Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-12-08

chasm she had so lately left. His other
appeals had been for the good-but this
oh this-the sadness, the horror, the
pity of It!
Let's leave this place" he continued.
Lets leave America. Well 90 away,
and no one need know our story! Mar
Jam
mo one need know" she echoed,
looking past him. But I-I-shOuld
know. Oh. what can I say to you? You
don't know what you have done. You
don't know
She sank into a chair and bowed her
head upon her clasped hands.
"He did not believe me. He did not
believe me-" he heard her murmur in
heavy, weary tone.
In a second he was beside her.
What are you saying, Marian? You
do not believe I love you?"
"Oh, yes, I believe that she said
fiercely. a sound that was like the echo
Of a bitter laugh breaking upon her
lips. Eyes" she said again, rising and
facing him, 81 believe you give me such
love as women like me are capable of
arousing. And I had thought-but new
err m.nd-that dream OF heaven is gone
gone forever"
Il am offering you my life. I revere
you as l love you. Don't smile in that
way, Marian! DOnt-dOn't! l cannot
bear it.
But she paid no attention. She smote
her hands together childishly, and her
head dropped upon her bosom.
do you think l do not understand?
You Quickened my torpid heart with
the fever of repentance, but you have
hardened II again. Had I been a good
woman you would not have come to me
tonight How bitterly I know that,
But II was not fit for the unvoiced
unselfsh love of an honorable mans
life. was not worthy" she said, with
dreary bitterness.
Hugh became silent a GOODNESS, n
shadOwy horror settling upon him as he
watched her altered face.
ooh, what have YOU dOne?' she cried,
Selling his arm. "Oh, how could you
take my happy dream from me? You
don't know what you have robbed me
Of"
There was silence for a moment and
a tear gushed from Marian's eyes, fall
ing heavily upon her clasped hands. To
what id she say farewell In that mo-
ment? What better life id she re
nounce as impossible? What angel van
ished from her side? What devil took
its place?
A murmured laugh hoatel through
the room that seemed 10 COIL. rom the
lips of a lost soul wh.rling through a
wild Walpurgis night. She moved 70
the curtained doorway, paused there a
moment and looked back.
Good night, Hugh, and all the
GOODNESS and mockery that had chilled
him IN the first days Of their acquaint-
ance were shining in her eyes. Come
to me tomorrow l shall not waste the
night in prayer-be sure Of that. You
have shown me the folly of It, But I
want to think. 1t IS not easy to come
from heaven 10 a black, familiar valley
in one little moment, Is 1t? Oh, un-
derstand all so plainly now, but I must
grow accustomed to it" she said mus
ingly, with a dreary calm that chilled
the awed and troubled man who lis
tened as if death had breathed upon
him-fOr there IS another death than
that Of the body.
you thought I was cheating myself,
perhaps trying to cheat you, when l
sought you with my miserable story.
said Marian. "Ah, yes, I know It now.
You had no faith in the new strength,
the new hope, the new life l was look
ing forward to-"
"Oh, yes-yesw And in dumb an
guish Hugh tried to take her hand. She
drew away, stu with that strange, wan
smile.
Go away, now, Hugh. I cannot bear
TO see you-nOt yet. And she laughed
as he once heard a suicide laugh when
told that he had but a few moments to
live. Not yet, but since you tear down
the idol Of yourself, since you. who
made me hate my sins, have glorifed
them. I'll live down to your estimate.
WHAT am I, that I should strive to be
better than you? III 90 away with you!