The Lamar register., 1900-05-09

jury"
Find him and prove that, by all
means. II yon can" was the sneering
answer; "for who VIII believe that the
shot to which you have confessed was
not, as be says the shot which caused
Captain DeTwent's death? repeat.
your isnoble secret is safe with me-"
The Prince waited for no reply. For
Ions moment there was srence-a
silence full Of the bitterness of
death.
Lille still stood there motianless, It
seemed almost without breath or be-
Ing. She was not looking at Don any
longer row, Her blue eyes were gaz-
ing into vacancy. with an expression
OF horror in them, as II they gazed in
reality upon that CHASTITY scene the
Prince had paintsd-hsr husbands re-
TolYer pointed at her fathers breast.
The silence and the anguish OF il all
gFew more than Don could bear.
'Llllle,- be cried
She made no movement 4; was as II
she hai become unconscious OF his
presence or even lie Itself
+Liilis' For merey's sake. Lille.
look at me- Lille, Lllilel"
He bad gone 10 her side now and
touched her cold hand and at the
touch she swayed 4 little and would
have fallen seuseless, but he caught
her in his arms and laid her on the low
aiyan- He threw himself on his knees
beside her. aad looked at her with his
breath coming In hard. quick sasps.
Despair aud shame overwhelmed
him to sanoeation, and paramount
through 1t ali came the proud fear for
that self which had hitherto ever been
hrst Eith him all his life lons-the self
for which he had ofsen sacrificed the
happiness Of others or well-nigh for
sciied honor. for which at last in
moment OF frenzy he had even sold his
soul
He saw himself In that awful mo-
nsnt for what be was. and even with
Captain Derwsut's dead body At his
feet be had failed to see himself
Seorsed and shamsd before men. II
proush; near 20 him another tribunal,
higher and aIl-poEsrful. at whose por-
tails he must needs st2nd at the last
day. and he bowed bis head in the
ars, real prayer that had ever rent his
bleeding heart.
Nj God. my God. be msFelful,"
Hos would she for whom he had
sianet loas at him when those closed
eyes opeaea9 Would she not shrink
from his touch as from some uneiean
thiuKr Would her love not fall be-
fore this blow he had dealt II. or was
Il that love possessed OF 4 divine pity
which would not turn even from the
hand that struck it, He took the ivory
fan which had dropped from her nerve
less Fingers and waited It softly over
her palid face.
Her long. thick lashes quiyered, the
white eyelids opened at last, and her
blue eyes we're looking into his
He covered his face with his hands
and bowed his head on the cushion be-
side her. for he could not dare to look
at her nov She put out trembling
hand and touched his thick brown
hair.
Don" she whispered family, tell
me 1t Is not true,"
Il cannot,'' The huarse reply
pierced her very soul. Her hand
dropped. She burst into sudden and
passionate weeping, With a strong
effort Don recovered his self-control,
and spoke with laAored intensity.
sit was not my shot that killed him
Las God is my judge. | swear to yon
il WAS not; but. in III Of anger,
nrsd, and ii might have killed him.
He insisted you were 10 marry that
dark fellow, and he would not listen
70 me. and I lost my head. Lille, Lii
lie! don't look like that Don't! l
cannot bear IL"
She had stayed her conyulsive sobs,
and her blue eyes were regarding him
in a way that made his proud lips
quiver.
''You did that. yet you came back to
me and told me nothing OF it, and you
made me marry you!'' The words
broke from her in low, hating SEN
tences. as If they choked her to utter
them.
"Lillie, be merctful! Il was my love
for YOU that made me reckless. What
good would il have done to tell you of
our quarrel? For l never dreamt you
,.,,,,,a eo,,a m know of it,