Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-02-23
HER ONLY SIN
BERTHA M. CLAY.
Continued.
BERTHA M. CLAY.


asked, simply.
"a crime!" he repeated. THE person
who could even ask such a question
must be dead to ali sense of honor and
shame. A crime! | should place il
next to murder"
Il did not know it," she said, softly
Il never thought of that"
He looked at her in horror
Then you did it-you really and
truly did it, Veronica?" he said.
Eyes, did it, Mare" she replied
sadly.
What was the reason? Why did
you do it? What was your motive?
Tell me, that may understand"
Il cannot do that" she replied,
sadly. Il can tell you no more than
this: that l, of my own accord, burned
that will"
"C~eat Heaven!" he cried, cit is in
CREDIBLE. Did any one else know?"
Il cannot tell you," she replied.
WAS any one else PRESENT."
NO. she answered.
Was the will you destroyed one
against your own interests? Did 1t
take money from you, or what?"
She raised her dark eyes in solemn
wonder at the question.
'You must think what you will of
my motives" she replied; II cannot
explain them to you"
1T is increditable!" he cried. 81
could believe you and myself both mad
before [ could believe this. 1t is
.,ome foul trick, some horrible farce!"
NO" she replied; "it is the simple,
terrible truth. l destroyed the will,
but did not know it was such a crime
as you say"
"And if you had known he cried.
Il should have destroyed it just the
same" she said.
You swear it is true?" he said.
Il swear it, she replied.
They stood looking at each other,
while the sunbeams fell between them
and the birds sang on the roses outside
the window.
Veronica was the first to break the
terrible silence.
Mare" she said you will not be-
tray me?"
NO" he replied, slowly, Il will not
betray you, lest the iron hand of the
law should grasp you. Great Heaven!
how could you have done such a
deed?"
She looked at him, with a. shudder.
Gould | really be put in prison for
it?" she said.
Yes, if those whom you have de-
frauded chose to prosecute you" And
then he wondered, for a soft, sweet
light came over the white stiffness of
her face.
q see," she said, slowly-"T under
stand"
Veronica he cried, 'how callous
you are! You seem to have no shame
for the deed you have done"
She was asking herself what she
should do-how she should make him
understand and then, with a great,
sharp bitter pang, the thought came to
her that she could never make him
understandable she could never
break her oath, the oath taken with
her hands on her dead fathers heart.
He, was looking at her with wistful
eyes
You, Veronica" he said, whom /
thought of all women the most perfect,
will you tell me why you did this?
Will you give me some explanation OF
the mystery-any key by which ! may
solve it? VIII you give me some eA-
PLANTATION of the mystery-any key
by which l may solve it? Will you
say one word that will lessen my
misery?"
Il cannot" she replied. Il am bound
in chains of iron-I cannot. l tell
you this one bare fact-I burned the
will You must trust me all in all or
not at all.
Trust you! Great Heaven! trust a
woman who could burn the will of a
dead man! Stay-tell me one thing:
Did he wish you to destroy it? Did
he ask you to do so?"
NO" she replied, he did not
Then do not ask me to trust you,
Veronica No mans honor would be
safe in such hands. If there is a
mystery, and you will explain it to me,
good-that will do; if not, we must
part"
She held out her arms to him, with
low cry.
Part" she repeated part-you
and -"
Yes" he answered. coldly, IF it
broke my heart a hundred times over
You do not suppose that l, man OF
honor, could marry woman who had
deliberately destroyed the will Of 6
dead man? l would not marry such 6
one even if the loss of her killed me.
Il never thought of that" she said
clasping her hands.
Il should imagine not" replied Sil
Marc. Il could never look at you with
out remembering what you had done
| should be wretched, miserable. W.
must part"
part" she repeated, family. Il
Marc! l thought you loved me So"
Loved you! love you dearly, ever
now, despite what you have done; bu
marry you cannot, Veronica. You
own conduct has parted u.s."
You must not leave me, Mare" sh
said, holding out her arms to him
You are more than my life; you mus
not go!"
Il could never trust you," he saiC
holding back her arms lest they shout
clasp his neck unawares. There is n
help for it, Veronica. Unless you ca
explain away this mystery, we mus
part. Think it over, and give me tn