The record-union., 1895-10-19
UNTIL DEATH DO Us PART"

with q rush anu EOHE tn0 Train, pSnI-
ing It's burden of human freight, plunged
through the inky blackness of the night.
On and on, with shrlll scream from its
whistle, past desolate plains and waving
forests, past lonely farm-h houses, nestled
at the foot of some steep hill. past sleep
ing villages, whose yellow lights cleaned
duly through the darkness like great
questioning eyes. On and on 1t rushes
painting, hesving, shrieking like great
monster in distress, on towards the great
metropolis.
Inside the passengers lean back on the
velvet cushioned seats YEARLY. Ihey
have travelled two days and TWO nights,
and tomorrow viii see them at Lhelr
destination, but they are too treu 70
grasp this fact and only wait win Wha'
patience they can, the end of their long
journey. 10.
In an obscure corner woman slts.
The dim lights from the coal OH IAN ps
throw strange, wlerd shaooWs Oh HeI
pale, expressive lace as she leans paeh
isnguidiy with closed eyes. She mas
boen sitting motionless for hours, her
hands cIasped loosely in her lap while
look of infallible sadness has slowly sell
tied over her face.
Tho coming of the news'boy with the
evening papers arouses her. she puyS
one and opens 1t mechanically. AS she
does so her eyes fall upon a II article which
causes the red blood to mount quickly TO
her face only to recede again, leaving her
paler than ever. Her heart gives great
sudden bound, then seems 10 STAND stllI
oniv to resume its beating with short,
irregular motion. With trembling hands
she holds the paper and forces herself 10
read every word. 1t tells her mat Inc
man she loves. the man she has trled III
vain, through weary months and years
TO forget. is forger. She holds the paper
before her but she looks straight at the
printed sheet with wide unseelng eyes.
Again his face appears before her az IL
has thousand times IN the past IN the
midst OF society's whlrl, into whose Vor-
tex she had plunged madly when Inc
edge of her sorrow had been the sharpest,
and long before Times kindly hand mad
healed the first wound over. When that
had ceased to satisfy. she had sought 10
seek oblivion IN work, sparlng herseI
neither night nor day, but alas always
in vain, his dearly beloved face Sui
haunted her; his voice rang IN her
ears. his arms entwined her, his kisses
trembled upon her lips, his eyes gazed
into hers with all the old-Ume love III
their dark, mysterious depths, and when
she found that she could not live without
him she had travelled all these weary
miles to see him TO tell him that she
loved him better than her lie. One
wanted to be near him TO feel that she
was breathing the same air he breathed.
10 know that his feet trod the same
streets. and even though he should cast
her from him with scOrn, she could Ole
for him.
Then all at once memory comes back
and she realizes that this man Tor whom
she would sell her life, aye, her very SOUL
if needs be, was torger. A snolnereu
oroaD ESCAPES her. Her head seems
bursting. A thousand little demons,
with unceasing fury, bound in her brain.
The words dance before her IN letters OF
fire, She presses her burning, aching
head against the cool pane, but she can
not think.
How long she sits there she does not
know. She has vague recollectlon OF Inc
porter coming to make up her berth, and
OF his asking her if he can do anything
for her. when in the full glare OF the
lamps he catches glimpse OF her Wnlle
set face. She refuses his assistance, but
in adumb way she feels grateful. she Is
no longer capable OF compromising any
thing She seems walking IN cream,
and when she retlres for the night she
lies face downward on her pillow with
her fingers thrust in her ears to keep out
the little haunting voices which shrlek
with demoniacal laughter the one word
"forger."
May l see the prisoner"
The taller looks down and sees before
him slight, girlish figure clothed from
head 10 foot in deepest black. The face
is concealed by a heavy black veil, but
The voice is low and sweet. For an IN
slant he besitates, but he cannot with
stand the sight OF that tender inquire, and
tho unconscious pleading q the musical
voice has stirred a chord in that grim
heart never touched before in years.
"This way" he says grut1iy, opens the
door of his own little den and vanishes
to bring in the prisoner. As the woman
enters she throws back her heavy veil
and looks about her. The room Is small
and bare of anything save the actual ne-
cessities A small barred window gives
the only light the room contains. 1t Is
upon this window, with its cruel iron
bars. that her eyes fall. She goes over to
itslowly. and leaning her head against 1t
looks into the stone-tlagged courtyard be-
low, fenced in by its high, gray stone
walls No ray of sunlight touches the
cold, unfeeling stone OF this gloomy old
prison. but high over its massive walls
there CLEANS a tiny bit of blue sky. 1t is
q dreary outlook, fitting frame for the
somber picture within.
Presently the door opens and closes.
Iustinctiyely the girl feels That vague, in
describable something which tells her
che is in the presence of the one man in
all the world TO her, but she does not
turn She is shaking from head 10 foot,
while her heart beats so wildly that It al
most smothers her.
You asked TO see me-"
She hears the well-known voice ask the
question. The voice she had hungered
and yearned ali these years to hear again!
1t comes TO her ear as though from afar.
III. -, A 81
a sudden the reality bursts upon her,
and, with great cry Of love and joy and
pity sheturn towards him and holds out
her hands longingly.
Instead of taking them he shrinks from
her.
"You?'' he cries, while he gazes at her
with great hollow eyes and then again,
Your
Yes, it is ;" she says
She is calm now and can think collect
eddy once more, only great weakness
has suddenly taken possession of her
which causes her 10 cling with one white
hand TO the bars of the grated window.
IL heard YOU were in trouble" she
says. II read an account of it last night
while l WAS on the train. / have come
10 you at my first opportunity"
She pauses unable TO go on.
WHY" he manages 10 gasp from be-
tween his drawn, set lips. Why Is it
10 mock me for the miserable weakness
and folly which has placed me here?"
She is not unprepared for reproaches,
though she does not deserve them. She
answers gently:
II have travelled many long weary
miles to see you once again. | took that
long journey 10 tell you that l loved you;
that | cannot live without you; that l viii
forgive the past Tor the sake of the great
love l bear you, which time and absence
h., I'D
told you ali this, but / preferred 10 come
rnVselfv