The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-09-12
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Once before he had wcpt like a child-it
was when he lost her.
Again the strength of his manhood
seemed to desert him, and the warm
tears fell upon the golden head.
Claude" whispered a gentle voice,
"can you ever forgive me-forgive me for
doubling you. and leaving you! l can
never pardon myself"
The fault was my own" he replied;
81 was jealous and impatient"
"Nobody speaks to me- said a pitiful
voice, and a little face looked up in won-
der; then Lord Bayneham remembered
the boy-he had called Hilda mamma.
He looked once into her face.
"Who is it!" he whispered-"this little
one who calls you mother"
For all answe she placed the child in
his arms.
at is our son." she said, "your son
and mine"
'Do not scold me-" she said, when that
trance Of happiness was broken, do not
scold me, Claude. When left you I did
not know that heaven would give me
this priceless gift. My baby was born
here, six months after l left your house.
l meant to send him to you when he was
old enough to leave me-"
Hush said Lord Bayneham; "do rot
say such words as those. Hilda, darliI g.
This is q golden hour-we will not spill
it,"
Then Lady Hilda, taking the little on,
said: Lionel. you must love this gentl,-
man. You remember all l have old you
Of our W papa, whom you had new.
secn-hoW kind. and brave, and good lie
was. This is papa, and you must love
him
Il do love him." said the child, quietly;
II loved him Yesterday. without KNOWN;
why
II have been too bewildered to ass
how you came here" said Lord Bayne
ham to his wife.
LET others tell that story for me, :"
she said. quietly; first let me explain
why | left you, Claude. 1t was all a
terrible mistake: we can speak freely
my oath binds me no longer, for Captain
Massey told me yesterday my father is
dead"
Il WINS with him. said Lord Bayne-
ham, and his last words were for you"
Il cannot tell how this secret weighed
upon me-" she continued. my poor
mother sought me at B~ayneham: she
came there to look at me and die. The
poor sick woman who died at Frs cot
tagci and lies in the little graveyard-she
was my mother, Claude"
"How could you ever dream that l
should love you less for that?' he said,
kissing the beautiful face raised to his.
From the day she told me her story
and mine," concluded Lady Hilda, my
life was one long sorrow; l was wretched
ut keeping a secret from you. vet l dared
not break my oath. Once, you know,
Claude. / asked you what you should do
If after marriage you fOund you had
been mistaken in your wife. and had
taken some one tainted with disgrace to
your home: you said such q one must re-
turn 10 her friends"
But how could | suppose those words
applied TO Yourself" said Lord Bayne-
ham.
"You could not she replied. my
father came, and my miserable secret
weighed upon me with double force. /
was bewildered. He has told you nll,
Claudef All. then. you know of the
notes he wrote 10 me. of the interview l
was compelled to have with him in the
Lady's Walk. When you came that
morning into my room and said that you
knew all, I believed you had discovered
my secret, and that your anger arose
from that cause.
Il saw il afterward." said Lord Bayne-
ham. 81 only mean that l knew all the
secret of your night walk. What q mis-
take it was. Hilda. What years Of mis-
cry it has caused us. If you had but
trusted ne, darling, instead of going
away"
If there is any excuse" said Lady Hill
da, "it lies in the fact that l was half mad.
Three days after | left home | was taken
Ill with q severe attack of brain fever.
and the SHOW lay or The ground before i
was myself again"
And you have seen nothing of all my
advertisenonts:' said Lord B%ayneham.
NO she replied; when l left you /
left Ill the world: when shelter was Of
fered 10 ne here, ! accepted it on the
condition that 10 one should see or hear
OF me. and that the news Of the outer
world should not be told 20 me. l thought
| would soon die. 1t seemed TO me then
l had no right To Lady Iiutton's money
-no claim upon her fortune. l wanted
10 be dead 10 everything, since l could
no longer live TO YOU"
POO child" said her husband, gently:
but why. al least, did you hot tell me
of Lionels birth
IL meant 10 send him t. YOU" she re-
piled. u did not forge, that. although
my son. he is your heir. ! would have
sent him III TWO more years. Remember,
il has All been Il mistake. Claude. I
thought you would never allow me to re-
turn 10 Bayncham when you knew my
secret
A knock AZ tie doc: interrupted Lady
Iiilda.
Come in she said. and Mrs. Massey
entered. her face glowing with smiles.
DID you know the lady: Z" she asked
Lord Bayneham, who met her with a
torrent of thanks. My son is anxious to
know if he may enter"
Since we owe our happiness in n great
measure to him. replied Lord Bayne-