The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1897-08-06

my mothers sake, you will not tell others
what you Think"
II am not quite sure what l ought to
do. l am hardly able to decide for my
self. 1t seems to me that my duty is clear,
that L ought to tell others my strong sus-
plclons and have them examined"
Ihe white face on the pillow could grow
no whittier, but Il dreadful quiver passed
over it.
Suppose you do, so, Miss Dunn; only
suppose-let us imagine it--suppose you
did SO, and those suspicious We're found
to be correct, what them"
What then? The law of God and of
man says. a life for a life,' said Lady
Hilda slowly.
"A life for a life! All, dear heaven!
how many lives have given?" said Anice,
with woful sigh. "How many deaths
have died? Then you, whom my moth
er rescued from death in the high roads,
you would send me to felon's dock, to
the scatfold, if you could!'
Il do not say so. l am puzzled as to
what ought to do"
Again the trembling hands grasped her.
You can do nothing-you have moth
ing to do l am only talking for argu-
ment's sake, to show you how wild your
if YOU ever give them to others. Prom
Use me you never will--swear to me- Miss
Dunn, YOU will not. shall not rest un-
less you swear!'
Il cannot. | am sure l ought to tell
some one. I am afraid what l think is
true'
Anice flung herself back on her pillows
with Il gesture of despair.
You will not listen to me- she said.
You are bent on my destruction. and on
your own. If you tell this foolish, this
wicked story of me, who will believe you?
L can bring heaven and earth to prove
how false your words are. | can swear
as sternly as you can The world will
have to judge between your word and
mine. say that it will take mine.''
"Truth always prevails" said Lady Hill
da slowly.
There is no truth in this case to pre-
vail. 1t is mere suspicion without proof.
| would defy you, dare you to say it open
ly, but that l know some scandal must
come of it. cling to you. and pray You
to keep silence over your suspicion, not
because it is true, but because l know how
cruel the world is, and if such things are
said of me, however false they may be,
some one will believe them. l ask You
me not to mention to any one living what
you have said to me-.
Lady Hilda was silent for few min
utes.
Il promise you," she said. at length,s
and, turning from the beautiful woman,
she quilted the room.
Days, weeks and months wore on. An
ice recovered her health, Lady Pitcairn
became more cheerful Sir Peter reapsed
into his old sleepy state and Cecile's
grave was covered with grass.
Then Sir Leofric returned. His great
grief had changed him, then had worn
itself away. People tried to console him;
they told him he must not mourn all his
life, that, although he had lost his dearest
and best, others We're left. They said ii
was duty he owed to himself and his po-
sition to marry.
He believed them, and his heart turned
to Anice. Who so near and dear to him
as the sister of his dear, dead love? The
day came when the very desire Of her
heart was gratified, and Sir Leofric asked
her to be his wife.
81 cannot give you. Anice, the same fer
vent love l gave to Cecile," he said; ''but
l will make you very happy"
So for the second time Sir Leofric be-
came engaged. Lady 1llda heard the
news with surprise that bordered on hor-
ror She went to Anice direct
''Is it true she said, that you are
going to marry Sir Leofric?'
''It is quite true,' was the brief reply.
''Then it seems to me that the very
heavens cry for vengeance. I, for one,
Anice Pitcairn, will never stand by to see
you married-it would be watching You
put the seal uDOn yOur sir"