Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-04-02

| listen 10 MarguerlteS wlStful pleaOlngs,Ie-
moved her clinging arms from around his
neck, bidding her mot bother her head
about him, but attend to her own affairs
with roughness in his voice and manner
that frightened Marguerite into tears, and
sent her to Donald's arms for comfort
| What could be the matter3 He, who was
always so kind, scolded the servants, rare
| ly smiled. and frowned ominonsly at any
sign or allusion to his daughters we'd
ding, treating Donald with studied cold
| ness.
Then, as suddenly as this mood came on,
it changed. He was more demonstrative
| in his Kindness than of old. lavished atten-
tion upon Marguerite, becoming so entirely
devoted to her that Donald protested be-
cause he never got her moment to him
self
Never miud," Marguerite said to him
one day with bright blush, you will
soon have me all to yourself, Donald, un-
til you are tired of me-"
Pray Heaven l may have you soon. he
/ CTieu ieTNeuliy- 'but, on, MdTpueIit, L
am so afraid
But, Donald. what can happen to mar
our happiness? You know that am yours
only, nothing earthly can part US now, She
answered him and wondered because he
clasped her so closely, as though he would
never let her ont Of bis arms again. while
he told her that business called him from
the city, aud made her promise over and
over again that she would be true.
"Do you doubt me?" she asked reproach
fully
Doubt youP No, my darling. no. But
fear something over which you can
have no control. | cannot explain the
4 dread have of leaving you
Nay. Donald, it i, not right to worry
50. Let our parting be cheerful. dear.
while we look forward to our meeting
again"
ind 50 with smiles and loving words he
lcfl her. little thinking that long years
should pass ere he saw her again, and She.
with his kisses vet warm on her lips, went
to the library in answer to her fathers
summons
She entered the room, smiling and hap
py, her eyes tenderly shining, the rose
tint touching her cheeks and when, an hour
I later, she emerged, scarce one OF her
friends would have known her.
/ What She learned in that brief hour had
crushed her proud spirit and nearly broken
her heart. All the light had ned from
those lustrous eyes. the color from her
cheeks, the strength from her hands. Her
father, her idolized father had told her
with his own lips that he was forger,
common forger; had told her that his sin
/ had been discovered by the man he had
wronged. and then he spoke his name, and
Marguerite shuddered as though an ice
blast had struck her for it was John Frs
tein, one of her most persistent suitors. a
man whom she abhorred.
He was old, ugly, Iisagreeable. hard as
flint but rich as Crpsus. All the affection
that his narrow heart could possess was
bestowed on Marguerite Dare, and now
her heart sank deeply, for she Instructive
lv knew what would follow.
Il am wholly in this mans power, Mar
guerte," Mr.. Dare was saying. He can
ruin me. rob me of my good name, put me
in prison if he chooses. But my dear, he
is very generous he only asks one thing,
that granted am safe 1t all lies with
you. Marguerite, for he only asks your
hand in marriage"
Generous :" .'Only one thing" "What
words to use, Marguerite thinks bitterly.
when to grant it would ruin two lives for
ever. Then as the terrible truth flashes
over her, she sinks helpless into chair
and buries her face in her hands
She does not know how long she sits
there; She hears as in dream her fathers
voice pleading for safety, she knows that
she must sacrifice herself for him. And
then she thinks of Donald Cameron and
means aloud.
How can she endure it? How can she
live through the shame of her fathers sin?
her father, whom she had considered
the most honorable OF men. and who was
now crouching in his chair, with face
averted and shamed eyes that would never
look steadily in his 1sughters face again.
Oh, the shame of it all the anguish Of
such a marriage, of never seeing Donald
Cameron again. For she knows that she
must never see him again, or she could
not have strength for her task.
At last, how long time it seemed meas
ured by her suffering she lifted her head
and answered.
For your sake, father, | will marry
John Ersten. Nay" raising her hand TO
silence him. mo thanks. | could not
endure them. will save you on condi
tion that the marriage takes place as soon
as possible, while my strength lasts, and
quietly. But he must take me away from
here at once =
You can tell him when he comes
Il shall not see him. The affair lies be-
tween you two, and will have nothing
more to do with it until the time comes.
Surely it is enough that | sell myself,
without being obliged to make the con-
tract"
Poor Marguerite. She could not repress
the bitter words, she had not yet learned
the beauty of sacrifice without murmur,
accomplishing" but when she saw how
her father shrunk as though lash had
struck him, she stopped and kissed him as
she left the room.
Four days later Marguerite Dare was
sold-for debt, and when Donald Cam
eron returned she was speeding toward
the west, leaving for him letter-all tear
stained, incoherent, passionate in its plea
for pity and forgiveness.
CHAPTER II.
1t is the hour of sunset, and in a private
apartment of a foreign hotel, tall, black
robed figure is standing at the open win
dow, gazing with softened, dusky eyes at
the landscape before her, bathed in gold
and crimson.
The shadows lengthen, the air is laden
with sweet odors, waited hither from the
garden on the wings of the wind. The
brooding silence is undisturbed and the
quiet figure at the easement half uncon-
,o;~ - -.,;AI l. e.