The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-07-30
CHAPTER XIII.
The Last Guest.


deed, he had read Alright the blush
upon Florence st. Johns cheeks, the
smile OF welcome upon her lip, the
light within her eyes, she loved him.
Why. then. should he unyeil 10 her a
past which would but sadden and de-
press her? In his veins flowed the
last wed its equal and so. with flushed
and expectant face he stood, a few
hours later. in Miss St Johns own
drawing room, awaiting her entrance.
The loye-freighted words were not
hard to utter when she came forward.
with that glad light in her eyes he had
not read wrongly, and when he had
finished he had won from her the
promise to become his wife
She stood alone, this girl, an
orphaned heiress, living with the aunt
whom she had asked to share her
home and give her the protection she
needed. Therefore Travis pleaded
that there might be no delay, that in
two short months the marriage cere-
mony might be solemnized
Avice's marriage was fixed for the
following winter; therefore their own
should take place with as little delay
as possible. that she might have a sis
ter's aid in her preparations.
When did lovers arguments not
prove unanswerable? Yet Travis was
not satisfied. The intervening days
seemed TO creep; a feverish unrest
had taken possession of him he could
not define. Then, too, another mat
ter rested heavily upon him-the Sc
cret of Avice's birth.
The paper of her adoption. whose
hiding place his fathers dying breath
failed to discover to him, he had
searched for in vain. Was il not due
to Lennox to know the truth?
Only a few nights before he had
heard Lenox say, holding Avice's
hand:
1T is well. little girl. fate did not
throw you in my path in some walk of
life below me. How clearly the blue
blood shows in these veins! I could
tear out my heart, but | could never
give the Lennox name to one who
would not bear II worthily. and whose
blood might not equally mingle in that
line as yet unstained."
For the first time, then. the decep.
tion to be practiced upon her husband
was revealed but Ayice's happiness
lay In the balance OF the scale Travis
dared not lay the feather-weight with
w to turn It.
All this, however, made the weeks
preceding his marriage very long. Per-
haps, when Florence was his wife, ne
might find courage to leave to her the
solution of this problem.
The wedding was to be very bril-
liant one. Not only the American
residents OF the city had been hidden
to the feast, but many of the Free oh
Boblesse, whom his fathers wealth
and long residence there had NUM-.
bered among their intimate friends.
The ceremony was to be performed
In Florence's own home. Strange to
say, 1t had been the bridegroom's own
wish.
Had he feared some unbidden ghost
of past would meet him at the
church's door, Once she was his
wife, he felt he might defy the past
He grew pale and worn with the
suspense. His betrothed chided him
upon his sad looks.
wait till you are mine. You need
then no longer complain" he an
swered, striving to shake of the op-
preston he could not fathom.
At last Time granted his prayer.
Bright and beautiful the day dawned,
and all presentment, all empty sad
ness. fed. Fired with wine. intoxi.
Gated by woman's peerless beauty,
he had in a moment of madness, with
his own hand. guided his youthful
barque among the rocks Almost IL
had been shipwrecked, yet had es-
capped destruction.
The future was before him--a new,
q glorious future. He could have cried
aloud in the fullness of his Joy, as in
the early morn Lennox, unannounced,
entered his apartments with a radiant
face
This Is shabby. my boy!" said Len.
nox. 1.-THE, idea OF your distancing me
In the race after all. But, Travis, {"
his voice growing serious, "the goal
would have been Dead Sea fruit to me
had felt you had fallen by the way.
For years your face, as 1t stood that
day on the ships deck, haunted me.
1t was my accusing conscience. To.
day | feel you have redeemed your
life"
Silently the two men grasped hands,
in a clasp which said more than any
words.
II wish that ours he'd been double
wedding today" Lennox continued;
shut Avice, suppose, feels as yet she
hardly knows me, and dare not urge
her. Oh, Travis, how gloriously she
has fulfilled her childhood promise!"
"Yes, she is very lovely" the broth
or answered, "and. after all, Milton, |,
will be but little while 10 wait
Avice is but child yet. You must
have patience with her shrinking from
the new, strange life you would force
upon her. When she sees how happy
Florence and are together she will
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