Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-05-20

t1erCe'S fIedSdnt EclctS. NCVCI BIIPSs
Accept no substitute or imitation.
Eyes, l havew he groaned. al
have committed crime against So
ciety and against you. My love-mak-
ing was only pretense on the start. l
did it purely from mercenary mo-
tives, and with no higher purpose
than making literary study of your
language and emotions and utilizing
them in a story. And to make mat
tiers worse, l had myself introduced to
you under an assumed name. l am
not Percy Montgomery, artist, but
Tom Thornton, part owner and as
sistant editor of the Sketchbook, in
which my miserable story was pub
lished."
Her face grew suddenly white. The
smile had vanished.
"It-it has been published, them"
she inquired, in voice that he
hardly recognized.
ayes, all OF it that ever will be.
sent the fifth installment in yesterday,
but shall wire my partner to sup
press it. Not another word OF the
story shall ever get into print, if l can
help it. But I cannot recall what has
already been published, and, o, what
must you think of mel"
"Did-did you use my name in the
story~
"Not in full. l changed it to Pearl
Mansfield and mine to Ray Palmer,
and located the scene of the story in
the White mountains; but I used
your language.a l described scenes
which should have been sacred-and
all for the sake of a few paltry dollars
that the popularity of the story would
bring to the paper with which 1 am
connected. The project was distaste-
full to me, from the beginning, and it
was only my partners insistence lit
was he who planned the scheme, but
that does not excuse me for consent
ing) and the needs of the paper that
kept me ut it. l have felt like a dss.
tard and sneak-thief all along, and
day by day, as the part I have been
playing became more and more o
reality, my task grew harder. But
it was only now, when I learned you
were about to take your departure and
suddenly realized how necessary you
are to my happiness that the enormity
of my offense came upon me with
crushing force.
II then bitterly realized that I had
committed an objectionable crime
against woman-a woman who, dur
ing the few weeks have known her,
has daily grown dearer to me, and
whose love and respect, if might yet
hope to win them, I should value
above all else on EARTH"
He glanced at his companion. Her
face was buried in her hands, and the
hot tears were trickling through her
fingers.
"Miss Hastings - Pearl - please
don't!" he pleaded. II cannot bear
to see this. I ought to be shot for
the way I have treated you; but q
worse fate would be to live on under
the shadow of your just displeasure !;
and if q lifetime of devotion can atone
for the wrong have done you, I am
ready to offer it. o, cannot you find
it in your heart to forgive me? Please,
please do7"
"No, cannot-not yet. Give me
time to think" she sobbed, without
looking up. go, how could you!
You, whom respected as all that was
manly and noble! How could you
do as you have done"
II know 1 have played the part of
villain. There is no excuse for me.
1 deserve to lose you; but even if 1
must say goodbye forever, my last
word shall be that I love YOU"
"Please-please don't talk of love
now! Go and leave me. I cannot
bear to even look into those eyes that
were to me the very soul of truth and
honor-not now. Please leave me
alone for year-that will be little
enough time in which to forget the
Things I must forget-if I ever do
and at the end of that period, if your
mind is still unchanged, you may
come to me, and 1 will give you your
answer. Now Co."
And as Tom Thornton rose and
took his departure in obedience to
this mandate, she still sat there with
her face buried in her hands.
".
In place of the popular love story in
the next issue of the Sketchbook ap-
peared this notice, written by the edi-
tor-in-chief:
"An explanation and apology.
"We are very sorry to disappoint