Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-08-09

be spared, her secret kept. Perhaps he
would promise never to modest her
never to claim her; and by that one
interview she might secure peace.
She would go and meet him, she
decided She would hear what he had
to say. Not that it would make any
difference now, but she might persuade
him to go away and leave her in peace
She would meet him in the woods; 1t
would be very easy for her to get away
under the pretext of sketching. Even
If she we're seen speaking to him.
nothing would be thought of it, be-
cause it was known that he had been
collecting ferns for her.
So she wrote a note telling him she
would be in Holme Woods on the day
following. The note was so written
that all the world might have read it,
and have seen no more in it than
simple desire to procure more ferns.
The note was returned with the basket
to John Smith the keeper.
The lour came when these two
husband and wife, who had been as
strangers face to face They
met in the woods while the sun was
full at noon, and the world smiling
face to face, she looking calmly at him.
After longing, wlstful pitiful glance.
he fell on his knees at her feet.
Ethel" he cried, 81 have longed to
see you; but, now that you are here,
hardly dare to look at your face.
am ashamed"
1T was cruel deception, Mr. Car
rington," she said in clear, pitiless
voice; "cruel, base, and unmanly. You
took mean advantage of my youth
you lured me to what you knew was
my ruin"
II know Il, Ethel | have no excuse
to offer except that loved you dearly.
| could not live without you-and love
urged me on"
pray do not speak of love" she said,
with calm, grave contempt LAS !
understand the word, you know moth
ing of 1t. When men love, they spare,
and are merclful You had no pity
upon me. Heaven help me now!"
speak one word to me! l would give
my life to undo what | did then;
would suffer anything to give you back
your freedom"
at is too late" she said Your pity
comes all to late"
II thought 1t would be different" he
explained 81 never meant you to
know the story of my sin. | thought
| could persuade you to go TO America
with me; and. Ethel, would have
made you happy; | would have given
you all that your heart desired"
THAT is. you would have kept me on
the proceeds of forgery and theft" she
interrupted, passionately.
''No; not SO. l loved you so dearly
that your love would have made
good man of me-"
81 have missed a glorious mission"
she said mocklngly.
"oh. Ethel" he pleaded, do not be
so hard upon me. See, | am kneeling,
praying to you for one kind word
Give me that, and l will go away; l
will go to tho uttermost ends of the
earth where no sight of me shall ever
trouble you again. One kind word |
Ethel"
II shall never speak it," she said, |
haughtlly. What right have you,
who have married my whole life, to
ask one kind word from me?"
Have | blighted all your life. |
Ethel?" he asked, sadly.
"You must know that you have. |
was only a child when you met me-a |
fearless, ignorant. willful child. You
played upon my prlde-upon my fool
ish wish for revenge-and so persuad- |
ed me to marry you. You knew that
was too young to understand how
solemn and serious thing marriage
is. Had you been all that you rep
resented yourself-had you been n
gentleman, man of honor-it would
still have been base and bad enough.
But you were not gentleman; you
were a forger. You were not an
honorable man. but thief. Soiled
and stained with crime, how dared you
marry me?"
How dared 10" he echoed. "Oh.
Ethel, 1t was the Irresistible might OF
my love"
"Of your selfshness rather" she
cried. - was not love. You have
blighted my whole life"
He looked up at her with a wistful,
piteous glance.
Ethel" he said, humbly, did you
ever love me?'
NO" she replied; never in the
least. You battered me, you gratified |
my foolish pride. you made my antici-
pated revenge seem very sweet but |
never loved you, not even on that
summer morning when we stood in !
the old church together. You flattered |
me. and had kindly liking for you |
which mistook for love. ! knew |
atterward that | never had loved and |
never could love you.
What has become Of your liking,
Ethel?" he asked.
1T has changed into unutterable
contempt she replied-"contempt |
that lies too deep for words"
II cannot expect anything else" he
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