The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-25
got. She went to the dead woman and
drew forth that worn, pathetic little
locket. Here is your face" she pur-

ued. "Falsehood will not. help 70
| It's all at an end between US. Words
are worthless; they can neither mend
nor mar
She turned her back upon him. A
wild, dry, fearless light filed her eyes;
to her delicate and dirnpled chin had
come the rigor Of iron
Angus face changed The shocked
defiance vanished, and look of des-
perate entreaty took its place.
Ann" he exclaimed, listen" And
imploringly he stretched forth both
hands.
ut is all true-I grant you that did
marry this woman, who has come three
thousand miles to find me, and who has
died with such appalling fatality here
in your home! But the marriage was a
boys folly. Her people were not like
mine; the whole affair had been a Sc
cret one; I felt that would be socially
dragged down if l acknowledged it.
left her--but not in poverty. She might
safely have stayed there in her own
town with the funds that I irnpover-
ished myself to give her, and with what
l would have sent from time to time as
! gained more wealth in this new land.
But she chose to hunt me up-to follow
me like this! Oh, Ann, know my sin
has been great one! But whatever
/ planned to do was meant III no
sense Of injury toward yourself l
loved you, and my great love is ray sole
excuse! But now destiny has inter
vened. thought the secret would
never be known. England is SO far
away, as yet, from this quiet transat-
lantic town. But tomorrow we can
be married, just the same. No one
will ever dream the truth. You are al
ways SO charitable, and you saw her i'll
outside in the snow, and brought her
into your house, and she died here
Just that simple, ordinary little tale
will explain everythingl Oh, Ann.
promise you the unchanging devotion
of all my future life! Be merciful, and
forgiven
She did not turn. A big, dark clock
in one corner, that had almost the
shape of an inverted coffin, smote the
silence with its keen, metallic ticks.
He drew nearer to the living woman,
and thus inevitably nearer to the dead
one. He still stretched out both
hands. There were great drops of sweat
on his chalk-white forehead and
cheeks.
''Oh, Ann, think of tomorrow! Think
of your wedding-dress waiting for you,
and your wedding veil as well! Think
of the assembled guests-the lighted
church-the expectant clergyman! Ann,
my love, my only love -
But then she at last did turn, and
met his supplicating gaze. Her own
was ice.
Cor she cried ''You might as well
plead to her, She cannot answer you,
and sciR not, except with one word
Col"
Like a shadow she slipped from the
room, leaving him alone with his dead
wife.
On the morrow there was no wei
ding. Angus Pomfret had disappeared,
no one knew whittier. People Cos
siped and babbled, but Ann never told
the true reason why her gown and
veil were folded away unused forever.
Or. if she told it years afterward to one
or two trusted friends, interest and GU
riosity had long ago been lulled into
unconcern.
And this is the true story Of why Ann
Van Nostrand lived unmarried, there |
in the lonely old house on Bowling
Green, till the day of her death.
EDGAR FAwCETT.