Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-01-12
THE MASTER OF The MINE|
pY nopERr

~ do trust YOU" she returned, with all
my heart and soul! For your love | have
forsaken everything-bome kindred, friends
but when we came away together you
promised that In a little time | should return
with you to those who are dear to ne. 1
have waited very patiently; but to live OH
here alone In London, 10 feel that they think
i'll OF me and are mourning for me far away
oh! 1 annot bear Il: ii breaks my hearth
"They know that you are alive and well.
Surely that is enough"
"Ah, II you knew ho'~ dear | am to themi
Since ! was a child until the day ! came
away with you, ! had never left my home.
Ii seems 50 dreary Ia London after my hap
py home! Often when you are gone 1 sit at
the window there and look out on the great
city; and when / hear the inunnur of the
folk il seems like the sound o. the sea"
my darling, this is mere sentiment, which
you will forget. Surely London, with all
Us life a gayety. 10 merrier than that dreary
place where I first found you like a flower in
. desert unworthy of such beauty? Come,
kiss me, and try to contide in me q little
while yet. l wish to mako you happy. l
love you truly, and dearly; but / have much
upon my mind of which | canno rs yet
speak freely, Try to be contentcd here a
little longer: then, perhaps, the mystery will
end. You wiu try, won't your
Eyes, George; ! will try!"
So the discussion ended, and for a time
things went on rs they had done before. His
absences became more frequent and more
prolonged but Annie, since that last talk
with him, had learned TO look with different
eyes upon her lot. and bore all without a
n1lIrntuI Clio could mot blame him ghn lpyaH
him too well for that: and after all, she
thought, she could not nationally blame him
for anything. He had lone all tina. he could
do. lie had made her his wife, he had given
her a home fit for the greatest lady, he had
even allowed her 10 write TO her friends, say
ing that she was happy. He could do no
more.
But this blissful state Of things was not
destined to last. Redruth came to her one
day and told her that the house in which she
lived had become too expensive for his
means; that he had taken rooms for her, and
that she must rernoye 10 them with all posi-
bic speed. Annie was quite content 10 do as
be wished. She had never had much taste
for splendid surroundings, and the house,
without her husband, was dreary enough.
Accordingly, she was removed TO the apart
ments in which l afterward found her living
In the Strand.
Very little happened TO me worth tell
ing" said Annie, continuing her narrative,
until that day when | met you, Hugh. All!
l shall never forget that day. After you h. i
left me, being dragged away by those men
who accused you OF murder, | remained in
that room stunned and stupetied, utterly in
capable OF realizing what had happened.
Theu it all came back to me. | seemed TO
see again your reproachful look-to heaT
again the dreadful words You uttered when
you left me-.
"'When the time comes you said, may you
be as well able 10 answer for your deeds as |
shall answer for mine. The trouble began
with you. II murder has been done, 1t is
your doing alSo-Temember tllatn
Those were the words. Hugh. Night and
day they have never left me, and | think
they never will until / die. Ah.i if | had
only died then! But il Is just that | should
live ONT Is part OF my punishment TO live
on and see those that | love best in all the
world droop and suffer day by day for the
wrongs that | have done.
well, Hugh, | was stunned, as | tell you;
then suddenly | recovered myself, and rush
ed, screaming, 10 the door, with some wild
idea OF saving you, and bringing you back,
when / vas met at the door by my husband.
Whether OF not he knew anything of what
had taken place, | don't know. | was too
much agitated myself 10 think OF him. But
in q wild lit OF excitement and terror, | chung
TO him and told him all. When | had nm
ished my tale, he looked at me with such a
calm, cold gaze, it nearly drove me mad.
IFS a very bad job he said; but really
l don't see what / can dog'
"'Then I will tell YOU | answered. You
can AXE me back to 81. Guglott's, and help
me TO prove that my cousin is ~innocent-as
he is, God knows.
Take you back TO st. Gurlott's?' he said.
In what capacity; as Annie Pendragon, or
as my wife"
".As your wife | replied.
'Oh, Hugh, | shall never forget the look
that came into his eyes. He smiled as lie re-
piled:
~ cannot do that, because you are not my
wifer
".NOt your wifev l repeated, scarcely be-
lieving that | heard Alright, but having once
begun it seemed easy for him to continue.
NO he replied, you are not my wife.
II you hadn't been a little fool you would
have known it long ago.
"'But we were married. | persisted.
ave went through marriage CEREMONY
be replied, because l wanted TO guard
against long faces and reproachful looks.
After the ceremony you were perfectly con-
tented, but / knew that we were no more
man and wife then than we had been before.
The ceremony was a mock one, the registrar
was an lmp0stor, whose services | had
bought; II he hadn't been he would never
have performed the ceremony In the even
ing; IL you hadn't been a fool you would
have known that a marriage is no marriage
II performed after twelve O'Clock in the day.'
Again / looked at him in pesriiied amaze
ment; then, realizing what all this meant to
me, j fell sobbing at his feet.
George I cried, tell me you are not In
earnest-say 1t Is not truep but all his love
for me seemed to have died away; without o
look he turned from ME.
at Is true (! he said.
".Ah! don't say So l cried. clinglns help
lessly TO him. Say that ! am your wife; il
is the only comfort l have had left to me
during all these weary months that have
passed away since 1 left my home! DO not
take that from me. In Heaven. name, have
pity! All. YOU would have me think Ill Of
you; but l will not. You would never be SO
base as 10 deceive Inc so! You, whom l loved
and trusted so much, would never wreck my
life and break my heart. I'll not believe but
sou are my husband still"
II covered my face with my hands, and
cried bitterly. After awhile he came to me
and raised me from the ground.
Annie he said, my poor little girl, be
comforted. have told you the truth-you
are not my wife! You can never be that;
the difference In our stations Is so great that
o marriage with you would be my ruin. l
have deceived you cruelty; but my heart IL
still yours, and till death comes I shall love
and protect you. We will leave this place;
we will leave England together. Then, far
away, in some freer. brighter land, where
these distinctions do not exist, We shall dwell
In happiness and peace
but l shrank from him.
: "'Do not touch me! l cried: do not sneak
TO me like thatv
"'What Is ii you regret?' he asked "A mere
form! Love is still love, despite the worldv
"sLove Is not love- l replied, till sancti-
fed and proved. You have profaned i'll
You have broken my heart and destroyed
my peace forever
"'You talk wildly, ANNIE he returned.
Il tell you l will atone. All have Is yours
and l will devote II to your happiness. Can
you not forgive mey
Forgive your l replied. Yes, God help
me. l forgive you. Goodbye?
"'lvhy, where are you goingr
".Back to my home