The Grit-advocate., 1903-07-10

vent down stairs. Soon she cam.
tack slowly, with a letter in her hand
She was white, even to her lips. FnIIy
ten minutes elapsed ere she gathareg
strength sufficient to break its well
known seal, ard take in the full mean.
ing Of words so full of agony to her
1T IL midnight. beloved Katherine
and in six hours ] may be dead. I.or,
faget spoke OF my cousin to me in
such terms as leaves but one way out
OF the affront. pray you, if you
can. TO pardon me. You | shall adorr
with my last breath. Kate, my Iate
forgive me. If this comes to you b.
strange hands, | shall be dead or
dying. Kiss my son for me and take
my last hope and thought
These words she read. then wrung
that had been wounded to death. Oh
the shame. Oh. the wrong and so--
row. How could she bear it? What
should she do? Capt. Lennox, who
had brought the letter, was wai,ing
for her decision. II she would go 10
Der husband. then he could rest and
return to London at his leisure. Il
not, Hyde wanted his will, to add
codicil regarding the eight thousan6
pounds left him by Lady Capel. For
he had been wounded in his side, and
dangerous Inflammation having Sc;
III, he had been warned of a possible
fatal result
Katherine was not a rapid thinker
She had little, either, of that instinc,
which serves some women instead of
all other prudences. The one thought
that dominated all others was that her
husband had fought and fallen for
Lady Suffolk. All these years she
had been Sighted and deceived
woman.
ITO London | will not 60" she de
cided. There is some wicked plan
for me. The will and the papers are
wanted. that they may be altered to
suit it. | will stay here with my child
Even sorrow great as mine is best
borne in ones own home"
She went to the escritoire to get the
papers. When she opened the sense
less chamber of wood. she found her
self in the presence of many a tortur-
ing, tender memory. In an open slide
there was a rude picture Of horse
1t was little Joris' first attempt to
draw Mephisto. and it had been care
fully put away. The place was full o.
such appeals. Among them was a ring
that Hyde's father had given him. his
mothers last letter, lock of his sons
hair, her own first letter-the shy,
anxious note that she wrote to Mrs.
Gordon. Then she began to arrange
the papers according to their size. and
small scaled parcel slipped from
among them.
She turned it over and over in her
hand, and the temptation to see the
love-token inside became greater
every moment.
III in this parcel there is some love
pledge from Lady Suffolk, then | go
not; nothing shall make me go. If in
it there is no word OF her. no mes
sage to her or from her; if her name
is not there, nor the letters of her
name-then l will go to my own. A
new love, one not year old, can put
aside. l will forgive every one but
my Lady Suffolk"
So Katherine decided as she broke
the seal with firmness and rapidity.
The first paper within the cover made
her tremble. 1t was half sheet
which she had taken one day from
Bram's hand, and it had Brams name
across it. On it she had written the
first few lines which she had the right
to sign katherine HYDE" 1t was,
indeed. her first wife" letter; and
within it was the precious love-token.
her own love-token-the bow of
orange ribbon.
She gave sharp cry as 1t fell upon
the desk; and then she lifted and
kissed it, and held it to her breast. as
she rocked herself to and fro in a
passionate transport of triumphant
love.