The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-01-12

ASASoSAs d j
% loved me you would
not defy my wishes
as you do" #
Speaking thus, Earl Dunstan turned
and faced his young wife with a look
OF sudden and stern determination
written on every line of his handsome
features. .+ts.e..
But all unheeding this, Zoe, flashed
sher dark eyes upon him derisively,
while a short, low laugh OF knocking
defiance rippled unsteady from her
scarlet lips
"If I loved you!" she echoed, scorn-
fully. "Well. perhaps you are. right
ill saying that. 1 have often wondered
at the strange whim which led me to
accept you instead Of"
"'Of Fred Hammond, why don't
you say?" he finished, with bitter
,sneer, as Zoe paused, triae shocked
at her own temerity. You can't deny
that it was his name which was on
your lips as it is evidently his image
that fills your heart. Fred Ham
mond, the fascinating Lothario,
whose attentions to you last night
made you the talk OF the rooms, who
was an old lover OF yours, as every
body knows, and whom you would
doubtless be willing enough to marry
NOV were you again free to undo the
errors OF the past. Can you deny it,
Zoe?"
'tI shall deny nothing" she flashed.
"out, IN a white heat OF passionate
acorn, her large dark eyes blazing, and
sher very lips blanched to the hue of
;snowdrift. "You have drawn a fasci-
mating picture of what might have
been, and it is O. Thousand pities that
it can never be realized. How cruel
you are to remind me that am not
.frse to undo the past!''
"By heaven, then, you shall be-" he
-etorted, desperately. "From this
hour you shall not be troubled with
my presence, nor your actions tram
,zneled by my tyranny as you are
pleased to term my consideration for
nay good name. am going to leave
you forever, Zoe, and as soon as the
law permits, you will regain your free
dom, and marry the man you love.
This is all that is left me to do for
your happiness but it is still something.
Thank God that know the truth at
last! If had known it sooner, how
.nuch sorrow might have been spared
US both!"
He stopped, his voicegrowing husky
and broken toward the last, cast one
lingering, passionate look upon the
young wife he had loved so we'll turn
ed away from her without another
word, and then-was gone!
Gone! Zoe, listening to the echo OF
his footsteps down the hall, down the
broad, shallow stairs, awoke at last
ssrom the trance which had held her
:shnce the first word of that terrible
speech fell on her ears.
Like one awakening from some deep,
strange sleep, she suddenly reused her
self and staggered toward the door,
holding out her arms with gesture oil
Vpassicnate anguish and entreaty.
"Earle Earle! come back" she cried
1sI did not mean it. You drove me
wild with your cruel suspicious. 1 love
mo One-want no one-but you! Il
49,. Oh, God!"-as the great from,
door below swing to with heavy
-crash-"he is gone gone forever!"
The wild, yearning voice, intense
with the agony OF a breaking heart
whose sound, even at first, had scarce
.:ty gone farther than the white, rigji
lips through which it passed, sudden
say failed-died into silence-and 70,
,Dunstan, the deserted wife, sunk dowr
upon the carpet like one stricken by {
mortal blow.
Weeks passed before she knew any
>Shing more of that terrible day.
Brain fever had seized upon her. ant
it seemed many times as though he
life must pay the forfeit OF her shar
I'm it's reckless folly.
But at last she crept back to life
though for months she was only tn
shadow of her former self.
Brilliant and bewitching, with tn
.effervescent sparkle Of champagne II
her lovely eyes, and flushing, rounde'
soheeks, and dainty, scarlet lips, ha
been Zoe Dunstan before that ill-fate
day. Beautiful she was yet, but tina
sparkling brilliancy was gone, and
deathless sorrow looked out fror
those marvellous dark eyes who's
wItchery had ensnared so man
hearts.
When she was strong enough to bea
at, they told her everything; how the
had tried to find her husband whe
they discovered her stricken down b
that almost fatal shock; how the
had searched vainly for him every
where, only to learn, at last, that /
had sailed for Europe on the very da
that he had left his wife and HON
thow, q little later, the world had bee
startled by the news of an awful di
sster-the noble ship on which he ha
taken passage had been wrecked
mid ocean, and Earle Dunstan' nan
rwas among the list OF those who we
VI TxEown to be lost. - .s.
Zoe listened to the'awful tale in pit
ful silence. Her lovely lace grew
st.ade paler and sadder than befor
IF that were possible, and she sat Il
awhile with her dark eyes stari1