Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-12-30

It shall oe, he said. Il will NOT let
MIN nave her. She shall be mine!s
Weil might Olga toss ON her pillovs.
Well might little Chris lie awake. FOR this
man was planning for them . sorrow that
could never be overcome.
Inc next day was dark ana r.iny. but
cary n the morning, like foul bird Of
prey, Griffith rode through the fog to the
Astange mansion.
Olga saw him coming. and shuddersd-
She greeted him coldly, but he was not
Nothing can wound vanity.
Olga, he said, Il have come hare On a
wedding" 'A 0"'
She shrank away.
Listen, dear, he continued, Il have
reason. l last night heard a half fool.
naif lunatic Of girl vow she would kill
me on the day Of the marriage, if she
Knew when 1t was to take place. Olga,
she 10 truly nothing to me; but found
she was hirt, and f1irted with her inst
. little. The result is she loves me.
Dear, l have given out word that our
marriage shall be celebrated in Septem.
per; 10 save my life, will you not let me
sAAp AAAVASA! xuluk now muC0
trouble 1t will spare every one; but even
Your sisters must not know about il.
it is my life?"
one did not answer, for a servant had
entered the room with q card in her hand.
She looked around.
"A lady to see Miss Verina." she said.
olga" 49,
Yes; show the lady into the library. i"
replied Olga, and the girl quilted the
apartment
Olga turned to Griffith.
You must give me time to consider
your proposal. do not think can grant
"Oh, no, no. will go out in the oar.
den and wait half an hour; at the end
OF that time surely you can decide. Olga.
when you think it means my life you will,
and answer yes. What can it matter?"
Her lace grew white and trouble1,
1 will wait half an hour and think, t"
she answered. go into the garden. Grit
fifth; IN half an hour will meet YOU in
the summer-house."
He bent to kiss her, but she motioned
him away, and he left her sitting on that
sofa asking herself her duty.
Why should she sacrifice herself by q
secret marriage for this mans folly, per-
haps sin? she questioned herself, And
something seemed to her to answer: he.
cause you have promised to share YOUR
life with him, have plighted him YOUR
VOW to love him, to think OF his welfare
ALWAYS.
Perhaps 1t was because she felt if he
had Deen another she would have gone
with him anywhere gladly; she now al
most resolved to do as he wished.
But Kenneth's face rose in her memory.
Could she forever part herself from him
yield him, as it were, to Chris?
AS she sat there with her eyes wide
open. dreaming. she heard Chris greeting
her guest in the other room.
She had no idea of listening to them,
no idea their conversation was to be of q
private nature: but she was in a kind of
trance. from which she felt no disposition
to rouse herself.
Chris words fell on unheeding ears, as
the girl said:
,, When did you return from California,
"A week ago." replied Mademoiselle,
who looked pretty in her costly Persian
costume, and who seemed overjoyed to
see Chris. MY dear, l heard of your
good fortune, and came at once to con.
Pratulate you. expected you were mar
ried to either Lord Elgin or Kenneth
Byrne long before this. Why did you not
make the most of your time on that lone
ly ride over the mountains?"
"Mademoiselle, /" gasped Chris,
and paused.
Don't flush, dear; either Kenneth
Byrne or Lord Elgin would have pro-
posed if you had managed your affairs
with half the diplomacy did mine with
Mr.. Miller. And now you see have a
home on the avenue, my private stable,
and all the diamonds can wear. Ken
meth could have given you any of these
things; but if you will come and stay
with me I'll get you even richer beau.
Olga had unconsciously listened, and
now she buried her white face in her
hands as she asked:
girl?"
Through the air jealousy seemed to
hiss the words:
"A lover!"
With her eyes glistening and her cheeks
flushed. with her scorn of herself for
having allowed herself to care for man
who she now believed belonged to an
other, she went out to Griffith, and, put
ting her hand in his. said:
Il will marry you whenever you wish.
He uttered cry of triumph; yes, he
re]olced in the thought of wrecking this
girls life, and despite the cruelty ex-
pressed in his wicked eyes Olga did not
know she had by her desperate act cost a
human life-that she had cast a soul
down into the black abyss of despair.
Was it her own?
CHAPTER XXI.
WHITE MIST OF JOY,
Olga remained in the little summer
house long after Griffith had departed, in
spite of the damp air, and even the
dashes OF rain that entered the place.
The girl was distressed by the thought
of what she had done.
1T was not right to promise to marry