indeed know am frightfully chang.
ed Orsille Tho storm that has ragel
in this poor, wild bosom for week post
must have metamorphossd me. Bnt. never
shnl! he myself again, every trace OF suffering
will have lett my face. But come, cit down
you too, look weary"
And smiling brightly, size took his hand to
draw him towards the settoe.
He shrank from her touch as though her
fingers had been FIRE, and hurrying forward
threw himself upon the indicated seat, and
covered his lace W. h his hands.
Still utterly sel:-dtceived she followed him.
took the place by his side, and laid her hand
aflectionately ON his shoulder, saying
do not take this SO hard, dear Orville.
though It 10 true that have suffered fright.
fully. and my conntenance betrayee it, yet do
not dread to look upon my face; with all
its pallOr. It is not disfgured. Look upon
me, or ut least take down your hands and
let me see you"
Orville dropped his hands and raised his
eyes des perately to meet her unsuspcious
Eaze-shOwing her countenance in which
deep sorrow now sc far 9reiominated over
every expression, a. to confirm her In her
most natural mistake OF him.
| He saw this confidence on her part, and his
distress and embarrassment increased.
| How SHOULD he enlightsn her? In what
terms sf,orfi lie bring himself to inform her
that she had been deceived and forsaken?
"Iionne." he began, in n tone that he vain.
have an explanation to make to YOU"
why no you snid when you first came in
dear Orviile. And am waiting to heur It
from you. Indeed, have heard it from an.
other, Who did not tell ne harshly: though
only you can do yourself full justice" she
| t,,r,, Eos Ii,
bright with cQndding love in tbs full antici.
patton %: hearing bis perfect vinidication.
"Lionna." he commenced. when led you
be ore the Clergyman at Wave, ! firmly be-
lievcd myself free to become your husband"
81 am SURE that you did. md you renlIy
side of your uncle, in your childhood, could
not and should not have bound you," said
Lionne, confidently.
Poor girl! undeceive yourself" sighed
Orvilie, grayely and sadly.
Why. whit do you menn?', inquired his
piciOn.
"I.ionne, was not freel'
oh. legally perhaps not, but morally.
view admitted that!'
"I.ionne. ct the time ! ignorantly mar,
Scotland to another!"
"By the injustiaable act Of worldly.minded
parent: when you were e .s . ]. was ,as
"Lionne, she admitted that in generosity,
and also, perhaps, In total ignorance Of tie
nature Of her claims upon me-"
Not so,. assure you, Orville. She fully
and her lack of moral ones"
Iii 'nne," exclaimed Orville, desperately,
look Mt me and undeceive yourselG''
'.Ah. my hearth" exclaimed Lionne, with II
sudden cry; nnd piercing gaze into his face
"What-what do you meant"
Il mean poor girl, that you are looking
upon the hu ,bnnd of Lady Adelaide Dcvillc
who possessed every right-legal, moral, and
social-to he called his wi.e''
"And-what-then-am
As the wronged girl asked this terrible, this
nnansuerable question, her eyes, fixed upon
his face. seemed to burn into and blust his
very soul.
His brow crimsoned ut the question; but
nlseting her gaze with eyea at once blazing
with deaance and melting with compassions
for he both pitied and dreaded this wronged
and reckless girl. hesaid-
You ore ut least innocent, Lionne, The
guiit-if Ruilt there was-is mine. solely mine,
us would also the consequences couli be. /
am ready to meet them. Whatever they are,"
And you think can be answered So" aile
said cnlmly. And her calmness was more
threatening than her agitation had been.
speak; You have only to command. can.
not, indeed give you my name. but all that
ean give. ny fortune, my services, arc at
She raised her hand to stop him, and then
do you love the little lady at River.
view?"
"Lionne. at the time that my henrt md
eyes were ensnared by your fatal benuty,
had never loved woman. except my mother"
II have been told NO by you before this;
that, however, ia not the question. Do you
"Lionne. when believed that Ind made
you."
.'lt does not, it cannot, it shall not" she
said calmly and firmly; md adjure you, on
your honor. on your.oul: answer my question
Il know no such person as Adelaide Lorne!"
exclaimed Orville, with the asperity Of desper.
alton: "hut love my honorable wife, LADY
Adelaide Derille, with my whole heart!"
1T is enough, spd Lionne. very quietly.
u recognize her perfect, hsr exclusive, und
heart. and in doing SO, must, Of cours :. re.
puliate the claims of my other"
Il make none, replied theforsaken girl, az
quietly as before.
Orville Deville. when driven to "detine l,is
position, :" has deemed it proper to be per eft.
~ s. SsSss AasSss .F"h!usYy tApIlctG. NOW.
however, deceived by tha nonresstance OF
lionne's words and manner, he rslented and
looked towards her.
Her face was pnler and stiller than before.
her lips we're rompressed; her eyes were fixed
upon the floor; her countenance was perfect.
~ impussible.
"Lionne, he said. in softened accents. mo
one can regret more utterly than myself the
power OF that fatal passion that led me into
error and you into misfortune. PRAY let mo
repeat 10 you that when first attracted bv
your beauty. loved only you, and believed
myself Mt liberty to offer you NV hand.
When, however, lreturned to River.view. and
met my bride after separation from her of
so many years. and found her grown up into
the Ioveliest woman that the sun ever shown
upon-whcn found that her pnre llenrt'
through all years OF absence and of change
from childhood to sweet womanlood. hn,i
been single in its love and duty to me-when
] found that she was In fact, my own legal
wife. bound to me as fast a. church and state
gould bind her; that for years she had dutiful.
" looked upon mo ns her husband, and
patiently waited !Dr me to claim her On INV
wife. did what any other in my position
must inevitably haved done. Learned to love
her. Lionne, it was my fatel''
:Yo4r love vas matter OF time and place.
and circumstances and policyi' Gpod,b she
said, very quietly.
Beginning to b seriously disturbed now nv
what he considered the unnatural calmness Of
h0r wortls, and the perfect impa ssibility Other
cQuptenance, hs said-
"Linnne, oil that hos passed, you ut lsast
~ aUI.A tnus 4