Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-09-30


sionate emphasis she gave to the last
sentence startled me. Up to that time
she had spoken with curious imagina-
tive languor as if she were following in
fancy the thread Of complication in
which she felt no vital concern, but this
demeanor vanished in a moment. She
sat erect and threw her very life into the
words. And then, too. foreglimpse Of
what was to come flashed upon me, and
! felt rather than saw the fatal error
had made.
'.At last some one came to court her
Ian elderly and reserved man. but
wealthy, and she obeyed her father and
married him. She would have taken mo
to live with her, but | was needed at
home. Her father had begun to realize
that he was mine, too, and to value me.
She wrote me many letters. Her hus-
bands affairs kept him much away from
her. Then for time-for some months
she did not write. | knew there was
mischief on foot. and when at last her
letter came | said nothing to any one.
but left home that night and was with
her the next day.
''She was alone-husband and lover
both had abandoned her. She told me
what her life had been. There were two
chapters in it-first she had been sold for
money; then she had been betrayed for
love. She told me all. 1t will never be
told again. God knows it, and that is
enough, for he only can understand and
forgive-and punish. | comforted her as
much as broken heart can be COM
forted. and another thing that gave her
happiness was that she was i'll and knew
she would not recover. We were sisters
together again, and we used to laugh
and chat sometimes as we did when we
were children. When there is no hope.
peace comes again. At other times she
told me about her love. Oh. my sisterl
my darling sisterl"
She hid her face upon the cushion Of
the couch-where that dead body had
lain week beforehand wept like
summer storm.
Her tears ceased as abruptly as they
had come, and she sat erect again, com
posed and stern. and spoke rapidly and
coldly.
"At the end she gave me the ring and
asked me. if ever met him. to return it
to him and give him message. 1t was
loving message; there was no reproach
in it. took the ring and promised.
And | made promise to myself also
which did not tell her Of. Afterward
learned from my father that this Hem
ny Mainwaring was relative of ours.
but perhaps he had not recognized my
sister as his cousin under her married
name. did not tell my father that
Henry was the man, for meant to pun
ISL him myself and in my own way.
You know the rest-how much sue
ceeded and how much failed"
She rose to her feet at this point. and
rose also. thought she was going to
leave me. but instead she came step
nearer and laid one hand upon my Shout
der. The expression Of her face was sad.
at was you that made me hesitate
until it was too late" said she.
Il? How
"0nly because you were his brother"
1t was said so quietly and sadly that
moment passed before | comprehended
the significance of that admission. 1t
was no delusion-she had loved me. But
there was no invitation. no consent in
her eyes. Her hand. which had seemed
to hold me, kept me back. 1t was like
balancing on the partition between life
and death.
"Let me know what It is to be, Sim
fire." said II fathom you less than
ever. Are you angry that misjudged
you? My soul knew what my reason
questioned. You could not be yourself
and not be pure Was it my perjury
that offended you? In what other way
could have kept youS And tho sin is
mine"
what do you call 1t. to keep me?
Would you rather died loving you or
despised you and liyedy
"Do you despise me?"
"Despise you'll Oh, what shall | say to
youY" she cried out in a voice Of min
gled menace and anguish. why don't
you speak? Why do you hide yourself
from me? Was there no other way to
clear me than by staining mef Could
you have told no other story Of that night9
Oh. Frank, Frank! II was then that you
lost me-not when you crept upon him
in the wood and shot him through the
hearth l believed then that You were an
avenger, but in the witness box you re-
vealed yourself as a murderer Even il
You had been silent and let them hang
me | would have rejoiced in you, for
love lives by sacrifice. As you had saved
me from the guilt Of blood would have
saved you from its consequence. Or II
you had taken my hand over his body and
said, 4 have done this for your would
have come TO you forever and gone with
you to the end Of the world! But you
did not trust me, and the lie you told
was shameful and timorous lie!"
80 you we're in the wood and saw me
kill himf' said |.
"Yes, saw it,"
81 wish you had told me before" | re.
Joined. "But it isno matter now. sec
that have made mistake. You are
right to 90. BY the way, tho estate do
scended to me in tail, but on my deceast
without issue it falls to the next Of kin
which is yourself. Johns personality il
! already yours by his will. AS for Henry
he had not much besides his life, and that
es you say, took from him-on your nc
count chiefly. That is all, l think. excep
my mother. She will not last long. vii
you see that she dies In decent circum
stances? 1t would not be too exacting I
recompense for having taken from be
her three sons and the estate OF Cedar
| cliffe"
She looked at me long time. / d
not know what she sought or what sh
!, | found. But all passion and suffering
had burned themselves out in me.
? stood there wishing that she would 9
|, and leave me in peace. knew that sh
!, had never been more beautiful, but he
beauty could not impress or interest Inc
looked upon it as Internationally as a
animal might have done. Indeed sh
Il, was phantoInlike to me at the last.
= thought. If pinch myself or stamp m
: foot, she viii not DO there. And at las
in truth, she was not there. and as n
, seated myself in my chair was inclined
half in jest, TO ask myself whether sue
creature as Sinfre ever really existed
!. !: g j..