Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-04-30

uiSilheu NILS. Meason. They quar-
reied' and no one was to blame but-the
iady; Her tyranny finally separated hus-
band and wife, and fastened the death of
the latter
10 you mean to say" said Constance
hoarsely, that this which you have told
ne Is true; that the whole story of nv
poor mothers sorrow was a fabrication %
NOT at all; the story of the poor lady's
sorroWtul death was true-it was altered
IN the telling, that was all. The blame
OF the whole thing was, for your benefit.
iald at the door of the Harrington fam
ny; whereas the sole cause of it was Mrs.
Meason herself; and your mother was a
gentle, loving girl, and was received by
your fathers family with open arms All
would have gone we'll but for Mrs. Mea-
son, who few weeks after the Maria ee
entered the house of the young married
couple and put an end to anything like
peace. She had always been an ambi-
tlous woman, and she looked forward to
the marriage of her daughter as means
OF gaining for herself an entrance into
society. When she was forbidden to en-
ter her daughters house her plans were
shattered, and she resolved to have re-
venge. When Captain Howarth wooed
you, her time came; I will break his
neart, she said; I will avenge myself on
the father by means of the son. To ac-
compllsh this it was necessary to invent
a falsehood; she invented that falsehood,
and her plan succeeded Your engage
ment to your cousin was broken, and you
were married to me-
Again he paused, but this time Con-
stance said nothing. She staggered from
the library to her own ROOM Once there,
in wild fit of despairing pain, she fell
upon her knees, calling upon the name OF
the man whom she had loved so ardently,
but who, alas! was dead.
Her first coherent thought was how
she could best get to her grandmother
and demand from her the truth or false
hood Of the terrible story she had heard.
She made her arrangements quickly
and in manner to excite no suspicion.
First of all she sat down to write to the
duke.
Il am going to London" she wrote.
Until [ have seen my grandmother and
heard her version of this story, [ cannot
rest. CONSTANCE"
She placed this letter on her dressing
table in a position where it would DE
easily found by her husband, then she
ordered her carriage.
Weary with long travel heart-sick with
over-much grief, she stood in the drawing
room at Portland place, gazing upon her
grandmother with large, wistful eyes, two
days later.
Grandma" spoke the girl, with strange
rible story, and have come to ask you if
II bol
seen you. He says you have been cruel
to me; that by means of a falsehood you
separated me from Frank; but I do not
believe it; it is he who has been deceiving
me. You would not do so, you love me too
WELL"
The old lady did not speak. Her face
was agonized. There was no need for
words; Constance looked into her eyes
and read the truth.
"Don't touch mew she cried; ''don't
come near me; cannot bear it! Oh, may
heaven forgive your
''Oh, my child, I have wronged you
bitterly; I see it now, but it is too late"
cried the old lady. "Years ago Frank
Howarth's father wounded me deeply,
and / swore that his son and one of my
blood should never come together, and I
kept my word. married you to the duke,
believing that, once wife, your childish
passion for your cousin would soon fade
away, but was wrong. When I met you
in Spain and looked in your eyes knew
that had ruined your life, and l re-
pented when it was too late"
eyes" said the girl, ''too late. My love
is dead! He does not know what / have
done; he will never know, and I can love
him and mourn for him all my life. Oh,
Frank, my darling, sleep peacefully;
henceforth will be true to you, and some
dav perhaps we may meet again"
constance, my child, remember you
are a wife,"
ga wife! am no wife, for do no. love
nv husband. At your intercession mar
r;ed the duke; stood before the altar
with him like one in dream-a terrible
dream. realize it now; have awakened
to misery and DEATH
CHAPTER XIV.
A week after the day when Constance,
standing before her grandmother, heard
the story Of the cruel wrong which had
been done her, and in her heart thanked
heaven that her lover was dead, troop
-. So. 4ho SCOT of war was entering