Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-07

Vance was returning home from a.
neighboriDg city, thinking Of his life
as it now was and as it might have
been, and he felt that though he had
once thought existence worthless with
out that which he deemed necessary
to his happiness, he would not exchange
what he possessed for the realization
of the dream of his younger days. For
he loved Margery as he had never
dreamed he could love woman again.
At that moment his wife was stand1
ing. tall and motionlcss, in the brightly
lighted drawing room, facing beau
tiful woman whose dark eyes, large and
lustrous. looked defiance into hers.
HE is your husbandT she was say
ing.
HE is my husband" assented Mar
gerry. with half sob in her throat.
Your husband, but my lover. Re-
member that. 1t was l he loved, not
you; for that l could almost forgive
him for marrying YOU
Margery did not move. The white
lips grew whittier, but great scorn
burned in her eyes; she felt the truth
Of her guests statement; but that she
| should have put 1t into words!
At that moment Vance entered the
| room. The snow outside had deadened
the sound of his approach. Margery
did not know that he had returned
until with sudden movement the
woman before her leaned forward, and
Vance" in soft, dulcet tones fell from
her lips
"Isabel.'
1.-THE doctors tell me l have not long
to live and l have come to make my
peace with you, Vance. l could not go
leaving you in the belief that l was
entirely heartless. / want to ask"
"All is forgiven and forgotten, Mrs.
Weston. Pray do not disturb yourself.
1 trust that your physicians are mis-
| taken, however"
Nances tone was kind but cold. She
looked at him kcenly.
you forgive NE? That Is almost
more than l had hoped"
| Her slender white hand moved rest
lessly toward him, and be was COM
PEELED to take il. Margery inwardly
WINGED. but gave no outward sign Of
distress. She did not see what her
husband saw, that Mrs. Weston was
exceedingly i'll.
Vance made a slight attempt to re-
move the fingers which he held, but
! their clasp frightened in his; there was
a slight swaying OF the 1.-THE body. and
| Isabel Weston was lying IN his arms,
her beautiful face on his breast, utter
! ly unconscious. He placed her on a
sofa In few minutes she recovered
and insisted on returning 10 her fathers
house. When Vance re-entered the
drawing room, after having placed
Isabel in her carriage. he found Mar
gerry standing 1T the window. her face
pressed closely against the panes. He
! took her cold hand in his, and led her
unreSistingly to the fire.
She obediently raised her eyes to his
! face, but dropped them quickly.
Il have 4 confession which must"
"No, no, no. she interrupted. IL can
bear no more. Have | not seen and
heard enough. l., not MY burden suffi-
GENTLY heavy that you seek to add to
it? 1t was cruel Of you, and yet l, too,
was to blame. | should not have mar
ried you, knowing rs | did, that you
still care for her; but l was foolish
enough to think you would forget-how
foolish | never before realized. She
said-oh, she should not.-that you
were my husband, bat her lover; and
yOu-yOu-'
"Margery. you cannot believe that 1
am dShOnorabe enough to cherish love
for woman who. until q few weeks
ago. was the wife OF another man? The
day on which married YOU saw the
burial of my past love, and a new one
succeeded it-a love stronger, purer,
than | gave To Isabel Eeece-a love
which is given to a woman who I
know loves NE. ana whom, thank heav-
en-, no other man caa call his wife You
are mine, and claim ny own"
Still she was silent and unresponsive.
"MarGery." he went on. in q panied
voice, which yet contained a great de-
termination. You must trust me-
ooh, Vance, If | only might. But 1t
has followed me always-this thought
that you
A sound of hurried footsteps; the door
was burst open. and n servant stood
breathless on the threshold.
Mrs. Weston's carriage, sir. There
was an accident. and Mrs. Weston Is
dead 1 think. They are bringing her
here"
In a few minutes Isabel was again
upon the sofa from which she had so
lately risen. The black eyes opened
Vance bent over her with murmured
thanksgiving that her life had been
spared for short time. She lifted one
slender hand 10 his face.
"Poor Vance" she whispered. you
loved ME then, you love her now.
knew it when you spoke TO he so cold
ly. My vanity led ME astray-it was
only a boyish fancy, soon forgotten
1t was best SO. They say did not love
Terence. but ali. it was death to me to
see him die. His beautiful face sc
white and cold-the-ah. the pain is
here! Her hand was pressed against