The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-13


For a moment il seemed as il he must
1 break his word, and own the real reason for
| Madge's presence q that hour alone / / the
library with him, but before he had time to
decide 20 terrible question between love and
honor he saw that such story could not
! sweep down the ma y fears risen in ellie's
| mind-only the whole terrible tru h could
| do that-and so be stood silent-like one
| turned TO stone-his whole hea t becoming
each moment more cold aud dead within
| him.
It was Nellie's voice which called him to
| himself once more.
Leo, Leo, for pity's sake speak to me-
| tell me the truth" she faltered, putting out
her hands implorIngly in the old mute. help
less appeal.
The lover tried to speak, but this time the
words would not come, save few falter-
ing es-
This woman is" nothing to me. he
would have said. but could not.
Royal, for the first time losing his self
control. burst ln-using words whose
meaning there was no mistaking-but he
| only spoke few.
With cry OF horror, as if he had struck
her, the little blind girl shrank back, then,
as 4 hot flush flooded her cheeks sch as
had never stained them before, she hid her
| face in her hands.
The cry cut Leo to the heart like a knife,
but the flush on the fair white face was
| more than he could bear to see.
With his clinched fist he struck his hend-
ish tormentor full upon his lying lips blow
! which made him reel, so that Madse could
| hardly suppress cry Of horror, aud then
| with one bound was at NelieS side, snatch
ing her to him. holding her fast, as II he
would never let her go-as II no power OF
evil, howe'er great, should come between
| them.
"NeI, my darling, lift UP your head.
| Don't drive me mad to think you hide ur
| face because Of me. There's no need, dear,
| there's no need. | swear it. will prove it,
| | must-yes. | will. How often have Jou
asked my pity for your blindness! Don't
ask it now Be glad Let it tell you the
| truth-that would not dare be 10 you what
they say. If you could look into my eyes
you would see there that | could not lie
! least of all TO you But since you cannot
see, put your head here to my heart" And
| he drew her golden crown down TO where
it had so often rested, and held it
close, 80 that she could indeed
hear the pulsation within. "Hark! Feelln
And he pressed her closer and closer, bend
ing his face down and joining his lips t.
hers IN O silent kiss of wordless meaning, to
tell the tale his eyes, fixed on hers, all agIow
with passionate fervor and earuestness,
could not tell. Feel how it beats-true,
true to you. There's no shame, no sin like
this there, or it would cease to beAt-stay
still rather than lie to you, Nell-my life
my soul-my wife in all but ma ne-my
bride to-day. You believe me-you believe
mep
With one leap the little bare white arms
met round his neck, heedl IS OF all else sa ve
his love for her, ana hers for him, which
indeed had never faltered save for that
brief, mad instant when facts seemed
stronger than faith.
So clinging, Nellie kissed her Lover before
them all, not once nor twice, but a dozen
times-no maiden's prudish, frightened
kisses, but passionate, earnest ones as his
own, as if, indeed, she had truly been bis
wife, by every tie already.
II love and trust you till death, my Leo,
my darling. my husband, she cried, con
sciously repeating the words of her first
promise.
Deep as his love for his child, never till
that moment did Sir Lawrence know how
dear she was to him, for then he recognized
! how pure and noble was her gentle spirit
that it should rise above such horrible net
work of dark suspicion as Royal aud fat
hal together woven.
MIR. aaviland was evidently not a little
! affected by the speech, but once more Royal
was at him again destroying all the good
influence.
| At the end of moment or so, without a
word more, they turned toward the door.
Leo lifted his head as they drew near with a
more proud defiance even than before, but
| Sir Lawrence knew what Q ac,i N meant
too we'll not to feel his heart sink within
| him.
Stung by the hardness Of his fate to an
injustice he would never otherwise have
dreamed of, ne caught Nellie by the arm as
| il t. drag her away from Leo,
stop, Mr.. Haviland, beg OF you This
matter must and shall end here. Leo, speak
out, or Nellie shall never, with my consent,
be your wife,
Leo's face, Aushsd with emotion, paled
again, and then, as Nellie, with a cry Of
fear once more 1t out her hands to him,
he shrank back, and in his turn hid his face.
There was one person VINO underst BOD the
meaning of this action ONLY zoo well.
Madge Brandon knew that the worst had
come, and she must do what she could 10
repair the error sne had made. to repay the
brave heart which was SO near pa ling so
great price for plighted word. She cast
one imploriug glance at her husband, but be
would not see.
And so she did what she could.
Eyes, stay ;" she said, advancing into the
room from the shadow Of the curtains into
which she had shrunk, accom- panying the
words with O gesture which was In itself a
command f'Since Mr. Forres err is too
noble to break the promise he made to me
l will do so for him. l will confess all
There is sin and shame here-but for me
| alone"
Royal bad turned toward her as she spoke
with i'll concealed discomfort at what she
would do, and with a last effort he tried tc
awe her into silence by a look of fierce
revengetul anger such as might have tanned
far stronger spirit h IN her own.
But in her turn she would not see, and
set herself resolutely to her task.
- l am poor and in sad want" Her looks
certaiuly supported her statement. almost
starving. l heal ia the village of the wed.
di here, and the many valuables In the
house. l thought tina in the storm could
get in uuperce. we'd. l did get In, but Mr..
Forces or, as you say his ma ne is caught
me st my work He had me in his power
bat in pity for me, because l am woman,
tried to save me fr m the consequences OF
my mad act. But the alarm had been
given, and because he has promised not 10
betray me he has kept his word. But low
as have fallen, at least the wreck of his
happiness aid hers"-notioning to Nellie
VINO like the rest stood wonder struck
WHO as 50 kind to me despite all, d
who believes In him despite all, shall not be
laid to my charge l own myself-a thief ,
Fo- moment after the broken sentences
of this strange accusation ID ceased there
was dead silence IN the room; then, as Sir
Lawrence, with a look of intense relief
upon his face, would have spoken-doubt-
Lass In b.g cha I