The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1891-07-23

TO punish nm IN some way LOT me
unhappiness he had caused her. She
strove her best to fascinate and dazzle
him, and bs. quite willing to be enter
tanned by hanGs pine woman, entered
with zest into q Irritation, all
the while reserving such love
as he possessed for the one
who was to be his wife. But in all
this Bessie saw only the signs OF feel
ing that could not be repressed, and
one day when the two were sitting to-
gether she came and sat beside them
with resolute look in her earnest
blue eyes.
"Arthur," she said, "the day that
has been fixed for our wedding is close |
at hand, but l must say what l have
to say before that time"
She begged of her sister not to leave
them, and then, in clear, steady |
voice, she told Arthur M'Ardley her |
| feelings had changed. that she no |
longer felt any stronger regard than
friendship and that she hoped he
would try to forgive and forget her.
She limited of no change in him, OF no
reason for the alteration in her feel
ing, and Arthur, utterly abashed,
and knowing well what cause he had
| given her, listened in silence, tongue
tied in Margaret's presence.
Next morning there came to the
door a missive in Arthur's hand, ad-
dressed to Bessie Miller. AS the letter
was placed in Margaret's hand, she
stood in her dressing-room, holding
her sisters costly wedding dress.
There was no question of right or
wrong, only mad determination to
know what passed BETWEEN Bessie and
Arthur M'Ardley. Margaret opened
the letter, and read what was never
meant for her eyes-tender, penitent
words, warm with love for which she
would have. bartered her existence.
Pleading humbly for forgiveness, Tor
that heart which he had lost through
his own misdeeds, and through and
under it all hint, not anywhere
written but subtly expressed, that the
fault was not all his own.
A light step sounded along the pas
sage, and Margaret tore the paper
with an angry hand, and cast it at
her feet, crushing it under the folds OF
the snowy satin.
Bessie looked in and seeing what she
held cried out:
"Oh, Margaret. please put the
dress away, and never let me sse it
{ again.
Q Margaret laid the dress and paper
away in an unused drawer. But for
e the confession it involved Of her own
4 treachery she might even yet have
given her sister the letter; but as 1t
. was, she said to herself that Arthur
NJ Ardley might make his peace i'll his
r own way.
d That night Arthur bent above Bes
e sic with his whole soul in his eyes and
d asked her if she had anything new tC
say.
al have not changed my mind" she
d said quite coldly, and Arthur went
vowing never to enter the house again
For time the sisters saw no NOR,
= II of him. They ceased even to speak o
Il him, but after a time Margaret met
&c him frequently, and Bessie knew o
o the meetings, and was glad that al
u had come to pass as she had planned
'e and would have been as gay and hap
by as ever but for a sudden Hines
y that came upon her. 1t WAS heart dis
IL ease, the doctor said, and suddel
Us shock might be her death, but witt
u care she might recover. So Bessie CAV
n up all pleasures that tended to excite
ment, and remained at hometo guar
" her health.
~ One night there was party to tn
ne opera proposed by q lady at who's
no house Margaret and Arthur M'Ardle
NJ frequently met Both the sisters wer
Ia invited, but Bessie pleaded illness.
~ "Come in and see me when you &c
~, home. I'll be sure to be awake" an
~ Margaret left her with kiss.
I'd That evening Arthur sat beside Ma
er garet in the crowded opera-house, an
at in the pauses of the music asked he
lie to make him happy with the promis
he of her hand, and Margaret promised
he regardless OF her revenge, reckonir
little whether pique or love had mao
he him so soon forget her sister, for til
ad was the anniversary of Bessie's WEE
ding-day.
M He assisted her from the carriai
he on their return, and with his la
ny touch on her hand, his last word
lr. her ear, Margaret sped up the stai
nd to her own apartment. At Bessie
door she paused and looked With
OF, The shutter vas open wide, the lol
lid curtain loosened from its fastenin
Up blew half across theroom, the gaslig
g." hickered and fiared, and on the flo
)y- lay a heap af snowy satin and lat
red her sisters discarded wedding-robe.
Margaret's pulses stood still. The
Nd was but step from her to the b
that was hidden by it's massive hea
81 board, but that seemed a yawnl
.or gulf. 1t was taken, and there Il
But pretty Bessie, the color fled forey
her from her lips and cheeks, her little +
gers clasping fast q tattered paper
ier, the paper Margaret knew so well.
md Her sister had loved and trust
cry her with boundless love and fat
ow and the knowledge of Margare
treachery had pierced that tent
ing heart as absolutely as though
cruel hand had held a murdero
uld knife. For moment Margaret hor
'ty, that she was dying, too, but the h
the ror that swept her frame left her al
ned to remorse aud agony 1T seemed
ned her for evermore.
lful When Arthur M'Ardley came
look upon that lifeless form the lc
ver that had been the purest feeling OF
heart, came back to overwheim h
rget with a hopeless sorrow.
art "Oh, Bessiel little BessieP' he cri
ces. 81 loved you better than my lie"
ssie There was no word of explanatl
or leavetaking between Margaret q
5 he her oldtime lover, but the two lool
,een into each others eyes and knew II
had thau r,1t1et mart