The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-04-28
HER DARK SECRET.
BY katharine Lester. !.

BY Catharine Lester
The stormy darkness Of February
night was shutting down over the
stately walls Of Creighton Cliff, where,
In the wide old library, with it's gothic
carvings and paneled windows, a young
girl, in sombre black garments, was
seated before the CHEEKY fire blazing in
the CRATE, staring with woeful, despair
ing eyes at the ruddy Goals. while the
shrieking wind and ceaseless downpOur
of rain without seemed to her a fit ac-
compartment, indeed, to the tragedy
going on in her life that dismal, wrath
full night
Il know what you would say, but I
cannot hear it, she said i'll a low, sad,
thrilling voice, looking up into the
handsome, passionate face Of the man
bending over her. Whatever dreams
we have had are over and done now,
Ross Desmond. l can never be your
wife! l viii he frank with you. There
is an obstacle-a dark, bitter secret in
my past, that robs me of the happiness
you offer me! Alas, if only for my
sake, try to forget me!'
Ross Desmond caught one Of her
trembling hands in fiercely passionate
grasp, his face paling at her words.
My God. Claudia, don't tell me
this" he cried wildly, that my love is
Knocked and refused! Don't wreck my
life! True, believe l once loved an
other, but when you rose on the hori-
zon, 1 then realized the folly I was
about to commit; told the woman Of
my error and she gave me back my
freedom. Oh, Claudia, if you only knew
how l have yearned for this moment,
to hear from your lips that you would
be my wife,.
Torrents OF agitation rushed through
Claudia Nerne's veins like molten lava,
and a hopeless, maddening pain was in
her eyes
Ross, have mercy on me, pity me-"
she cried, for, alas! can give you no
hope. You have wrung from me the
confession of my love for you, but I
did wrong to acknowledge it, and now
/ beg Of you to forget it and--me!
Don't tempt me further from the duty
with which a cruel fate has burdened
snle, for that secret locked in the
wretched history of poor working
girls past will ever come between us!''
You shall not give me up thusv' he
painted. You shall not suffer this sac
ritice. 1t would kill me! Claudia
Glaudia, for Gods sake, be mercifulr
We must part; it is your honor-my
duty to do this!''-a world of anguish
and despair in her dark eyes as she
rose from her chair and held out one
icycold hand to him. God help me
now, the tragedy of my poor life is
surely closing in about me, and T."
Her voice deserted her; she turned
away and strove to leave him, when
he suddenly caught her to his throbbing
breast
But she struggled gaspingly from his
arms. with a face as white as the sheet
eel dead. and glided away, a little wall
of agony that seemed to cleave in
twain her very soul, leaving her pale
lips as she fled wildly up to her own
room.
My heart is broken. she cried. ooh.
I love him so madIy, but dare not tell
him the miserable secret of my life!
lie would spurn me from him! Have
ri."cy, God. and don't let me suffer
like this. With this agony at the be-
ginning. what will it be as the days go
on. and all alone in my misery? Oh,
If ] were only dead!"
The fire burned itself out in the CRATE.
the wind shrieked and tore about the
house, and the rain beat against the
windows with spiteful force-descla-
ton without and sorrow witlin-true
type. indeed, of the awful shadow
brooding over one woman's life
While down in the library, Ross Des-
mond still stood where Claudia had left
him, like one whose very life had gone
out IN utter darkness, when suddenly
there was the faint rustic of wOman's
garment, and he turned to meet tall,
graceful young girl. in 4 flowing. SHIN
mering robe of azure blue-Lora How
ard, heiress and beauty (his future
fiancee. so the world said)-who had,
alas. that stormy night been standing
behind the heavy crimson portieres of
an alcove near by, a silent and unsls-
pected witness of his interview with
Claudia Verne
Pardon me- she said, in Il low. sib-
liant voice. ''Is Miss Verne still here?
Nc? We were waiting for her in the
muSic-rOOm. But, Ross. | hope did
not interrupt your charming tete-a-
tote?''
You did not" he answered coldly. a
flush dyeing his handsome face.
She laid her jcweled hand upon his
arm.
Ross" she said, hesitatingly, IL
have heard all tonight! Don't censure
me for my impudence, this effrontery,
iii thus confessing it to you We are
friends; let me speak frankly. What
can you see so attractive about Miss
Verne, the gOverness for strange ru-
gnors are already coupling your proud
name with hers? She is peculiar
creature-sO sad, so evasive There is
really something too mysterious about
her.
Why" she went on, significantly,
while Ross Desmond clinched his teeth
over some angry reply, 'even dear old
Mrs Creighton admits that when she
engaged her in New York as gOyerness
to her two neices, Miss Verne would
tell very little about her antecedents.
She is an utter stranger to us all here;
but now, after your interview with her
tonight it is quite safe to say that she
has some wretched and disgraceful
secret linked to her past life''
Ross Desmond wheeled about and
and faced her almost fiercely
You are mistaken. Miss Howard. ~
he cried, his eyes flashing. Yes, she
has a secret. poor girl, vet am certain
there is no disgrace attached to it,
But l think Mrs. Creighton evinces
questionable taste in allowing her be-
MOO ~, fhiS roof WHOM