Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-12-10
IA FATAL WEDDING.
b. L0i2se Rtukom.'

Ciuueu Her plIlIul tuIe. II nave DOrHe IL
In Ignorance of the truth: IL bear 1t for
the future. it will be because Lord Els
| dale is generous, not because ! have any
right to it. If he keeps me in the position
l have lately held. it Is because he loves
me well enough TO overlook my disgrace,
not because I ain his niece"
"Why does not the person who ac-
quainted you with these facts make me
acquainted with them alsoT
HE cannot" she said family.
| And why! Have you bribcd him to
silence!"
| mo. He Is dead"
| "Ah! Who was hc?"
"The man who was shot In barley
Park"
Great hcavens!"
1t was well that Barbara misunderstood
the exclamation, and never guessed the
awful thought which had flashed across
his mind. to be instantly dismissed.
| lie gave you no proofsT
He gave me none; but l obtained
proofs"
| From whomy"
| From Mark Robson"
| And who is hep
"Thc man upon whose charity I lived
for so many years."
And he was party to the deccption:"
| "Iie!"--with faint smile which seem
cd TO say how impossible 1t was for Mark
to DC u party to any deception. "HcI
No: he knew of it only a few days before
I did"
"And from the same source?"
EYES,"
"l'hcn how did he give you proofs?'
"He went to the places named: he
found the registry Of death Of the boy
who had been born TO Newell Hatton's
wife. and that other registry Of the birth
Of the girl who had no right to any name
but her mothers and"
Her voice failed her; her strength wns
failing her likcwise--evcry minute II grew
less equal to the strain upon 1t.
"Where Is this man TO be foundT'
A sudden CLEAN Of terror flashed into
her eyes.
IL do not know" she faltered.
you are sure"
"IInve, 1 given you cause to doubt my
wordT' she said, with dignity which
would have touched him at any other mo.
ment. 'And he can tell you nothing"
"How do you know? You were his
charge for years"
"Hc thought that I was Newell Hat.
tons daughter; his wife had always call.
ed me NO; and. when she died, Mark up.
piled to Lord Elsdale on my behalf. The
application was refused, and he sheltered
and fed and clothed me OF his charity"
"And you have seen him since you knew
this awful thing" Lord Keith asked
hoarsciy.
"Yes--Once."
"And he corroboratcd Mr.. Bryant.
statcmentsf"
eyes,"
"Thcre IL yet one other thing would
tell YOU" she said, after a long pause
ut Is due to you to hear It; I think It will
make no difference. For few mad, mis-.
cradle days thought to keep my secret
from you and from the world; but was
mad then. ] soon came to my senses.
knew that. IL I told you, ! should lose
your love. and was certain that, II
could win him to keep silence. Mark would
not bctray me. And then, when death 81.
fenced the man Bryant the temptation
grew oven stronger. All, you cannot dc.
splse me more than despise myself for
having yielded to It for u moment! But
as I said. was mad"
He made no remark, he gave no sign
that he even heard her broken, pitcous
words.
''Ah, think" she continued. "what I am
losing! Have some pity on me! The blow
which has struck you fell upon me FRS,
and bowed me to the ground. Your pain
only adds to mine"
II know-I known he cried. hoa rscly,
"Barbara: can you think that do no,
pity your"
4 faint CLEAN Of hope frightened the
girls sad eyes; she crcpt nearer to bis side,
and put her hand timidly on the arm OF
his chair.
ne VIC had but known BEFORE" he OK.
claimed passiOnatcly, "or II you had kent
Il from me still! Why did you tell me,
BarbaraY"
II think because loved you." she nm.
swcred family; and In the silence which
followed she drew of the diamond rims
she wore and laid 1t on the table BY his
side.
II think the shame Of It will kill mev
he exclaimed, rising from his chair. All
that the next few days must bring came
before hlm-the gossip, the conjecture. the
wonder at the broken engagement. "Oh
love-" he cried, suddenly bending over heI
and lifting her from the ground. "why
has this trouble come upon US? We were
so happyv'
He held her In his arms as the broken
despairinR words escaped him and looked
down with Intense sorrow at her death
like face.
I'VE were 30 happyw she repeated
family. "But-that must be over now.
"Yes!'
Sadly the word fell from his lips. and