The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1894-08-30

o' 4'N't anu I'dlc luCt, slIlluS up
for him. To the grooms infinite amaze
as he rose to his feet Lord Martindale
rushed upon him, seized his hand in wise
like grip and shook it tiercely.
Glad you're all right! Thank YOU
slncerely-very sincerely! She told me,
you know! the British peer blurted out
at the dumfounded serving man.
Harris let his relinquished hand drop
limp to his side, gasping with surprise
and flaming red with pride.
"Oh! me lud! me ludv' was all he |
could mutter, but the tone was as elo-
quent as most after dinner speeches are
not.
Leave this cursed place at dawn,
Harris" his lordship added. "Train at
$40. Get to bed now and wake me at
first light Here, send this to Sir Roger
at once. Must see him to say good-by,
you know. That's ALP
And soon the lately anxious husband
threw himself upon his bed, the happy
light of the new day dawning for him
still shining in his face.
Did the beautiful woman lying in the
room so near know what load her
words had lifted from his true, I'M
demonstrative heart?
When Adrien Latour's last words had
crashed upon her sickening sense, when
his tall form passed from her sight, as
she felt forever, the horror frozen in
Edith's face rested there, cold and still.
A cunning sculpture of despair had
been not more motionless than the state
ly woman there, while the little clock
licked sixty seconds out upon the deadly
stiffness.
Gradually the rigid arms relaxed, the
horror softened in her eyes-only the
anguish left; and great, gasping sob
shivered from her heart. The stately
head, Swallowed by the loose hair,
dropped low in her hands; again the sob
rent her-this time moan:
SIS anything left?'
So many minutes. Then the face was
raised, white and sorrowful, the eyes
now dark and luminous, the lips no
longer set, but quivering with the al
most soundless words:
"Yes-expiationv'
She grasped the curtain, rising to her
feet and putting back the hair from her
broad, low forehead with both hands
Quietly, calmly she moved to the table,
opened her desk with steady hand and
began to write rapidly.
Il dare not see him tonight" she said,
in low tones. "What owe his faithful
heart will begin to pay-to-morrow"
A luminous resolve lighted the grand
oval of her face. Rapidly she folded
the note and placed it on the stand with
out, the low voice-not trembling now,
but clear and sweet-repeating:
"Expiation! Yes, thank God! expia-
tion!'
Turning back, the raised curtain still
in her right hand, quick agonizing
spasm shot through her side. Her left
hand clutched the laCes above her heart,
crushing them hard against it; a labored
breath or two and the pain passed away.
"That is the first step! The next is 50
hard-so hard!'
Her whisper was full of shame and
sorrow; but never hestating she sat
. once more ana wrote IN rapid characters,
3 but firm and clear:
5 knowing you as | do, Adrien, know.
ing myself as you now know me, | feel
that you will never look into my face
this side of the great mercy seat. That
| sinned against you all, more against
l myself, most against God, through my
7 wild love for you is no palliation. Fol
. what | thought love itself was only
= crime! That love which schemed tC
, make you my husband, which would
, have made me your slave had you st
. willed-that passion is dead. You killeC
l it at a blow, showing me myself in thu
1 full glare Of my sin; but, God be thanked
+ not hopeless now. And when we do
: meet there expiation will be done, if hi
S mercy let's contrition, lifelong study O
4 duty atone here For now l see tina
lust is never love. 1t may rise to tn
/ dignity of passion, never to that better
: purer love she feels for you. | have toll
+ my husband enough to lift the load
g studied to heap upon that true heart, S
r little conscious of the baseness III mine
O Confession now would punish him as
V am punished Everything Dale Everett
= believes of me-yes, far more than h
suspects-is true! l lied to him, lied t
,e that pure girl, lied to you in everythin
e save when | said | loved you! And til
r letter she wrote to Dale on her weddin
[e day gave to-
D. Again the sharp pain pierced her sid
d fierce, unbearable. Agonized, rackeC
D; she pressed her hand upon her breas
X With ashen lips apart, breathless, 81
o. leaned against the table.
e. Mechanically her hand reached fC
+: one of the bottles near, sprung the sto
T. per and the sickening odor of Chlorofor
is stole into the air She placed it to h
ne nostrils; the tortured lungs moved gas
ingly, each breath II stab, then gradual
ID more naturally, under the numbil
lis drug.
he Her right hand closed the bottle veal
~ ly, pushing it back among the other
Il, then dropping nervelessly upon the wr1
Q. ten page.
A moment later that hand closed ha
we upon the sheet, crushing it with spa
ne modic strength against her heart. S
s. rose to her feet, not noting the jar tn
overturned the candle; staggered to t
ga bed and fell upon it with one deep ga
rs of relief unspeakable!
M The suffering taper on the tai
fared high up, then went out, leavil
ma the moonlight dim about the room; b
, " Lady Martindale lay calm and motto
ar less as a tired infant ON the mothe
N. breast, until the first gray streak of d
,o rose over the eastern desert and, peeri
II. through her easement, lightly touch
- tln cnft fnlla Of hnr ,n,Litn lrn nn1,N