The Yale expositor., 1901-06-07


way, but, oh, forgive mel No-do no
mistake me. l know well you would
never marry me now; and" lowering
her voice-"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 II was that the
money should be procured, how ter
rible IT was to me to have to borrow
1t, 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 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 well as | loved
that other"
She broke down here and covered
hc7 face with her hands. And Lyndon
who had never learned the art of be-
ing consistently unkind to anything,
felt his wrath and wrongs melt away
altogether. while a choking sensation
arose in his throat.
he forgot all his own deep injuries,
and, taking the pretty golden head
between his hands, he drew it down
upon his breast, where she began to
cry right heartily.
Mildred, how could you do it?" he
whispered, presently, in broken
voice. Had you hated me you could
have done nothing more cruel. Child,
did you never think of the conse-
quences?"
/ know | have behaved basely to
you," sobbed Mildred. but I never
thought that this would be the end.
All might have turned out so different
ly, had-had this day never been"
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 it not be far worse
to discover that my wife had no SYM
PATTY with me, no thought akin to
mine"' He paused for a moment and
then he said, sadly, 1T seems a hard
thing for me to say, but yet-oh, Mil
dred, wish we had never nett"
rs there nothing l can do to make
1t up to your" she asked, despairing-
ly.
No, there is nothing" he answered,
regretfully; "all that could be said or
done would not obliterate the past.
You are crying still, Mildred" raising
her face, and regarding it mournfully;
ARE you so very sorry then, for your
work., And yet few plain words
would have prevented all this. Tell
me-when returning the money, which
you insisted on doing after your
grand-aunt's death, why did you not
then honestly speak the truth? Was
not that a good opportunity"
"Oh, how could do it them" she
asked, turning away her head, with a
little shiver of distaste; that would
have appeared so detestable in your
eyes. What! she exclaimed, accept
your kindness gratefully when 1 was
IN sore need of it, and then when
bad no further want of it, throw you
off without the slightest conjunction?
Surely you would have thought that
a very unworthy action?"
Still it would have been better than
this" he answered, gloomily, begin
ming to walk slowly up and down the
room, while she stood weaving her
fingers restlessly in and out, watching
him.
Poor Mildred, the bitterness of her
remorse just then made half atone
ment for her sin. With a heart at
once affectionate and deeply feeling
1t was to her the intensest agony to
see Lyndon so crushed and heart
broken, and know it was her own
handiwork.
For few minutes there was silence
except for the faint sound of Lyndons
footsteps as he paced heavily to and
fro on the thick carpet. At length
she could bear it no longer
(To be continued)