Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-02-19


ill of you. Why do you torture me SO?
A word. one little word. is all ! need;
u word you can utter SO easily
..Heaven help me, cannot
The faint implorirg cry broke FROM
her white lips involuntarily. She hid
her face in her hands and burst into u
passion of wild agonizcd weeping. He
who loved her so, who would have cast
the very shadow OF grief or suffering
from her path could he have willed it,
looked down on her now with the mute
despair OF broken heart, with the
fearless agony of IL shaken faith.
..You cannot. Are you then guilty?"
'.Of dcceiving you-ycs. OF aught
else am innocent"
His laughter rang out fierce and
wild on the stiffness.
"Of deceiving me! Oh, no! That
is no sin. no wrong! Your lover has
taught you to reason we'll"
II have no lover" she moaned. at
is lie."
'.Whom do you go to meet then.
like thing of infamy, as they have
called you?"
She was silent, while the glow of
the fire-Aames flickcred over her white
changed face, and showed him
the pathetic misery OF her imploring
eyes.
"You will not say. Well, then.
believe the worst. The woman who
withholds a secret from her husband
would count it small thing to dis
honor his name, his love, his rights.
Your looks, your words, condemn
you. You have had my love; you
have smiled in my eyes; you have
talked of lifetime spent in the JOY
that has made this past week very
paradise; and now you have deceived
and betrayed me-"
If you think that" she cried, with
the sudden anger and Indignation OF
her outraged womanhood, 'your love
is little worth. If you can listen to
the tongues of SANDER and believe
| such vileness as you have imputed.
you are less worthy of my love than l
of yours"
The fiery indignant words touched
him with remorse.
"What secret is it then, you with
hold from me?" he pleaded. ''Oh,
think. is not my love wide enough to
forgive, my trust deep enough to
shelter you from all consequences? Is
it some youthful folly, some girlish
imprudence that has woven this mys-
terry and secrecy about you? Only
tell me, Ninette; you do not know what
l suffer-
The agony OF his voice. the passion
in his eyes, touched her more deeply
than any reproach. She threw her.
self at his feet, the great salt tears
binding her gaze as itsought his face,
and sought in vain for the love and
trust of old.
II don't know" she moaned, 'for
l suffer, too"
Then tell me; trust me-"
II cannot"
Once more these fatal words: once
more that terrible despair which de-
fed all entreaty, and admitted of but
one Interpretation. He laid his hanG
upon her shoulder with the grasp of {
desperate man.
$40 kill you were crime: bu
heaven knows it were q crime justified
by the madness and tho shame that i.
my portion henceforward."
The fire OF jealousy scorched hi
heart as with u hot iron. The feroci
ty of an undisciplined race, stern O
creed and rigid of honor, stirred an(
woke beneath this bitter provocation
The light of certainty showed him bu
one belief, to that he chung. though it
agony maddened him. Before tina
cry of inability, before that silence O
shame, his doubt grew surer, his faitl
fell as tree whose roots the a; ha
severed.
) go to him you shield" he erie
wilyly; Ego and laugh together owe
the poor fool that once loved yeu
, once, ay, once, but long ago! III
woman that loved is dead!'
Then he release her. and witt
, out another look upon he
face he went out from tn
house. ere his strength should fail him
. ere his hands ahould be stained wit
the blood of the fair foul creature h
had brought to his hearth and HON
in the fondness OF a passionate joy,
the trust of a great love.
She lay where he had left her,
| the glow of the wavering tireligh
. fearless sobs shook her, IL great drea
| numbed and frOze the blood in hi
n, veins. The intense agony OF thos
g first few moments would have mac
S unconsciousness a blessed relief, b,
y it never came. Each sound, each sigl
Q the ticking of the clock, the ST
OF a leaf, or the rustic OF branC
d against the open casement-all can
!; to her with clear and painful distinc
!, ness. The GOODNESS OF the midsumm
= air dcepened the gray hues oftwiligh
r then at last she rose and dragged h
S weary frame to that accustomed Sc
\