The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-08-22
CHAPTER XVII

| 1t was late the same evening. and
| Mildred sitting in her mothers room,
with one hand clasped in Lady Caro-
lines, was gazing idly into the fire.
seeming pale and detected in the red
light of the flame, that ever and anon
blazed up and sunk, and almost died
and frightened up again. Yet in her
| heart there was a great well of thank
fulness, of joy unutterable-for had
not the doctor. fully an hour before
| declared Denzil out of any immediate
| danger?
Up to that moment Miss Trevanion
had remained in her own apartment,
not caring to encounter the gaze of
curious observers-now walking fever
ishly backward and forward with I'M
spoken prayers within her breast, now
sitting stunned and wretched, waiting
for the tidings she yet dreaded to hear.
But, when Lady Caroline came to
tell her all was we'll for the present,
she could say nothing; she only fol-
lowed her mother back to her own
room where she fell upon her knees
and cried as if her heart would break.
Suddenly the door opened and a ser
want stood revealed
Lord Lyndon's compliments to
Miss Trevanion, and he would be glad
TO see her for few minutes in the
north drawing room," he said, and lin
gered for reply.
VIII be down directly" Mildred
answered TREMENDOUSLY, and when he
had withdrawn turned nervously to-
ward Lady Caroline. ooh, mother"
she said, what can 1 say to him?
What must he think of me?"
Have courage, my darling" whis-
pered Lady Caroline, "and own the
truth-plain speaking is ever the best
and wisest. Afterward he will forgive
you. Remember how impatiently 1
shall be waiting here for your return. !"
"Of course he will understand that
it is now all over between us?" Mil
dred asked, half anxiously. as she
reached the door,
OF course he will said Lady Caro-
line, with suppressed sigh. How
could she help regretting this good
thing that was passing away from her
daughter. Now go, and do not keep
him in suspense any longer"
So Mildred went; but, as she passed
the threshold of the room that con-
tanned Lord Lyndon, sudden rush of
memory almost overpowered her. car
! rying her back, as it did, to that other
night, few short weeks ago, when
she had similarly stood, but in how
different a position in the sight of the
man now standing opposite to her.
Then she had come to offer him all
that was dearest to him on earth, now
she was come to deprive him of that
boon-was standing before him, judg-
ed and condemned as having given
away that which in nowise belonged
to her.
She scarcely dared to raise her head.
but waited, shame-stricken, for him
to accuse her, with eyes bent sorrow
fully downward.
Il have very little to say to YOU"
said Lyndon, hoarsely, in voice that
was strange and cold, all the youth
being gone out Of it, "but thought it
better to get it over at once-to end
this farce that has been playing so
long"
No answer from Miss Trevanion-
no movement-no sound even, beyond
slight catching of the breath
why you should have treated me
] as you have is altogether beyond my
fathoming," he went on. Surely I
could never have deserved it at your
hands. When l gave you that paltry
money few weeks ago, l little
thought it was accepted as the price of
your affection Affection Nay, rather
liberation. Had l known it I would
have flung it into the sea before it
should have so degraded both yourself
and me. Had you no compassion
no thought Of the dreary future you
We're so coldly planning out for us
both-I ever striving to gain a love
that was not to be gained-you per-
petually remembering past days that
contained all the sweetness of your
life? There-it is of small use my re-
preaching you now; the thing is done,
and cannot be undone. You have only
acted as hundreds of women have act
| ed before yOu-ruined one mans hap
piness completely, and very nearly
wrecked another's, all for the want of
little honesty"
He made few steps forward, as
though to pass her, but she arrested
him by laying both her hands on his
| arm.
ooh, Henry, forgive met she ex-
claimed, with deep emotion :"You can
not leave me like this. / know I have
been bad, wicked, deceitful, in every
way, but, oh, forgive me! No-do not
mistake me. know we'll you would
never marry me now; and" lowering
her voice-"ne neither could ever marry
you, having once shown you my heart;
so there can be no misconception
about that. But if you knew every
thing-how wretched was, how hope
less, how essential it was that the
money should be procured, how ter
r1ble 1T was to me to have to borrow
1t, and how just and right thing it
seemed to give you myself in ex-
change, having no other means of re-
payment-you might perhaps pity me.
Could you only have seen into my
heart, you would have read there how
real was my determination to be true
to you, to make you a good wife, and
love you eventually as we'll as loved
that other"
| She broke down here and covered
her face with her hands. And Lyndon
/ who had never learned the art ~ no.