Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1904-12-22

ears. He could SEQ his father, clad II
the long, flowing surplice of the evan
gelicals, standing at the little, bare
altar, at the end Of The ugly wooden
chancel. He remembered in that flash
how pretty he had thought his sister
boy as he was, how sweet and gentle
she looked In her youth-she was but
18-leaning upon tho arm of her young
husband as they walked back from the
service, the husband who now stood be-
fore him.
When the truth came to the rector
| instinct, the old, old instinct OF family
pride, rose supreme. He felt the hot
wrath as he shouted, rather than said:
"What have you done with my sis
ter?"
The sexton, hearing the voice, and
thinking that the rector had called him,
opened the door which led from the
yestry to the church. The sanctuary
was visible, and a blue haze of candle
smoke and incerse still hung high up
where a beam Of sunlight fell upon it,
all aflame with the color Of the glass.
That was enough. The priest reassert'
ed himself over the man. His hand in
stinctively and mechanically sought
the pectoral cross.
II do not need you. Jenkins" he
said, and as the sexton withdrew, the
scene was continued. In fact, the three
people had stood there in stiff rigidity,
looking almost comical, as II they were
posing.
Again the rector asked, this time
calmly and with an almost dangerous
suavity: where is my sister whom
you married?"
The light of battle came into the eyes
of the man, but he was evidently mysti-
fed by the question, and the clergyman
went on:
you married my sister 20 years ago
my sister. Marion Poindexter: I re-
member you. was At the wedding"
"Yes," came the level answer, Il mar
ried Marion Poindexter, from whom !
have since been divorced
But why divo-ced?" asked the cler-
gyman.
II have told you that 1t was not my
fault; that was the innocent party" re-
piled the man.
The young girl kept silence. She had
found the strain too much for her, and
had seated herself and sat upright, look
ing with a sort of impotent surprise
upon the proceedings. Now and again
she ventured to regard the priest, and
a troubled look came on her face, but
when she turned her eyes upon tho man,
the trouble cleared and confidert love
shone out in her whole attitude.
How do I know that?" asked tho
priest.
The man pulled out his pocketDcok,
rummaged in it for moment. and then
handed the priest letter.
Here Is the last letter that she wrote
to me-" he said, ''the letter upon which
the divorce was granted"
The priest read it gravely, and with
out the slightest sign of emotion; then
he handed it silently back. Both stood
still for moment. and it was noticeable
that the hand Of the priest again closed
on the pectoral cross.
1T is a shameful story" he said. at
last. Where is she now"
"She has left the man for whom she
left me, and is now in Denver with the
vilest," he said.
"But you are responsible for this
thing. She was innocent when she mar
ried you," said the priest; "she was
4feSsAs-s~ e.s,-5@.s'
she was never innocent" the man
replied, deliberately. "She was never
innocent" and he looked haggard man
of go. "She was always the slave of her
senses. Sometimes it was colors and
perfumes, sometimes worse"
The priest inslinctiveiy touched tao
smooth silk cassock. and his beautiful
hand looked white and delicate against
it. The breeze, blowing softly in. opened
the door of the church, which the SEX
ton had not properly closed. and tho
odor of incense. Of lilies and candle
smoke and the perfumes Of the rich
dresses of women penetrated the vestz9
dangerous and sensuous and sweet.
4AC ASSI WAL VO ~ kA0 "OAUOA'
"You have heard US" he said. He mar
ried my sister. He has made an outcast
of her. Will you marry him?"
YES" murmured the girl, very softly,
but very firmly.
'You will marry this man who took
my sister at Is, and is leaving her amid
the vilest? She was so pretty"-and
something like q sob caught the even
voice for q moment. you will me- IT
him."
Yes, I will marry him." and the M.
swer was firm, confident and strong.
But he will throw you away, as ~
has thrown her," pleaded the priest.
What care I for the future? love
him now," said the girl.
$50 did my sister" replied the priest.
But am not your sister," said the
girl. "Your sister was sure of nothing,
not even of herself I am sure OF my
SELF"
The words were spoken quietly and
slowly, In IN even level voice, without
a touchof anger or Of passion. She was
T.