Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-08-26

IT do not understand-you say such
hard, cruel things" she moaned,
lizard and cruel" repeated her hus-
band, with bitter contempt; did ever
Q woman live so cruel as you?"
IT am not cruel" she replied. II
have been driven mad"
There was such infinite sadness In
the young voice, such dreary despair in
the young face, that'he was touched
in spite Of his anger and contempt.
"Tell me-" he said, what made you
do this thing-this cruel. ungenerous.
unwomanly deed?"
She thought he referred to her con-
duct in following him, and they SEEM
ed to her hard words.
What made me do It? You will
only despise and hate me the more il
tell you," she replied.
Frankly speaking, Hildred, nothing
that you can say to me will make the
matter worse, but 1t may certainly be
made better. Tell me the plain truth"
Eyes, will tell you," she replied.
II see that all good understanding Is
at an end between u.s."
THAT is certain" he said, with en-
phasis; with my consent you shall
never enter my doors again."
Have I acted so very wrong?" she
asked, sadly.
"Wrong?" he exclaimed contemptu-
ously. I'VE will waive that, Hildred.
You have done that which I will never
pardon. Now tell me why you did 1t.
You may speak the truth to me; you
bear my name. will shield you from
all harm. No one knows but myself
Then she did not see met" said Hill
dred, drearily. bee
"No-and you may be thankful fol
it," answered the earl, severely. "She
did not see you. You may speak quite
frankly-no one knows anything about
it except myself. Now tell me-"
What have I to tell your" she said
IL did 1t; followed you here be-
cause-oh, how hard 1t is to tell!-be-
cause was jealous of her. thought
that you we're both ridiculing me, thai
you would tell her that you had beer
Obliged to marry me to save yoursel
from ruin, but that you did not love
me, you did not care for me, you dis
liked me, you hated me, you longet
to be free from me-my accurset
money was all you wanted-that 20,
would never like me. And / fancie(
she would pity you in that soft, caress
ing voice of hers-pity you for beini
burdened with wife you did not love
1 believed that you would tell her tina
1 was jealous of her, that then both o
you would laugh at me-"
The passion of her words had dead
ened all sense of shame. She had for
gotten that which her jealousy ha,
prompted her to do, and remembered
only her great, bitter wrongs. She wa
no longer heroine-only a passion
ate, injured, deeply loving woman
She rose to the occasion.
The earl was impressed more thai
he would have cared to own.
II could not bear it," she contin
ued, passionstely. II should have don
worse than this, am sure, II 1t coul
have been done. 1 was mad. l vii
tell you all. 1 was mad because / ha
learned to love you with all tn
strength of my heart and soul. l coul
not bear that you should jest abou
me with careless words; 1t was a
though you stabbed me for pleasure.
you love me?" he Intercepted, N
credulousiy.
The dark shawl fell from her, an
she stood erect before him in all tn
dignity of her pale, passionate beauty
Her amber dress and her rubie
cleaned in the starlight; the queenl
head was held aloft; she no longe
pleaded and wept; the memory Of he
passionate love and her bitter wrong
filled her with angry pride.
Ito be Continued.)