Hutchinson gazette., 1901-06-13

money should be procured, how ter
rlble II was TO me to have to borrow
II, and how just and right thing II
seemed to give you myself In ex-
change, having no other means OF re-
payment--you might perhaps pity mo-
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 good wife, and
love you eventually as well as | loved
that other"
She broke down here and covered
her face with her hands, And, Lyndon
who had never learned tho art Of be-
Ing consistently unkind to anything,
felt his wrath and wrongs melt away
altogether, while choking sensation
arose in his throat.
He forgot all his own deep injuries,
and, taking the pretty golden head
between his hands, he drew 1t down
upon his breast where she began to
cry right heartily.
Mildred, how could you do ~" he
whispered, presently In q broken
voice. Had you hated me you could
have done nothing more cruel, Child,
did you never think OF the conse.
quences?"
II know | have behaved basely to
you," sobbed Mildred, But never
thouNht that this would be the end
All might have turned out 80 dlfferent'
ly, had-had this day never been"
II shall never cease to be thankful
that this day did come" he answered,
earnestly, Better to wake from a
happy dream in time than rest uncon'
scious until the waking Is too late,
Bitter as 1t Is to lose you now, and
no one but myself can guess how bit.
ter that is, would 1t not be far worse
to discover that my wife had no SYM
pathy with me, no thought akin to
mine?" He paused for moment and
then he said, sadly, 1T seems a hard
thing for me to say, but yet-oh NIL
dred, | wish We had never met!"
rs there nothing / can do to make
It up to you?" she asked, despalring'
ly.
"No, there is nothing" he answered
regretfully; "all that could be said OF
done would not obliterate the past
You are crying still, Mildred" raising
her face, and regarding II mournfully
ARE you so very sorry then, for YOU
work? And yet a few plain words
would have prevented all this, Tel
me-when returning the money, whlcl
you insisted on doing after you
grand-aunt's death, why did you no
then honestly speak the truth? Wa
not that a good opportunity?
"0h, how could | do 1t them" sh
asked, turning away her head, with
little shiyer Of distaste; that woul
have appeared so detestable in you
eyes. Whatl"she exclaimed, "accep
your kindness gratefully when | wa
in sore need of 1t, and then when
had no further want Of II, throw yo
off without the slightest compunctlon
Surely you would have thought tha
very unworthy actlon?"
Still It would have been better thai
this" he answered, gloomily begin
ming to walk slowly up and down tn
room, while she stood weaving he
fingers restlessly in and out, watching
him. --
Poor Mildred the bitterness Of he
remorse just then made half atone
ment for her sin. With a heart a
once affectionate and deeply feeling
1t was to her the intensest agony Il
see Lyndon so crushed and heart
broken, and know 1t was her owl
handiwork
For a few minutes there was silenc
except for the faint sound Of Lyndon
footsteps as he paced heavily to ant
fro on the thick carpet. At lengtl
she could bear 1t no longer
ITO be continued.)