Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-03-03
Pauline made one more effort.

| Pauline made one more effort
Lady Darrell" she cried, with outstretch-
ed hands, you will not decide hastily-you
will take time to judge"
But as they passed out together, something
in the delicate face told that her love for Au-
bfey Langton was the strongest element In
her nature.
LADY Darrell" she cried again, 'do not
listen to him, | swear ! have told you the
truth-Heaycn will judge between him and
me if | have not
"You must have studied tragedy at the
Porte st. Martin" said Aubrey Langton,
with forced laugh; Lady Darrell knows
which to believe"
She watched them walk across the lawn,
Captain langtOn pleading earnestly, Lady
DarrelFs face softening as she listened. 81
| am too later' cried the girl, in an agony Of
self-reproach. "All my humiliation is in
vain; she will believe him and not me. [
cannot save her now, but one word in time
might have done So"
Oh, the bitterness of the self-reproach that
tortured her-the anguish Of knowing that
she could have prevented Lady Darrell's
wrecking her whole life, yet she had not
done so! 1t was no wonder that she buried
her face in her hands, weeping and praying
as she had never wept and prayed in her life
before.
''Elinor, look at me-" said Captain Lang
ton; do | look like thief and would-be
murderer
Out of Pauline's presence the handsome
face had regained its usual careless debonair
expression.
She raised her eyes, and he saw in them
the lingering doubt the lingering fear.
IF all the world had turned against me, :"
he said, land had refused to believe in me,
you, Elinor, my promised wife, ought to
have had more faith.'
She made no reply. There had been some
thing in the energy of Paulne's manner that
carried conviction with it; and the weak
heart, the weak nature that had always re-
lied upon others. could form no decision un-
aided
For argument sake, let lis reverse the case.
Say that some disappointed lover of yours
came to tell NE that you had been discovered
stealing: should | not have laughed? Why,
Elnor, you must be blind not to see the truth:
a child might discern it, The fact is that
long age was foolish enough to believe my
self i'll love with Miss Darrell: and she-well
man does not like to refer to such things, but
that is the simple truth. She is Jealous and
would part us if she could but she shall not
My beautiful E!inor is all my own, and no
half-craZed jealous girl shall come between
us"
SIS it So Aubrey?" asked Lady Darrell
My dearest Elinor. that is the whole Sc
cret of Miss DarreIl's strange conduct to me-
She is jealous-and you know, | should i'm
agine what jealous women are like"
She tried to believe him, but, when she re-
called the noble face with its pure light of
truth and pity, she doubted again. But Cap
tain LangtOn pleaded, prayed, invented such
ridiculous stories Of Pauline, made such fer
vent prOtcStatiOnS of love, lavished such ten
der words upon her, that the weak heart
turned to him again, and again its dOubtings
were cast aside.
''How we shall laugh over this in the hap
Ply after years!' he said. ut is really Ikea
drama. Oh, Elinor, am so thankful that I
was here to save you! And now, my darling,
you are trembling with cold. My fair, gold
en-haired Einor, what must you think of
that cruel girl? How could she do it? No:
L will not go in again tonight should not
be able to keep my temper. Your grand
tragedy heroine will be gone tomorrow"
They stood together under the shadow of
the balcony, and he drew her nearer to him.
"Elinor," he said, 81 shall never rest again
until you are my wife. This plot has failed;
Miss Darrell will plot again to part us. 1
cannot wait until spring-you must be my
wife before then. Tomorrow morning l
shall ride over to talk to you about it. -
She clasped her arms round his neck, and
raised her sweet face to his.
Aubrey" she said, wistfuly, you are
not deceiving me?'
No my darling, am not"
He bent down and kissed her lips. She
looked at him again, pleadihgly. wistfully.
Heaven will judge between us, Aubrey"
she said, solemnly. L have sure convic-
ton that l shall know the truth"
81 hope Heaven will assist you," he re-
turned, lightly; Il am quite sure the decision
will be in my favor"
And those words, so wickedly, SO blasphe-
mously false, were the last he ever spoke to
her.