The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-30
PART III.

NfterWard--Wnen Snc is qulte Sonei
when not even fold of her white gown
is to be seen through the trees-that he
remembers two things. First, that her
tone when she acknowledged the child
as hers had been triumphant; and sec
ond, that he himself had experienced
after that declaration most extraordi-
nary feeling of sudden desolation.
"Bonner!"
The old soldier arrives at once, salut-
ing
"who is the lady who lives in Elm
cottage?"
Tall young lady? Mother o missy?
She's Mrs. Wilnot, sir, and wildly.
Widdies are dangerous, Captain. Give
her plenty of room. Take t'other side
o. hedge, Captain"
This. no doubt, was excellent advice
but who takes kindly to advice? Not
Fir John in this instance, anyway. He
sharply turned a.deaf car to il and went
down to the Elm cottage the morning
following.
margaret, you will marry mel" His
voice is low but full of passion. He has
both her hands in his. tits two months
since that first meeting on the veranda,
and now he has laid his heart beneath,
her feet. Will she trample on IL?
"You ask me-of whom You know
nothing--to be your wife!" She isvery
pale.
"I ask you that, Margaret" He is
quite as pale now as she is.
, Impossible"
1T cannot be impossible. You tell
me your husband is dead.
"Yes, but wait. No, listen TO me-"
She turns upon him face full of mis-
ery. "You compel me to speak. Well,
hear me, though God knows IL draws
blood from my heart to put my dreadful
story into words"
You shall not speak, Margaret. Do
you" with sudden passion, think me-
SO selfish devil that i would ease my,
pwn mind at the expense of yours?"
II shall speak, however" says Mar
garet, "and you shall hear. 1t is an old,
old story. / married him, the man
4 thought my husband-not loving him.
but because my father urged me to it.
had no one to warn me against him
txcept q cousin, and she was of no inn
portance then, though she is very
great lady now, hear. She was fond,
of me, and of her, but was afraid of
ny father, and consented to the mar
riace. When I married him, she cast
me of. thought her hard then--but
oow--I know how very kind she meant
10 be-"
"Your cousins namer
ITO ask me that is to ask me every
thing"
swell! why not? Look here" says
he, do you suppose the present life
of yours can go on forever without
questions? That no moment will come
when you'll wish it altered?"
rNot one" firmly.
"Not even." quite as firmly, "when
your little girl is big grip
, She hushes--falters.
"You see." says he, triumphantly,
"you had better tell me everything"
1T cannot" family, 'and, besides, re-
covering herself, ''when my Margie is
y big girl there will be all the more
reason for concealing from her the un-
happy fact that" She pauses. "Well
--well,r sighing heavily. enough of
Margie! i have told you that my cousin
objected to my marriage with my hus-
band-and that thought her unkind
then. ] don't think that now. She
knew. He--he- Ali" sharply, II can
not go into that with you even! en-
tured il all. But / found there was
more to be endured. At the last-the
very last-when he lay on his death
bed. he told me"-she grows very white
--'he told me what has made an end
of the sweetness and loveliness of life
for me forever"
"He told you"
"That had never been his wife! The
truth! man, dying. TO lie like that!
No! On his deathbed he spoke bitter
lv. for the first time, the truth TO me,
10 make worse. even worse. the life be-
fore me than that / had led with MIN.
lie declared distinctly he had been mar
ried before. He showed me the GER
tifcate."
"Brute!" says Blount, between his
teeth.
"Yes--" with terrible calmness, "he
was that However. the injury to my
self I could have borne, but-the child
oh, mol Oh, MOI" she breaks off. shiv-
ering, catching her hands together q
little wildly. "Oh, my Margie! That
she curse should fall on her!"
Margaret, what has all this 10 do
with you and me?" cries Blount. pas
sionately. "Cive yourself TO me and lose
oil memory OF the past in our mar
riage."
For a moment she looks at him.
There is the saddest. the most absorbing
love and reverence in her gaze.
"And your"
"And I--shaIl be the happiest man
alive"
Married" slowly. ito the most self
Ssh woman alive. Oh, no." she throws
cut both her hands. IL have known so
much misery myself that swear" ye-
lemently. II will never be the cause