Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-07-16
VICTORY
BY BERTHA M. A

"She has suffered so much, Vane, through
he-all through me. If had but foregone
my cruel vengeance, and when she came to
me with doubt in her heart IL / had but
spoken one word, the chances are that by
this time she would have been Lady Ayns-
ley, and / should have been free to accom-
pany you, my beloved; but l must suffer for
my sin. / ought to suffer, and l ought to
atone to her"
Your life, my darling" he said, ''your
beautiful bright life, your love, your happi-
ness, will all be sacrificed"
They must be. You see, Vane, she clings
10 me In her sorrow. His name-Aubrey
Langton's name-never passes her lips to
any one else but me. She talks of him the
aight and the day through-it Is the only
comfort she has; and then she likes me to be
with her, and soothe her, and she tires so
soon OF any else. / cannot leave her,
Vane-it would shorten her life, | am sure"
de made no answer. She looked up at
him with fearful eyes.
Speak to me-, Vane. II Is hard, l know
but tell me that L I'm right"
"You are cruelty right" he replied. ooh,
my darling, it Is very hardl Yet You make
her a noble atonement for the wrong you
have done--a noble reparation. MY darling,
Is this how your VOW OF vengeance has end
ed-in the greatest sacrifice a woman could
make"
"lour love has saved me,'' she said, gen
tly-"has shown me what Is right and what
Is w~rong-has cleared the mist from my eyes,
But for that-oh, Vane, l hate to think what
| should have beenv'
II wish II were possible to give up the APP
pointment," he remarked, musingly.
II would not have you do 1t, Vane. Think
Of Lady st. Lawrence-how she has worked
for 1t. Remember, it Is your only chance of
ever being what she wishes to see You. You
must not give it up"
But how can l leave you, PaulineP"
IF you remain in England, It will mako
but little difference" she said. II can never
leave Lady Darrell while she lives"
but, Pauline, it may be -four, or five, OF
six years before | return, and all that time ]
shall never see YOU"
She wrung her hands, but no murmur pass.
ed her lips, save that II was her f%ault--all her
fault-the price of her sin.
"Vane," she said, "you must not tell Lady
Darrell what you came to ask me. She must
know that you are here only to say goodbye.
/ would rather keep her in ignorance; she
will be the happier for not knowing"
Was ever anything seen like that love and
that sorrow-the love of two noble souls, two
noble hearts, and the sorrow that parting
more bitter than death brought upon themI
Even Miss Hastings did not know until long
after Sir Vane was gone. of the sacrifice Pau
line had made in the brave endeavor to atone
for her sin.
She never forgot the agony of that parting
how Sir Vane stood before them, pale,
worn, and sad, impresslng one thing on them
all-care for his darling. Even to Lady Oar
rell, the frail, delicate invalid, whose feeble
stock of strength seemed TO be derived from
Pauline, he gave many charges.
ut will be so long before | see her again."
he said; "but you will keep her safely for
me-"
VI almost wonder" said Lady Darrell,
"why you do not ask Pauline to accompany
you, Sir Vane. For my own sake, | am
most selfshly glad that you have not done so
Il should soon die without her"
They looked at each other, the two who
were giving up so much for her, but spoke no
word.
Sir Nane was obliged to return to London
that same day. He spoke of seeing Pauline
again, but she Objected II would only be q
renewal of most bitter and hopeless sorrow.
So they babe each other farewell under the
llme-trees. The bitter yet sweet memory of
it lasted them for life.
Miss Hastings understood somewha. of the
pain 1t would cause, but with her gentle con-
sideration, she thought it best to leave Pau
line for a time. Hours afterward she went
in search OF her, and found her under the
lines, weeping and moaning for the atone
ment she had made for her sin.