Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-12-04

He took the letter from her n ST.
lence and read it.
'Claud," the letter began, 81 shall
not wait for you to send me from
YOU. go now. You know all;-you
say You know all. All, then, you must
despise me. You must look upon me
with loathing and contempt: but it
YVES not my fault My husband. It
was not my fault. I suffer for the
sins of others.
you meant what you said, Claud,
and | must go. / cannot write my
fareweu-there are no tears in my
eyes, yet they have gazed upon you
for the last time. In my heart there
is a deep burning sorrow. like a sharp
piercing pin; there is despair and
death. You were my life, my love,
my all; you made the sunshine of my
life. / 60 out from you into utter cold
and darkness, where / shat never see
you more. never more. may call
you darling for this last time, and /
lay hundred kisses on the word as
/ write it. My darling. forgive me.
Goodbye"
Lord Bayneham read the letter
again and again, ne~er UNDERSTANDING
one Of the sad, pitiful words IN it. He
realized but one thing,-she had gone
| from him, and he should see her
never more
o-v fhof iadx, rax,obo,, ,,a,,o-
forgot same from his white lips.
Strong man though he was the earl
trembled like a child.
Read that, mother" he said, land
tell me what it means.
Word by word the countess read
that sad letter, her face growing
white, as her sons had done. What
can it mean?" She said; what can
be done?"
Il must find herl" cried Lord Bayne
ham. Call all the servants, mother;
rouse the whole place.-we must go
after her.
Then his mother, going up to him,
placed one arm lovingly around him.
Hush, Claud," she said. your
wife has left you; let US, however,
save honor of our house; cost what Il.
may, this secret must be kept; the
Baynehams have never known dis
grace; let US keep their name I'M
tainted. What say you. Barbara
you are right, aunt, she replied;
for Hilda's own sake we must keep
all knowledge of this from the world
Do not be angry with me, Claud: but
from this Letter, which you evidentl,
do not unders.sand, l should imagip >
poor Hilda to have been seized with
something like a sudden insanity. No
sane person wrote this. Have you
aLy idea to what she alludes?''
mo more than yourself" ss,l Lord
Baynshan. 81 had better fell you all.
and perhaps you can help me. Hilda
would not tell me how her bracelet
came to be in the Lady's Walk, and
discovered, quite accidentally, that
she had been viking there with some
one l went to her and told her
knew all"
well" said barbara, for he stopped
abruptly, WHAT them"
she cried Oft passionately, DO
you n4ean what you said? Must go?
Not understanding in the least what
she meant. | feplied that always
said exactly whit 1 meant. She cried
out again, 'MuEhI go?' Just then /
was fetched away for the duke, ana
have noe seen her since"
at is the strangest thing 1 ever
heard said the countess. II can
only imagine the poor child to be
insane"
who was with her in the L.ady's
Walk?" asked Miss Earle. "You do
not know?" she continued; "faen,
believe me, Claud, she is neither in
sane nor anything else. but the victim
OF some mystery / am certain of it.
II all the world oIames her, 1 keep my
faith. But something must be done
Il Will go to Oulston," said Lord
Bayneham; and in less than ten min
utes he was once more galloping along
the high road.
To be continued.