Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-07-09
CHAPTER XXXIx.
DYING IN SIN.

door of the porch, and went round to the
stables. He was a man as utterly devoid of
principle as any man could we'll be, vet the
untruths he had told, the false testimony he
had given, the false oaths he had taken, had
shaken his nerves.
II should not care to go through such a
scene as that again." ne said--'to stand be-
foretwo women as before my judges"
He found his hands unsteady and his limbs
trembling; the horse he had to ride was a
spirited one. The captain half staggered as
he placed his hand on the saddle.
u am not very well" he said TO one of the
Trooms; ''go to the house and tell Frampton,
the butler, to bring some brandy here"
In q few minutes the butler appeared with
a tray, on which stood bottle and glass.
This is some very old brandy, sir" he
said, 'and very strong"
But Captain Langton did not appear to
heed him, he poured out half a tumblerful
and drank it, while the butler looked Oh in
amazement.
1T is very strong, sir" he repeated.
Il know what l Am doing" returned the
captain, with an oath.
He was dizzy with fear and with his after.
success; he shuddered again as he mounted
his horse, and the memory of Panline's face
and Pauline's words came over him. Then
he galloped off, and Frampton, turning to
the groom, with q scared face, said:
If he gets home safely after taking so
much of that brandy, and with that horse, |
Will never venture to say what l think
again."
Lady Darrell returned to the library, where
she had left Pauline. They looked at each
other in silence, and then Lady Darrell said
II believe In him, Pauline; he cannot
be what you say"
Miss Darrell rose and went up to her; she
placed her in a chair, and knelt at her feet.
You do not believe what / have told
youp' she questioned, gently.
II cannot; my love and my faith are all
his"
II have done my best" said Pauline, sor-
rowfully, "and / can do no more. While |
live l shall never forgive myself that l did
not speak sooner, Lady Darrell. Elinor, L
shall kneel here until you promise to forgive
me-"
Then Lady Darrell looked at the beautiful
face, with its expression of humility.
Pauline" she ssid, suddenly, II hardly
recognize you. What has come to you?
What has changed youw
tASi iaSS CilHloon Will nOI DluSleS, Iaullne
answered her.
ut is to me-" she said, las though q vail
had fallen from before my eyes. / can see
my sin in all its enormity. / can see to what
my silence has led, and, though you may not
DelleVe me l shall never rest until you say
that you have forgiven me-"
Lady Darrell was not a woman given 10
strong emotion of any kind; the deepest pas.
| ginn nT hnr lifn xuaa hhr ln,.A f.. l--
Langton; but even she could give some faint
guess as to what 1t had cost the proud, will
ful Pauline to undergo this humiliation.
Il do forgive you," she said. mo matter
how deeply you have disliked me, or in what
way you have plotted against me, | cannot
refuse you. L forgive you, Pauline"
Miss Darrell held up her face.
"Will you kiss me?" she asked. 81 have
never made that request in all my life before,
but l make it now"
Lady Darrell bent down and kissed her
while the gloom of the even fell round them
and deepened into night.
IF | only knew what to believer, Lady
Darrell remarked. First my heart turns TO
him, Pauline, and then it turns to YOU. Yet
both cannot be right-one must be most wick
ed and most false. You have truth in your
face-he had truth on his lips when he was
talking to me. Oh, if l knew-if l only
knewp
And when she had repeated this many
times, Pauline said to her:
Leave it to Heaven; he has agreed that
Heaven shall judge between us, and it will.
Whoever has told the lie shall perish in it."
SO some hours passed, and the change that
had come over Lady Darrell was almost pitt
full to see. Her fair face was all drawn and
haggard, the brightness had all left it. 1t
was as though years of most bitter sorrow
had passed over her. They had spoken to
her Of taking some refreshment, but she had
sent it away. She could do nothing but pace
ap and down with wearied step, moaning
hat she only wanted to know which was
light, which to believe, while Pauline sat by
her In unwearied patience. Suddenly Lady
Darrell turned to her.
"What is the matter with me?' she asked.
Il cannot understand myself; the air seems
hull of whispers and portents-it is as though
were here awaiting some great event. What
I'm l waiting for?"
They were terrible words, for the answer
to them was a great commotion in the hall
the sound of hurried footsteps-of many
voices. Lady Darrell stood still in dismay.
"What is it?" she cried. "Oh, Pauline, l
am full of fear-I am sorely full of fearp'
1t was Frampton who opened the door
suddenly and stood before them with a white,
scared face.
"Oh, my lady-my lady" he gasped.
TEL her quickly" cried Pauline; do you
not see that suspense is dangerousP'
Zone of the Court servants" said the but
Ter at once, in response, returning from
Audleigh Royal, has found the body of Cap
tain Langton lying in the high-road, where
his horse had thrown him, dragged him, and
left h~im-deadp'
"Heaven be merciful to himp p cried Pau
line Darrell. HE has died in his SIM"
But Lady Darrell spoke no words. Per-
haps she thought to herself that Heaven had
indeed judged between them. She said moth
ing-she trembled-a gasping cry came from
her, and she fell face forward on the floor.
They raised her and carried her up stairs.
Pauline never left her; through the long
night-watches and the long days she kept
her place by her side, while life and death
fought fercely for her. She would awake
from her stupor at times, only to ask about
Aubrey-if 1t could be true that he was dead
and then seemed thankful that she could
understand no more.