The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1904-02-04
CHAPTER xxxvl.
A Secret.

| crashed together; lurid fame up
lesped; they darkened down.
Cynthia crouched little closer
against my lady, with faint shudder.
How horribly am digressing!" the
| latter went on. swell, / will not pro-
| long an account Of the immediate
weeks which followed. 1t was the old.
cid story--to youth forever new!
He came to see me; he fell in love
with me. did not lack sritors. There
was not young nohleman in Venice |
could not have married had l so chos-
en-; but | gave my heart, in impulsiye,
passionate trust to him.
ut was very sudden, reckless act
| for mel was so intensely proud. l
| lad heard strangers speak OF me as
| Tie proud lady of Venice. Now ! only
valued my position, wealth, honor, for
liz sake. We were to be married in
I November.
"As the time drew near, Give used
| to fall into long lapses of thought, from
which he would arouse himself pale
and moody browed.
well, we were married, and we
went to Rome TO spend the winter. |
took with me my faithful duenna. One
night, about a fortnight after our mar
ri9Pe, we were TO go to certain grand
ball | dressed. and came down stairs
quite early | wore my bridal robe Of
Snowy velvet all caught with clusters
OF white roses. and lit with diamonds
an empress might have envied.
IL heard the front door open and
slam again l remember smiling at
the sound, for thought of the tender
admiration which would dawn In his
eyes when he would first behold me.
He came hurriedly in and up to
where | was standing by huge, black
marble mantel. His bright blonde face
was perplexed and anxious. He caught
m. hands so fiercely in his own that
tho stones wore cut my fingers.
"I have been fighting battle!' he
seid, AMI he looked indeed as though
he had-'a horrible battle, and have
come out defeated! Do you love ME
well enough to believe me when | say
l was, am, more weak than wicked?
LIZ you iONC lLiS well w u uoe
ne--in silence?'
"Of course | answered him, as would
any young fool as blindly in love as l.,
and more Economically pleased than
dismayed at the suggestion Of mys-
terry.
1.-TWO years passed and we. weary Of
wandering, came home to England.
Here. one year later. my son was born
another Give Darlington. You heard
tie incident OF which old Guialetta to-
day reminded me. Just then ! was, l
firmly believe, the happiest woman In
England. l was handsome admired,
esteemed. had a magnificent home,
al adoring husband, beautiful child.
One evening we were sitting alone
In the library, my husband and !. The
windows were open to the floor. The
moonlight flooded the room. We had
Just sent Baby Give to bed and were
recalling, with blithe laughter and bits
OF nonsense our first meeting below
the Rialto when servant brought in
cluster OF waxlights and the evening
mail. My husband opened the bag and
| locked over his shoulder as he drew
out the contents. There was one let.
ter addressed to him In queer,
crampea hand, and bearing the post.
mark Paris There was nothing for
ne, so | sat down and watched him
open his mail.
GAS he took up the particular mis-
sivc had noticed. he started sudden
ly He tore It open and was on his
feet In moment. with a half.repressed
cry. The sheet In his hand fluttered
to the floor.
what is itr cried. From whom
is it?'
Nothing - no one = on business"
he faltered.
81 stopped and snatched up the let
ter.
have a right to know!' said. I
wilt know!'
"And before he could prevent me
had held 1t In the full candle light, and
ha6 swept the page from the first word
I'D the last. But of all read, one SEN
tence, one only. was branded on Ely
brain: She with whom you left your
sor is dead. Shall we send him to
your
II did not scream or cry out. was
too stunned for that. | have told you
came OF race proud and fierce. |
could feel my face growing cold as the
warm blood receded, but | could also
fee, every nerve in my body turning
to steel. think be was afraid OF me
Just then when turned and faced
hir:.
Now said, tell mel
II never for one moment doubted the
truth Of the words had read. not once.
And he told me.
"Five years before he met me, he
had seen on the boards OF a second.
rate Partisan thcater a girl with whom
he became foolishly, recklessly. lnfat-
uated She was very pretty. and very
graceful, and very ignorant. He made
| ner acquaintance. and in moment OF
blind, boyish admiration, asked her to
marry him. She was only too glad of
the opportunity to exchange her toll
some life for that Of the wife OF an
English baronet. So in all honor he
married her. and within month after
was heartily sick OF his bargain. He