Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1899-02-23
Continued.

must be dead to all sense of honor and
shame. A crime! / should place il
next to murder"
1 did not know it." she said, softly.
i never thought of that"
He looked at her in horror.
Ihen you did it-you really and
truly did it, Veronica?" he said.
Yes, | did it, Mare" she replied,
sadly.
What was the reason? Why did
you do it? What was your motive?
Tell me, that may understand"
\ cannot do that" she replied,
sadly. Il can tell you no more than
this: that l, of my own accord, burned
that will"
Great Heaven!" he cried, sit is in
credible. Did any one else know"
I 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; 81 cannot
explain them to you"
1T is increditable!" he cried. 81
could believe you and myself both mad
before l could believe this. 1t is
some foul trick. some horrible farce!"
No" she replied; cit is the simple,
terrible truth. / 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.
81 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?"
mo" 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.
"Could l 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
"T see," she said, slowly-'T under
stand"
Veronica" he cried, chow 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 wistfui
eyes.
"You. Veronica" he said, whom l
thought of all women the most perfect,
will YOU tell me why you did thls
Will YOU give me some explanation OF
the mystery-any key by which | may
solve it? Will you give me some ex-
planation of the mystery-any Key
Nv which I may solve it? Will you
saw one word that will lessen my
misery"
az cannot" she replied. Il am bound
sn chains of iron-I cannot. i tell
Won this one bare fact burned the
will. You must trust me all In all OF
not at all"
.sTrust you! Great Heaven! trust a
woman who could burn the will or
dead man, Stay-tell me one thing:
MID he wish you to destroy it? DID
ne ask you to do so?'
mo" she replied, "he did not.
sThen do not ask me to trust you'
yaronica. No mans honor would be
cafe in such hands. If there is a
mystery. and you will explain it to me-
good-that will do; if not, we must
part" .,.h
che held out her arms to him, with
a low cry.
"part.' she repeated-"part-you
and ~ ,.. 3.
.eyes" he answered, coldly, IF 1t
hroke nv heart hundred times over.
Won do not suppose that /, man OF
honor could marry a woman who mao
deliberately destroyed the will OF a
dead man? would not marry sucn
ono even if the loss of her killed me.
81 never thought of that" she said
clasping her hands.
81 should imagine not" replied 81
Marc Il could never look at you with
ont remembering what you had done
should be wretched, miserable. we
must part" 80. no
Kpart,n she repeated, family. u
49,, I thought you loved me So"
aroyed you! love you dearly. even
now despite what you have done; but
marry YOU cannot, Veronica. You
own conduct has parted us"
you must not leave me, Mare sh'
ssta holding out her arms to him
lyon are more than my life; you mus
not co." -.