The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-07-16
Barbara Bretton's
~eAmbition~S


4 dawn would come the dread thought
that perhaps you might turn away
from me, and so I dared not. For the
first time in long years my heart
awakened from It's lethargy, and
sprang into such glorious life that 1
though -God-had not forgotten me-
almost blessed him. Then came cold
ness, the winters chill, and my little
struggling heart blossoms blighted I'm
| it's breath. I sought to win you back.
All, from others lips you had heard
the story, the world tells of my, fife---a
story hadl thought buried In the past
Ia story resurrectsd to turn the fruit
Of happiRess into ashes at my touch.
Even then would have gone to you,
aud at your feet pleaded to be even
your Elave, but that the baby fingers Of
my. dead child held me back. Would
you befieyo me when I told you OF that
fatal night when, mad with horror,
took her In my arms and fed, I-knew
not whittier, until the gates of La
Madeleine burst upon my sight, and,
knowing she-would be safe and cared
for, laid her down upon its steps?
| I was mad indeed, the madness wom-
en- know from men and treachery.
married him for his gold he said. II
was liei loved him with the blind,
unreasoning passion of girls heart!
Then | strove never to love again, to
treat men as my playthings. to make
ambition my god. kept my vow until
you crossed my pathway. Then I
broke II andsiai my heart atyoup feet.
You ask me why did this thing last
night--why linked my life with a
weak boy, who was to me but as the
dog that licks my hand. Because
returned to my god again-ambition--
and because you drove nae there!"
The magnetism of Barbara Bretton's
acting, which had ever held men spell
bound, so held her listener now. New
err had she been more beautiful, more
resistless: for 1t was truth, not acting,
which swayed her.
'You drove me to it,"
What Nemesis was in her words,
that on every side his should prove the
hand to plunge his friend TO ruin? A
groan escaped him. II was her only
answer; but as, freighted with misery,
ii reached her ear, she sank on her
knees TO the floor, clinging with both
hands to his arm.
Milton, save me from myself" she
pleaded. "Take me with you-any-
where-anywhere! I will be your
slave If needs be, so that one word of
| love may be mine. Say you love me
still in spite of the cruel fate which
has pursued me-"
Her voice floated over his senses;
her touch thrilled him; her hair
| brushed his hand. It was as though he
gazed, fascinated. upon the enhancing
! colors of a serpent. Then, with a
nightly effort. he Embossed her cling
| Ing hold.
Barbara" he said, though you
never may lay claim to the title, |
know you as my friends wife. | am
/ here as his messenger, ami the mes
! sage bring Is this: Each month at
his bankers you will find sum pro-
| portionato to his income for your sup.
! port. Willingly he will never see you
! again, and at any attempt on your part
to make public your claim to his name,
he will expose your past and apply to
| the courts for instant release from a
now hated bondage. AS to what you
have said to-day, we will both forget
1t. no longer love, I loathe you'll"
$50 be IT." springing once more
erect to her feet, and raising aloft her
hand. THUS you have answered my
prayer. But beware of the woman
you put In the place once hoped to
hold. All, your face Pushes! You re-
member that little dark-eyed girl
whose poisoning gives promise of
such radiant beauty. whose perfect
flower you hope to possess, whose very
name you deem polluted by my lips.
Take care; for by the gods above, Mil
ton Lennox, will strike through her
at your heart, even as you have struck
ut mine. lay no claim as yet to the
Meredith name, the Meredith fortune.
I bide my time and wait!"
Then her finger fell until 1t Lointed
TO the door, and with white face, as
though some curse had fallen upon mis-
head, Travis Meredith's messenger
bowed himself from her presence, m
needing the man who assembled even as
he descended the steps, and whom
Feline announced the next moment to
his mistress as DR.. Richard Hayes.
The vast crowd which few hours
later threaded their way to see the
goddess OF the public heart were met
at the theater by closed doors and the
| certificate of Miss Bretton's sudden
and dangerous illness, which would
necessitate her indefinite withdrawal
from the stage-a certificate to which
that sudden faint the night before lent
weight, and to which was appended
the well-known name Of Richard
Hayes, NJ. d.