The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-04-11

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not for her own
But no, God was very merciful,
she would trust in Him. She had
committed a great fault and so had
Clement Dunraven, but surely, surely
the innocent would not be punished
for the guilty. Lady Gertrude would
never know. She had sat down in
the porch seat while she was thus
bordering and recovering from her
faiptness.
With the reaction from the shock
she had Just received came also a
sense of pleasure as she saw Clement
standing before her with Lisa in his
arms. He had seen the child once
or twice before but he had never
noticed it, the feeling that he dared
not take this child to his heart and
acknowledge her as his own made
regretful feeling that she should exist
at all, that it almost amounted to
aversion.
An aversion to sweet little Lisa
who was a sprightly little beauty
admired by everyone, the thing
would have been unheard of under
any other circumstances.
Fortunately she did not resemble
Sir Clement in any way, but there
were gossips in the town and neigh
borhood who said that she was very
like Lisbeth. This fact and Lisbeth's
exceeding devotion to her nursing
had set more than one glib tongue
wagging, no little to her detriment.
But Lisbeth would have borne this
gladly had she known it, so long as
she could keep Lisa with her, and
Sir Clement in no way had his name
mixed up with hers.
AS soon as he saw the color return
to her face, he placed the child in
her lap, but to her sorrow he did not
attempt to kiss her or indeed to look
at her particularly, but held the little
growing laughing baby as though she
were some inanimate bundle.
Was all his love reserved for Lady
Gertrude's boy, Lisbeth wondered,
and though she had never been
jealous of the woman who had her
place as his wife, she felt terribly
jealous of the child she had borne
him.
She pressed Lisa to her heart and
kissed her etfusively as though to
show that by the strength of hel
mothers love she would make up tc
her for the position she had lost.
"That child is all you care for
said Clement, ~savagely, and mos
unjustly, "it does not trouble you tt
know that | am the most miserable o.
men in consequence of the sin yor
allowed me to commit"
sob, Clement dear, do not upbrait
me SO bitterly, l did it for the best,'
and the tears welled into Lisbeth's
eyes. Not for a moment did it Occur
to her to shift the blame from her
self on to him, and yet, was not the
fault entirely his?
"The best" he murmured, ga bat
act al never count as a good one
the worst not the best must come o
it.n
"Just at the first" she said, "yol
seemed happy enough after you
married Lady Gertrude. 1t is only
of late you look so utterly wretched
My Clement, be brave and steadfast
if not tor your own sake for hers
We cannot retract now and it is i'm
possible the truth can come out. Tt
whose interest is it to tell what W,
have done? There is no one, il
there, Clement?
"Perhaps not-now," he wills
pared rather than spoke.
"Ah, you are thinking of Pierce
Vaughan and that he may be dead
but Pierce Vaughan could neve
have known. If he had known, wo'
betide the peace he would hav,
given either you or me-"
"And supposing that he m.
cousin-did know"
She left off caressing little Lis
and answered his question b,
, another, very earnestly too she pu
l it.
"Ciement, do you think that Pierre
/, Vaughan is dead?'
. He did not speak in reply, bu
r looked at her fixedly, eyes into eyes
for several seconds until hers fell be
f meath his searching glance and, 70
hours she could not rid herself of tn
I remembrance of those far seein
L
eyes and his pallid, haggard face
But no more was said on the matter
q With a tremendous effort Sir Clemer
recovered his wonted manner.
1 81 must be going" he said, "Ger
trude will be asking for me, an
I there are letters of congratulation
/? be answered. Good bye, Lisbeth.
r He did not kiss her as he use
once TO do or even take her hant
but turned and left her.
A longing for sympathy ha
$ brought him to her door, but I'll
weight of misery he had condemne
7 h;n,aalF 70 haor bo6 haan in no Wn