Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-12-14

ten 10 anv more talk about II. But. you
gee. when one meets destiturion face to
face. one will do anythinR-everything.
Besides, as ] will show you this is not real
ly q fraud. il isonly an anticipation OF a
few years. However, there was another
reason"
WAS It to find the money to meet the
prOmissory nOte!"
my dear. you may forget-you NAV re-
solve never to throw the thing in ms teeth;
bur my owe for You will never suffer me
70 forget that ] have lost your little fortune
in a doubtful speculation. IL Is all gone,
never TO be recovered again; and this after
/ had sworn never 10 touch a farthln2 or
IL. Irisp'-he started 10 his feet and walk
ed about the room as one who is agitated
by emotion--'Iris! / could face imprison-
ment for debt. could submit 20 pecunl-
ary ruin. for that matter; the loss OF
money would not cause me the least trou-
BILE. but | cannot endure TO have ruined
you"
"Ohl Harry, ne II ! mind! Everything
that | have Is yours. When ] gave you my
self I gave all. Take--use-lose 1t all. As
YOU think. | should never feel ~reproach,
far less utter "A word OF blame. Dearest
Harry, If that Is all"
NO; 1t is the knowledge that you will
not even feel reproach that Is my constant
accuser. At my death you will get all
back again. But | am not old; | may
live for many, many years 10 come. How
can | wait for my own death when ! can
repair this wickedness by a single stroke'"
But by another wickedness
worse"
'No-not another crime. Remember
that this money il mine /, will come to
my heirs some day. as sure as to-mor-
rows sun will rise. Sooner or later IL will
be mine: | will make 1t sooner, that is all.
The Insurance COMPANY will lose nothing
but the paltry interest for the remainder
OF my life. NV dear, il it is diSgracsful
10 do this | will endure disgrace. IL Is
easier TO bear than the constant self-re-
proach which | feel when ] think OF you
and nt the losses | have inflicted upon
you"
Again he folded her in his arms: heknelt
before her: he wept over her. Carried out
OF herself by this passion, Iris made no
more resistance.
us it's it," she asked timidly, too late
to draw back?n
at is too late,'' he replied. thinking OF
Is completed
"My poor Harry! What shall we do
How shall we live? How shall we con-
trive never TO be found outy'
She would not leave him, then. She ac-
cepted the situation. He was amazed at
the readiness with which she fell; but he
did not understand how she was ready TO
cling TO him, for better or worse, through
worse wis than this; nor could he under
stand how things formerly impossible to
her had been rendered possible by the sub
tie deterioration OF the moral nature, when
a woman OF lofty mind at the beginning
loves and is united to "A man OF lower ua-
ture and coarser fibre than herself. Only
a few months before, Iris would have
swept aside the sophistries with swift and
r~esoli.te hand. Now she accepted them.
You have fallen into the doctors
hands, dear" she sail. "Pray Heaven it
brings us not into worse evils! What can
| saw 1t is through love of your wife
through love OF your wife-oh, husband!'
she threw herself into his arms, and for
gave everything and accepted everything.
Heucaforth she would be-though this she
knew not--the willing ins rument of the
two conspirators.