Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-08-13

I "Wish!" he said. "Can YOU ask? l
want YOU to live your life for me. as I
will mine for you. want the torture and
the pain to end, and be no longer foe
to struggle with, but friend that blesscs
every hour we know"
"And for this cnd,' said. my voice
shaken and unsteady. 81 am to leave my
husband-you are to break faith with the
girl who loves you? That is your pro-
gram?"
"You put it harshly." he said.
II put it," answered, "as it is-as it
will look to others--a life branded with
undying dishonor."
Words" he said pnssionatcly. "What
are words? Empty somnds-idle breath!
Do You think they will quench this fire
in my hearth
II think" l said Jelly. "that the woman
who parted us did me II good service.
think that l never loved You. Yorke Fer
rcrs. only my ideal of you-an ideal that
every action of Your life has falsificd--
shat your words to-day have destroyed
! forever.
j raised my eyes. then l looked him
fully. fcarlcssly in the face. The rage
and shame that shook me to the core and
/ 'tHtcT Oh my UelHS Io'Dcu NE VI ali
softer feeling. l did not care that his
/ face looked white us death. that an agony
of appea! struggled with the disbelief in
his eyes. that the words i had spoken
might be like knife thrust TO his heart.
In that moment i cared for nothing
nothing save the longing to repay the
insult he had cast at me and the noble
heart that once had been SO surely mine.
You don't mean it," he said at last,
in Il hoarse. stitled voice. ''You-you
can't mean it, Joan! You are acting
again.
"Acting" l cried furiousy. scattering
prudence to the winds-rcsolvcd that he
should know the truth at last. even at the
cost of my own sclf-rcspect. You mis-
tool. the part played. 1t was not that
of wife pining for the love of another
man. but Il wife who saw that day by day
| the husband she loved WAS drifting from
her side fer the sake of-tlat other man.
who could not explain. and could not even
/ be quite sure of the cause of this misery
shat had overtairn her life, and so. in
i desperation and in pain. set herself to hide
it from all eyes-most of all the eyes of
the man who would have g.oatcd over her
unllappncss. and misunderstood it. Now
do you scc-now do you understand, or
have not spoken plainly enough YETI"
He drew back Il step. He half raised
his hand as if to ward off blow that
would strike him downtown into depths
had not meant to reach.
! You have spoken-too plainly" he said.
\ heard the faint wind rustiiag through
the leaves like IL spcctra, whisper. and
;,far off through the still. damp air came
III" sound of IL clock k-;he stable clock
striking the hour.
Mechanically l counted them. One
c-thrcc-four-iivc.
Il must 90 home now" said. "This
Interview is useless. You see--oniy pain
a:l.i shame 10 both of us. The best thing
wn can do is TO forge. ito "a back to
duty. however hard it is. Perhans."
aided so,rowfuly. "soMe time Sir Ralph
vi. believe in me again.
Sl:yer.,g. | drew the folds of my coax
,np:'c closely round me and hurried away
il, The direction of the hall. !; was so
slari; nat l could scarcely sec Il step be-
lore ne. CROPPED along. feeling my way
ny the wet branches. till l reached the
opening III the wood tha, ,c, 10 the path
way. From there my way WAS easy. In
fifteen minutes knew ] Should be home
om,'r more. My limbs were trembling, and
t.!tstt.!'i.. blil Allc itIlSiUg To Hr once
more safe. and in the shelter and warmth
Of home. gave me strength. ! staggered
on. ! passed the shr,.hber;es. the ter
race. gained the window ny w,:c.a had
eft the house. Ii WAS closed. and, as
i."l it l found it had been ,oclSel on The
inside. l must 20 round 10 she front doc,
and ring.
felt annoyed. The Whole household
would know of my absence ROW. a:.d Won.
dor. and discuss it. AS hesitato.., re-
mrmbcred that Sir Ralph's litt.c study
where he saw his steward. received his
accounts. and kept his guns. had similar
window opening on to the ground. Ii
was Just Il chance that it might he I'M
locked. but ! would try the chance before
ringing. AS passed round the house
walking slowly and unsteadiiy. a sudder
sharp report rang out on the still air.
started. listening To the echo dyin:
away-slowly. strangely dying in til,
breathlcss silence of mist and darkness.
What seized my heart then in spasu
Of terror: Wha. chilled like death tn,
pulses that had leapcd az, thi:ic,l will
: fear: l remember that i staggered II,
: against the wall. that with one as; effor
> OF failing strength tried to utter the cr,
that SCENE! sitting in my .i,roa;-that
y as / uttered it, the darkness seemed t,
swocp down upon me like u b,acl-winge,
= giant. and then-tEen remember moth
. ing more.
h CHAPTER XIV.
@ l remember it was dark st:i. when
J. awo!se. a lamp burned low. Il strange
faint odor of scents and aromatic es
4 scmces filed the room. From out of tn
X darkness shadowy forms stole and move
and passed back into obscurity. l trie
!, TO raise my head. but could rot lift
it from the pillow. My hair as touched
y felt damp and moist, my hands eve
e seemed to have grown feeble. and fe
weakly back on the cover,et in detianc
n of my efforts.
r lay quite still. trying to recall events
e memories. thoughts. but l could reca
| nothing 'Ihnn I hnari ,.n;nn. mud trio