Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-06-05

ney's motive. Has his cruelty driven you
away from him?' she asked.
IF he had been cruel to me" Sydney m.
wered, do you think / should have come
here TO complain of it to you? Do me the
justice to believe that l am not capable of
such selt-degradation as that have moth
ing to complain Of"
And yet you have left himg'
He has been all that is kind and consider
ate; he has done everything that a man in
bis unhappy position could do to set my
mind ut ease. And yet / have left him. Oh,
claim no merit for my repentance, bitterly
as | feel II! | might not have had the cour-
age to leave him-if he had loved me as he
once loved YOU"
Miss Westerneld! You force me 10 tell
you that you are the last person living who
ought to allude to my married life"
You may perhaps pardon the a~llusion,
madam, when you have heard what | have
still to say. | owe il to Mr.. Herbert Linley,
II not to you, to confess that his life with me
has not been a life of happiness. He has
tried, compasSionately tiled, to keep his Sc
cret sorrow from discovery and he has failed.
l had long suspected the truth, but | only
saw 1t in his face when he found the book
you left behind you at the hotel. Your I'M
age has, from first to last. been the one living
image In his guilty heart. | am the miser-
able victim of Il mans passing fancy. You
have been you are stilD the one object OF "A
husbands love. Ask your own heart if the
woman lives who could say what | have just
said, unless it was true!'
GATHERINGS head SAM on her bosom; her
helpless hands lay trembling on her lap.
Overpowered by the confession which she
had just heard-a confession which had fol-
lowed closely on the thoughts inspired by
the appearance of the child-her agitation
was beyond control; her mind was unequal
to the effort of decision. The woman who
had been wronged- who had the right to
judge for herself and to speak for herself
was the silent woman of the two!
1t was not quite dark yet. Sydney could
see as well as hear.
For the FIRST time since the beginning OF
the interview she allowed the impulse OF the
moment to lead her astray. In her eager
ness to complete the act of atonement she
failed to appreciate the severity of the strug-
gle that was passing in GATHERINGS mind.
She alluded again to Herbert Linley, and
she spoke too soon.
Twill you let him ask your pardong" she
said. He expects 40 more"
GATHERINGS spirit was aroused in an in
slant. He expects too muchP' she answer
ed, sternly.
Sydney saw her mistake, and tried too late
to set il right.
at is my misfortune il | have taken a lib
erty," she pleaded; pray don't treat me as
II II was my fault. | dare not ask you to
alter your opinion"
do you dare look the truth in the face?"
Catherine %interposed. "Do You remember
what sacred ties that man has broken? what
memories he has profaned? what years OF
faithful love he has cast from him? Must |
tell you how he poisoned his wife's mind
with doubts of his truth and despair of his
honor, when he basely deserted her? You
talk of your repentance. Is there no SYM
patty for Me in your repentance"
Sydney silently submitted TO reprOach, ST.
lently endured the shame that finds no ex-
cuse for itself.
Catherine looked at her, and relented. The
noble nature which could stoop to anger, but
never sink to the lower depths Of malice and
persecution, restrained itself and made
amends. 81 say it in no mkindness to YOU"
she resumed. But when you ask me to for
give, consider what you ask me to forget. 1t
will only distress us both If we remain longer
tOEVlllNl, nv toltiliiiNu, llSlllG 40 Sllt SIOht.
perhaps you will believe that | mean well
when | ask If there is anything | can do for
your
Nothing"
All the desolation of the lost woman told
its terrible tale in that one word. Invited to
rest herself in the hotel, she asked leave to
remain where she was; the mere effort of
rising was too much for her now. Catherine
said the parting words kindly. ~ believe in
your good intentions; | believe in your re-
pentance."
Believe in my punishment After that
reply no more was said.
Behind the trees that closed the view at
the farther extremity of the lawn, the moon
was rising. As the two women lost sight of
each other, the new light, pure and beauti-
full, began TO dawn over the garden.