Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-09-20

zrud2e me sBee happiness such rest
No. Il is aOt that.
Thea, dearest tel M what Is fbe
ohstacle?~
Her faee twlEeAe5 nervousty. Though
she hinged 10 tell him all. 50 mat he
nsght Judge for himself whether the
barrier thar stood between them was
i.lsarn0untabIe o. no. size scarcely
knew aow to tell him, IN what words
to frame The truth
1T Is for Fossg sake hesitate she
said at last. In 4 low voice that be-
srayed an tie anguish o. her mind
lie took her small clssped hands in
hts own strong reassuring hold.
III Il concerns me az all you must
let me Judge for myself"
A long silence during which her
eyes mer his wlstfuily and inquirin=Iy
as though she would Rad all the work
ing 0f his soul and judge beforehand
bow he would reserve what she had 70
say.
Il seem TO know you 50 little-so
very little, she said presently.
That Is a trouble only time san
mend smiling 10 reassure her.
.Bu'.~ she continued. II think /
know ore trait IN ycnr character. n
F2=1 1t rightly. yoa are justly proud X
an nnstained name--a past that con-
tains nothing that al the world might
net know and could discuss rs they
chose"
He bowed his head In half-surprised
assent
II believe you 10 be so strong. so
capable Of self-forgetfuiness she
sgent on hurriedly. that. however
dearly you loved, you would not wish
to marry me If by 90 doing ron linked
the hitherto honored name with one
upon which disgrace-disgrace, 1 say
had come. II il were only for your
sons sake y0u would draw back and
realize the imp0ssibility Of such an
act"
You think better Of me-or IL ii
worse ?-~than | deserve" was the qnIei
reply "1n the matter OF my marriage
I should ~ ufte-iy selfish; il is my
own affair, and / should consult only
myself in the matter Ny 81 has
equal freedom 81 choice"
Yet / remember" she objected
timidly, ethat you were disturbed at
the Idea " his even becoming friendly
with woman Of whom you knew
nothing derogafory-onIy that she was
an actress"
IAN, there admit ! was unpardon-
ably narrow minded, But / repenied
70 quickly Of my barbarlsm going
even at once 10 az opposite extreme.
that think you might forgive me
that"
That / have been an actress you
know; but there is a more Serious dis
closure that have TO make yet. Even
7, who have had over two years 70
grow accustomed 10 the idea. still
shndder when ! remember that IL.
DO you understand II. whom you ask
70 be your wife. have stood up before
n crowded room 10 answer % the
charge Of murder the murder ~ my
own sister,
Now at any rate she had succeeded
in arou9ng him from the calm OBJ
st,nacy with which he had meant tn
combat every objection she might
raise. For anything ike this ne WAS
not prepared, though he had neryed
himself to hear the confession Of some
thing more than an ordinary fault Of
youth He stood mp to breathe more
freely. and pushed the hair from his
brow. II seemed as though space and
air were both wanting.
You are exaggerating surely" he
said. at length, not because he really
thought ~. but that she might add
something to convince him Of the
reality OF what had passed between
them. for at present 1t was Ike a
dream a terrible dream.
Directly he released her hands, she
raised them to cover her face. not dar-
ing to meet his gaze lest she should
find in it horror or disgust. SO she
answered him now shrinking away as
though indeed guilty of the sin Of
which she had been accused.
mo: II II true all true. II was only
through Mr.. Bowers aid that ] es-
caped from--from"
"Stll you are innocent Elaine!
feel you must be- he exclaimed, reSo-
lutte 10 still those hateful. hooking
voices that insisted on making them
selves heard. though all his love and
loyalty tried TO hush them.
yes. / am innocent." She answered,
with weary hopeless quletude OF
manner that showed him rs nothing
else could havs done how the burden
she had borne for nearly three years
had crushed her spirit Realizing how
strong the evidence had been against
her. how even her benefactor. who had
really loved her. had not been able g
believe her free from guilt. she
scarcely expected any other wonld
trust her mere word She gave her
answer Is the question asked with no
faith In it's convincing power-only
because some reply was required, and
this was the truth, however unlikely
it might seem.
His heart oYerflowing with compass
a OnJ t,t9t HIS