The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-05-25
under THE CLOUD.
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roo9nty snHkus I'm res $500 o0ou
enough to prevent my bteakinf1hy he6ft
when when she died.
Elaine shuddered. The subject was
too terrible one to be pursued.
z / begged her % often to BE- true To
herself and your" she whispered at last,
ssHf we could only see into the future,
how differently we should shape our
lives |" he said, presently, tossing his
head and pushing his mustache from his
lips, Q gesture she remembered in old
times, when every act Of his was noted
by her and admired.
Perhaps Il Is better a. II IL, : she
suggested timidly.
Better e II is2 How can you say soi
What could be worse thar the dark trag-
edy which has spoiled our liyes7 All, II
We had only known. And Ada might
have been alive and happy tooi''
.s0h, hushi. she cried, In agony and,
leaning YEARLY against the tree, she
sobbed aloud.
Does It hurt you soi How strangei
To me the pain Is deadened, or at least /
have grown accustomed TO It'll believe
one could grow accustomed to any horri-
BILE thought by not avoiding II. /"
You forget" she said, in q harsh,
strained voice, at is different for me.
/ was suspected of-of-'' She could
not finish her sentence; though no ono
was within hearing, she dared not put
the terrible CHASTITY fact into words.
But you escaped" he remarked, I'M
Outstanding what she meant.
Yes, ] escaped from prison, from
trial, perhaps from death but, oh, in
thought suffer still, and viii till DEATH"
i Why did you ask me to come here r.
I +" Because wanted to beg your silence.
An incautious word from you might be-
tray me; and have an enemy here who
Is on the watch to make use Of anything
against me. +"
Not the colonel p
A deep blush suffused her cheeks, and
she shook her head.
- see 1t issnot he, /" he said, bitterly.
Shave fallen on love story unawares?n
She flashed an indignant contemptu-
Gus glance ct him, and then replied with
sofrowful dignity that touched his shall
low sympathy at once
There is no question ofsuch q thing
now, nor ever. / shall never marry. "
Child, don't look so despairingi You
are safe now; and, il ever you are in
danger again, appeal to me. There Is
something know about that fatal night
something important which ! believe
would help you, perhaps clear you alto
gether;p then, meeting her eager, curious
gaze, he added, impressively, Remem-
Der only you and ! as yet know about
the existence Of that other, presumably
. jealous lover !"
+" You want to transfer suspicion to
him, do you ~ (sharply.)
:" i want to remove 1t from you. There
IL no body Of men SO open to conviction,
90 easily hoodwinked as an impaneled
Jury. wonder how they reconcile to
their consciences all the mistakes they
make. Taking out little pocketbook
he wrote few words on blank leaf,
tore It out, and gave it to her. There
are the name and address Of my bankers;
anything directed there will find me. /"
She thanked him quietly.
1T is time went back" she said
:" Mr.. Bowyer always dimes in the middle
Of the day, and will wonder II am late"
Then we part again. This win be
The last time, / think. Ishall leave here
at once-by this afternoons train II pos
sible land don't imagine, Elaine, our
paths will ever cross in the future"
Il hope not, = was in her heart, but
nothing passed her lips.
He stood for a moment pushing back
his dark mustache and staring at her cur
iousiy; then mutterlng somewhat grufi
farewell, he turned and walked away
ut rapid pace.
Ellen sighed YEARLY, and went in the
other direction.
1t still wanted few minutes to the
dinner hour as she entered the little gar
den and ran upstairs quickly to her room.
Her first act when she reached 1t was to
open the small tin box which she had
carried about with her SO long. Taking
out the bunch of withered flowers
tribute from Gerald Weare when as yet
he was in doubt as to which OF tie two
sisters he would favor with his affections
she flung it impetnously into the empty
crate, then, applying lighted match,
watched It flare up brightly, and sink as
suddenly into heap of dust.
In spite Of her impatient anger, she
felt pang--it was volume in her life
closed; what would the next containi
Would the future be brighter
CHAPTER XII.
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