Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-08-23
CHAPTER III. (Continued1

hour In which to effect their GONZALES
cence. But, be this as it may, we do
but waste words. Rise, madam, beg
of you. Ills Of the body are less read
lily healed than those of the heart, and
you are running very great risk from
this exposure"
But she resisted the effort which &C
companied his speech to lift her to her
feet. Instead. she bent her head upon
the hands she held. and pressed her
lips passionately upon them.
Harry. Harry!" she pleaded, "think
Of the effort it must have cost me to
come to you like this, and, oh, let one
touch Of gentleness and pity steal into
your voice. You are so cold, so stern,
that between us rises a great barrier,
beyond which I cannot recognize you.
Listen to me, dear. In mercy. listen!
I am not the false. heartless woman
you have been led to believe me. If I
were, would I come here tonight?
Would kneel at your feet and plead
with you as 1 plead now?"
"Women are 10th to let their victims
escape, even when they cease to yield
them amusement" he interrupted, bit
terly.
to her feet, and let his hand drop from
her clinging touch, while she threw
back her little head haughtily.
II see,' she said; land new and quiz
ct dignity had crept into her tone,
marked. however, by infinite sadness.
"The new life has wiped out the old.
For it, for me, you have not even one
tender memory, and IL thought you
loved me so we'll that. though a month,
q year, lifetime had elapsed, I should
find the flame burning as brightly as
when last we parted. You see that l
was wrong. Let us speak no more,
then. Of the past, except the few words
came here to speak-the few words
which will tell you how you have
wronged me. You thought me false to
your VOWS Of love. You were told that
was receiving Lieut.. Barclays atten-
lions in your absence. A man jealous
OF me told you that Lieut. Barclay and
! were engaged to be married. You
came to me and made me promise not
to see him again. You said you did not
like the man, that you considered his
attentions idle and meaningless, and
compromising to the woman who stood
to you in the position I held; and I
promised--did I not?
"Well, meant to keep my promise.
forgot at the time that when last I
had seen Mr.. Barclay. he had picked
UP your ring, which I had drawn from
my finger in putting on my glove, and
slipped it upon his own. I meant to
ask him for it before we parted. 1t
escaped my mind, as with my glove
upon my hand, I did not miss it. 1t
was the evening of that day when
promoised you not to see him again.
"That same night you met him, and
recognized the ring that he still wore.
Some one present jestingly asked him
If it had any meaning, and he an
swered, falsely, that it was pledge.
Before I slept that night 1 wrote
and begged him to return it to me at
once I told him at the same time that
there were reasons why I could not
again receive him.
HE replied that only into my own
hands would he restore the ring; that
my determination was too unjust and
too unkind for him to accept other
than by word Of mouth-in short, that
he must see me once more. I dared
not tell you the truth, as I should have
done, and ask you to ask him for the
ring. l feared your anger. So, weak
ly, T consented to see him, and ap-
pointed that afternoon for the inter-
view.
'It so happened that you, who had
been angrily brooding all day over the
scene of the evening previous. came at
the same hour to demand of me an ex
PLANTATION. I had given orders to be
denied to every one. Hearing this,
your suspicious were newly awakened,
and you insisted upon entering. What
was the result? You walked into the
library and saw the picture which. in
your jealous rage, seemed confirmation
stronger that holy writ. You turned,
and, without word or, glance, walked
out Of the house. I,called you; but, for
once. you were deaf to the sound Of
my voice.
"'And it is for this man, this jealous
brute-you have thrown me over?' said
q hooking voice in my ear.
IT could not answer. Tears choked
me. 1 turned my face toward the win
dow and forced them back. When
again met Mr.. Barclays glance was
smiling. The world, at least. should
not suspect that my heart was break
ing, I vowed. secretly.
"'I may come again?' he asked.
"And, though hated him for all the
misery he had brought upon me, an.
swered yes-that he might come.
Well, days went by. and each day
thought would bring you, even as each
day the pride that upheld me grew
less and the wound at my heart bled
more, until my weakness forced me
here to you, to learn only that my
wound is mortal-that-that another
holds my place!'
The last word ended in long, quiv-
ering sob. She turned, as IL to leave
him. but one stride brought him to her
side.
The indifference had gone from his
face-gone the cold sternness-gone the
icy disdain. The pallor. perhaps. had
deepened, but his eyes were aglow
with light and his lips trembled with
feeling.
"TIelen. is it true-this story that you
have told me?"
Eyes, it is true" she answered, al
most defiantly. "And now that my
cup Of .humilition is drained to the
sdregs by its confessiona confession
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