Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1902-06-12
CHAPTER Y.


lence. like the hiss Of red-hot tongues.
Irene heard them; but as one who does
not understand. He repeated them:
81 am sorry you have forced the words
from me-" he said; "but you are not my
wife,
The beautiful young face, In its CHASTITY
pallor. its miserable fear, its awful dread,
was raised to his; voice, unlike any
voice he had ever heard, said:
Not your wifeW
"You may believe me. Irene; II 10 quite
true" he said.
True that | am not your wfef All,
no. know that you are trying to fright
en- me: that Is all. trying to frighten me.
dear"
She chung to him with the grasp Of
dying child. He trembled. and his white
face looked trembingly into hers.
81 am your wife All. my love, my
love. say so; let Inc forget those horri-
BILE words. or | shall die here at your
feet"
He was tempted to deny them; but
soon all the scene must be repeated.
Irene, look up, my darling; | did not
intend to distress you so: look up, dar-
ling. love you better than all the
world besides but you are not my wife,"
Whittier still grew the fair young face
and the burning lips, more deadly still
the shadow of fear in the sweet, sad
eyes. The very energy OF despair came
to her; she stretched out her arms to him
with a pleading cry.
you do not mean it. Hubert" she
cried. you cannot mean it; you are
testing with me; but 1t Is such a bitter
jest; there is no man living who could
be so cruel"
She raised her miserable face to his as
she asked him;
Now tell me the truth; no matter how
hard, how bitter 1t may be. From the
first hour you saw me did you mean this
to be?-was 1t planned in your mind?"
81 am afraid, IL you press me. | must
say yes" he replied. 81 am ashamed
of 1t now, Irene; but then it seemed 50
little harm"
"Did no impulse ever come to you to
pause. to plead for me, to save me. to
incline you to go on your way and leave
me in peaceW
He bowed his head before her, remem-
boring how many such good thoughts had
come to him.
There is reason for it, Irene." he
said
"Wil you tell me what that reason is?"
she asked.
He was silent for a few minutes think
ing deeply then he answered her:
Yes. will tell you the whole TRUTH
Irene. or course you can, in certain
fashion. ruin me by betraying me; but
you will not. II you do. you must. You
will not. you are too true and too loyal
for that; but will tell you the truth.
Irene"
She covered her face with her hands as
the bitter words fell on her ears; words
that burned her as with red-hot flame.
II ought to have told you before; but
was afraid that ! should lose you. l
could not make you my wife for this
reason"
He spoke slowly, and the words were
long in coming: they seemed to die in
hot gasps OIL his lips.
at was NOT all my fault, Irene; my des-
tiny was, after fashion. settled for me.
While | was quite a boy my father ar
ranged that l should marry Lady Lira
Gerant-while we were both children
that compact was made. Earl Gerant Is
a powerful man, great statesman; his
name is a power in the land; and can
not break the contract. When l left
Oxford Lord Gerant sought me out one
day"
"'Sir Hubert he said, i want to tnlk
to you about this contract made years
ago by your father aud myself. l want
Lady Lira to have few years in the
world before her fate in life is fixed. She
is eighteen now; let nothing be said of
the contract or the marriage until she is
twenty
II assured him that his wish should be
complied with. He went on:
"'You will wonder. Sir Hubert, why
have sought you out to say this. You
bear a name as proud as my own-the
Estmeres Of the Mere are second to none
in the land. | will tell you why | seek
you as husband for my only child.
have no son to succeed me: my whole life
is devoted TO politics and to statesman
ship. | have worked as few men work,
and | dislike to think that when | lie
down to die there will be no one to carry
on my work. l have mapped out line
of politics which, in a few years, would
change the face of Europe, | have given
the labor and the thought of lifetime to
it, and l dislike to think that when |
die there will be no one to take 1t up.
to think of it or to make it succeed. If
| had been blessed with son l should
have trained him to take my place. You
are ambitious, are you not, Sir HulbertT
Il told him yes; that it would be
pleasure to me to serve my country.
"'Then take to me sons place. he
said, You are young yet; will give
you three years to enjoy lfe-to go
about, to seek your gayeties and your
pleasures as you will. During that time
come to see us when you will; call on
Lady Lira, go out with her at times, but
let there be no word of the contract be-
tween her and you-or you and myself
$50 we parted, lrene-I knowing that
had but a short time for enjoyment, and
that the rest of my life must be given
to hard work. And though have seem
ed to like idleness, and have enjoyed to
their utmost, all gayeties and pleasures,
yet | find myself looking forward to the
time when my life will be great and no
ble."
Great and NOBLE" she cried with
the stain of your disgrace on your hands,
how can you be great and noble? You