Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-12-19

parental consent if possible, without
II IL necessary. Clare when consult
ed cast her lot with Gordon. All
revelat ons concerning Gordon's ca
reer and record were without avail.
Then the mother in desperation
went to Gordon's apartments at the
Royal and made pathetic appeal to
him.
"There can be no happiness in such
a match" she said. "When she awak-
ems to the realities she will be heart
broken-as you well know. There is
no happiness in such a marriage
either for her or for you. l do not
know what you are after. will not
insult you by intimating that you
seek her money. If you do it shall be
yours without a marriage. In any
event l conjure you by mothers
love: by the memory of the old times
when we were friends-more an
friends, do not destroy my daugh-
ter's life"
Rising from his chair where he had
sat nonchalant and unconcerned dur
ing the interview, Gordon advanced
directly in front of the excited wom-
an who stood with clasped hands
and flushed face pouring out her
heart, and said in a voice hoarse
with emotion:
at has been my dream for 10
years TO see you in front of me
pleading for something dear to your
| heart. / never dared to hope the
dream would come true-eertainly
not in the manner it has. Let me tell
you, ] will give You your hearts de-
sire just as you gave me mine 10
years ago. You chose deliberate
IL TO ruin my life. You were merci-
less-eyen scornful What ! am, | am
as a result Of your heartlessness.
What / am not Is the result of your
faithlessness. All the reasons that
make me in your estimation an unfit
husband for your daughter are the
result Of your ambition and your adj
vice. / was not a man of bad in
stincts in the old days. ] was not
void of ambition. All this you delib-
erately killed. You Slapped all the
good out of my nature and threw
me aside, a mere husk. Now you APP
peal to the moral nature you de-
stroyed. / never dreamed of so per-
feet a revenge until saw the girl
your very second self, and then saw
the way to make you suffer even as |
have suffered. And you must suffer
to the end. i will not spare you. Go
and tell the girl what l have said
and that / am your old lover, if you
please. She will not believe it and
win deny it. 1t is your turn to walk
the floor now. / have done it for
10 years. Oh, l will lead your
proud and sensitive girl pretty
dance, / promise you"
He caught her as she tainted, and
after applying restoratives showed
her to her carriage.
The wedding was a swell affair and
the newly-wedded pair went abroad
for honeymoon tour.
g
N 1t was ten months later at Venice,
when the crisis came. They had
fingered there for five weeks enjoying
The months had been a revelation to
: Gordon. Never had he supposed earth
held such joy as he had found in the
, golden weeks that had slipped by
, since his marriage. As he penetrated
!, further and further into the nature
! of the woman who had married him
I despite warning and evil report. he
I he af
he never expected had existed Far
> from carrying out his threat and in
\ tention to break her heart, he be-
: came inspired day by day with the
q deepest reverence for her. This soft
n evening in Venice the climax came.
. He crossed over to where his wife
n sat and said:
"Clare, l have confession to
e make. ! cannot go on in this way
with a lie in my heart. l did not
r marry you with clean soul and from
d a pure love. All they have said about
Z me is true. Your mother knew me
d better than any living person, and
% she told you the truth. Since ] have
h known you as wife | have come to
Y learn somewhat of your real worth,
m and a great loathing of myself has
l. taken possession of me until life
ie seems only tolerable on the condition
"a that ] cease to act lie and that YOU
know me as I am. Forgive me? |
o was cruelty hurt by a woman once
and ! charged it to all womankind.
N will make any amends you say. ]
D. will leave YOU II you win it-any.
10 thing, anything, no matter how hard
lie so I stand at least honest in your
sight"
e With a broken sob he sank on one
e. knee and buried his face in his hands
is In an instant she was beside him
St with both arms. about his neck
lie Il knew you better than you knew
IF yourself" she whispered.
Finding His Rating.