The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1890-01-31
|ERICA'S SACRIFICE,
A QUESTION OF
Forgiveness or Dishonor.

Ihe scr.ants' apartments were all on
dows looked out on the village below,
while the south gate faced the sea.
Would Arnold come? lift what she
dared not put into words were true, he
would not come, surely?
She stops suddenly and leans forward,
scarcely breathing in her intense list
tening.
Surely there was a sound as of a step
creeping stealthily over the grass. 1t
was a gusty night, the wind was high
and moancd through the trees in the
garden and swept the fallen leaves he
fore it, driving them against the vim
dow pane-perhaps it vas that she had
heard.
She went to the window and lifted the
curtain. Through tilmy grey clouds a
rays. and by its dim light she saw the
trees swayed and rocked in the night
wind, saw the dead leaves whirled into
the air in a column: but something was
moving in the shadow of those funereal-
looking frs, coming on towards the
window; it was no fancy.
The girl paused one brief second, and
then softly undid the fastenings of the
easement and opened it.
''Who goes there?" she said. in a low,
distinct Voice, and almost before the
sound HAD died away a mans form came
out into the light, and with IL swift
stride he had reached the window. and
the girl would have laid her hand on
his to draw him i'll but he warned her
away with IL gesture that made her
shrink back, and he sprang into the
room, shutting the window after him.
There was an instant's deathly 81
lence; in it you might have heard her
low %quivering breath coming as if each
respiration was forced from the throb-
bing of her heart.
She stood looking at him with dilated
eyes and white drawn lips. her hands
pressed over herbreast, her form shrink
ing. and CHASTITY horror i'll her face-the
shadow of that look which never again
left the depths of the dark eyes.
She strove 10 speak, but her dry lips
moved only, no words came from them.
and then in her agony she stretched ont
her hands TO him, and he fell back with
a strong shudder, and turned away his
face from the piercing questioning of
her eyes.
Tell me-" she gasped under her
breath. a despairing su%pplication in hel
voice, tell mt it is not true. Oh, God!
it is not true. There is not blood be.
tween us?a
He made her no answer, but sank
down into a chair near and hid his face
trembling from head to foot. Ever
weak, he had not even now the kind OF
reckless courage that can fight off the
horror of disgrace and death.
Erica, don't fail me now."h he nut,
tered, with white trembling lips. IRE
member your oath. There's no one but
you. If you cast me off, l shall go ant
give myself up; therell be nothing
else
1t was true then. 1t had been nj
fancy, that black cloud hanging. owe
her, cnveloping her now in its folds
the fear that haunted her was now
changed to awful certainty. She hat
thought that any certainty would bt
better than suspense. Well. it haC
come now. and she carce knew Which
was the tiercer agony.
Yet. at least, with knowledge cam
! the necessity of and power for action
There Was something her spirit coult
rise to meet; and bewildercd. dazcd al
most by that Knowledge as she was, slit
did not succumb under ii, though ther,
flashed before her. us clearly as if ever,
step had been illumined by electric
light, the inevitable issue. theorecours
she must follow-the one laid on her
She deemed. if she we're to be faithful
to her trust.
81 have been hiding since last night
Arnold said. sitting up and speaking
rapidly, and his eyes iiickcrcd uncer
tainly, and never locked straight at thu
slender. gentle form before him. A.
she stood, moving IL little to and fro, i
seemed to her that with every move
p,n,,t l,n,. ;Fn ,,,,,at hoo, .n-,-,l No. L.
I've been up at Mats cottage, Erica
lie NnS nnnr. he SaW nll--N