Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1907-04-18

everything-to ignore all the past AMI
take him into her life as though the
fearful story she had just listened to
| had been untold. Marry murderer!
"Oh. Godr' she cried in horror as the
whole extent of the truth burst upon
her. "Oh. my God. pity and aid me"'
She sank down on her knees and
though her lips uttered no sound. her
| heart prayed as only hearts can prav
when wrung with mortal suffering.
! Archer Trevlyn must be given up: from
that there could be no appeal. Hence
| forth he must be to her as though he
! had never been. She must put him en-
| tirely ont of her Iife--out Of her
thoughts-out of her sleeping and wax
ing dreams.
But she could give him no explana
| ton of her change OF mind. She had
passed her word-nay, she had sworn
never to reveal aught that Miss Lee
lad told her, and promise was bind
ing. But he would not need any ex-
| PLANTATION. His own guilty conscience
would tell him why he was renowned.
Then she opened her writing desk
| and took out all the little notes he had
written to her, read them all over, and
| holding them one by one 10 the blaze
of the lamp, watched them with a sort
of stony calmness until they shrivelled
and fell in ashes, black as her hopes.
to the floor. Then his gifts few SIM
pie things. Those she did not look at;
she put them hastily in a box. sealeI
| them up, and wrote his address on the
cover
The last task was the hardest. She
must write him note. telling him that
all was over between them. The gray
light Of clouded morning found her
making the effort. But for long time
her pen refused to move; her hand
seemed powerless. She felt weak and
helpless as very infant. But it was
done at last, and she read it over. won
dering that she was alive to read it:
Mr.. Archer Trevlyn, Sir: Yesterday
afternoon, when | last saw you, did
not think that before tWenty-fOur hours
had elapsed | should be under the
Necessity of inditing to you this letter,
Henceforth. you and | must be as
strangers. Not all the wealth and in
| duence of The universe could tempt he
to become your wife, now that my eyes
are opened. | renounce you utterly
and entirely, and no word or argument
of yours can change me. Therefore. do
not attempt to see me, for with my own
consent | will never look upon your
face again. | deem no explanation
necessary; your own conscience will tell
you why l have been forced to make
this decision. | return to you with this
note everything that can serve to re-
mind me of you, and ask you to do me
the favor to burn all that you may
have in your possession which once
was mine. Farewell, now and forever.
MARGARET HARRISON:
There remained still something more
to be done. Margie knew that Archer
Trevlyn would seek her out, and de-
mand an explanation from her own
lips, and this must never be. She could
not see him now; she was not certain
that she could ever see him again. she
sonal presence might have upon Ter.
She must leave New York. But where
should she go? She had scarcely asked
the question before thought answered
her.
Far away in the northern part Of New
Hampshire, resided old Nellie Day, the
woman who had nursed her, and whom
she had not seen for twelve years.
Nellie was very quiet, discreet person,
and had been very warmly attached to
the Harrison family. She had married
late in life a worthy farmer, and giving
up her situation in New York, had gone
with him to the little out-of-the- way
village of iightfield. Margie had kept
up a sort of desultory correspondence
with her, and in every letter that the
old lady wrote she had urged Margie
to visit her in her country home. Il
had never been convenient to do so, but
now this place was suggested to her al
once. and to Lightfield she decided to
go.
She consulted her watch. 1t was
o'clock: the train for the north. the first
express, left at half past six. There
would be time. She would leave Ill
her business affairs in the hands of MFR
Farley, her legal adviser and general
manager and as to the house, the
maiden aunt who resided with her
could keep up the establishment until
her return if she ever did return.
She packed a few of her plainest
dresses and some other indispensables
in a trunk, arrayed herself in dark
travelling suit, and rang for Florine
The girl looked at her in silent amaze
ment. Margie steadied her voice, and
spoke carelessly enough
"Florine, I have been obliged to leave
home very suddenly. My preparations
, are all complete. 1 thought l would
, not wake you as I had so little to do
: Tell Peter 10 have the carriage at the
: door at six precisely, and bring up Leo'E
breakfast, and cup of hot coffee fol
me-"
At six o'clock-having written nCtt
5 to Mr. Farley, and one to her aunt, Civ
) ing no explanations, but merely saying
: she had been called away-she put Sr
her bonnet, entered the carriage ant
was driven to the depot. And befor;
| nine-tenths of New York had though
/ of leaving their beds, she was beins
/ whirIed rapidly northward, her onl!
companion Leo, who, watchful anC
alert, lay curled up on the seat beside
. her.