Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-07-26

way. but. oh. forgive me! No-do not
mistake me. l know we'll you would
never marry me now: and" lowering
her voice-"neither could l ever marry
you having once shown you my heart;
SO there can be no miscopceptIon
apoht that. But II you knew every
.hihs-how wretched was, how hope
less. how essential 1t was that the
money should be procured, how ter
,ip'e II was to me to have to borrow
IT, ana now Just and right a thing II
seehed to give You myself In ex-
ehahse' having no other means of re-
payment-you might perhaps pity me.
.ouid you only have seen Into my
hear'' you would have read there how
ieai was my determination to be true
10 you. to make you u good wife. and
love you eventually Us well as l loved
that other"
one broke down here and covered
her lace with her hands. And Lyndon
VINO had never learned the art OF be-
ing consistently unkind to anything,
ielt his wrath and wrongs melt away
altogether. while a choking sensation
arose In his throat.
he forgot all his own deep INJURIES,
ana taking the pretty golden head
between his hands. he drew II down
upon MS breast. where she began to
cry rish; heartily.
Mildred. how could you do IT," he
whispered. presently. In n broken
voice HAD you hated me you could
nave done nothing more cruel. Child,
u'd you never think OF the conse-
quenccs:"
I know ! have behaved bascly to
YOU" sobbed Mildred. But never
thought that this would be tho end.
N' hisht have turned out SO different
". hnd-had this day never been"
! snail never cease to be thankful
that this day did come" he answered,
earnestly. Better to wake from n
happy dream In time than rest uncon.
fciouS until the waking Is too late.
BITTER aS u, Is TO lose you now. and
no one but myself can guess how bit
t'r that Is. would II not be far worse
to discover that my wife had no SYM
pathy with me. no thought akin to
miae' He paused for u moment and
then he said. sadly. lit seems n hard
thing for mo to say. but yet-oh, NIL
drci. ! wish VIC had never nett"
rs there nothing can do to make
II up to your" she asked. dcspairins-
~.
No. there Is nothing" he answered.
scsFttfuliy: ALI that could be faid or
done would no, oblitcrat. the past.
You are crying s,iii. Mildred raising
her face. and regarding 1, mourn!uiiy:
are you so very sorry then. for your
work: Aud yet few plain words
would have prevented all this. Tell
mc-whcn returning the money. which
you iasis'ed on doing after you.
srand-ann;'s death. why did you no,
then honestly speak the truth. Was
no, that n good opportunity"
"oh. how could do II them she
asked. turning away her head. with n
little shiSsE of dis;astc: ''tha; would
have appeared no dctcE,abic In your
eyes. What! She exclaimed. "aeCcp,
your Kindness gratefully when I was
in sore need OF II. and then when
bad no further want OF II. throw you
on wi;hou; the slightest eompune,ioa'
Surely you would have though, thai
a very unworthy action-"
"Siili II would have been better than
this" he answered. sloomiiy. begin
ming TO walk slowly up and down the
room. while she stood wcavin. her
fingers rcs;icssly In and out, watching
| him.
Poor Mildred. the bitterness OF her
Tcmorsc jus; then made half atone
men; for her sin. With heart al
once aTectiona,c and deeply feeling.
II was to her the intcnscs, agony to
sec Lyndon 40 crushed and heart
broken. and know II was her own
handIWork.
For a few minutes there was silcncs
except for the faint sound Of Lyndon;s
| footsteps as he paced heavily to and
| fro on the thick carpet. At length
she could bear II no longer.
ITO be continusi.b