The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1907-04-12

last: her heart sinking like lead IN her
bosom as she came to acknowledge 1t.
In a moment OF terrible temptation,
Arch Trevlyn had stained his hand with
blood! And for her sake!
There was a violent warfare in her
heart. Her love for Archer Trevlyn
bad not sprung up In a day: Its growth
had been slow, and 1t had taken deep
root. Oh. how hard 1t was to give up
the blissful dream! She thought of his
early life-how 1t had been full OF
temptation-how his noble nature had
been warped and perverted by the evil
Influences that had surrounded him,
and for a while the temptation was
strong upon her soul to forgive him
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 a murderer!
"Oh. Cod" she cried in horror, as the
whole extent OF the truth burst upon
her: "Oh. my God. pity and aid mel"
She sank down ON her knees. and
though her lips uttered no sound, her
heart prayed as only hearts can pray
when wrnng 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 out of her life-out OF her
thoughts-out of her sleeping and walk
ing dreams.
But she could give him no explana-
tlon of her change of mind. She had
passed her word-nay, she had sworn
never to reveal aught that Miss Lee
tad told her. and a promise was bind
ing. But he would not need any ex-
PLANTATION. His own guilty conscience
would tell him why he was renowned.
She took off the rose-colored dress In
which she had arrayed herself to meet
him, and folded 1t away in a drawer
of her wardrobe. together with every
other adornment that she had worn
that night. They would always be her
painful reminders of that terrible sea-
son of anguish and despair. When all
were In, she shut them away from her
sight, turned the key upon them. and
flung 1t far out of the window.
Then she opened her writing desk,
n took out all the little notes he had
written to her. read them all over, and
holding them one by one to 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: a few SIM
pie things. Those she did not ooh at:
she put them hastily in a box. scale |
them up. and wrote his address on the
cover.
The last task was the hardest. She
must write him a note. telling him that
all was over between them. The gray
light of a clouded morning found her
making the effort. But for a long time
her pen refused to move; her hand
helpless as a very infant. But it was
done at last. and she read it over, won
dering that she was alive to read it.:
MIR. Archer Trevlyn, Sir: Yesterday
afternoon. when ! last saw you. | did
not think that before tw%enty-four hours
had elapsed | should be under the
necessity of inditing to you this letter.
HeLceforth. you and l must be as
Strangers Not all the wealth and in
hueGce Of the universe could tempt me
to become your wife. now that my eyes
are opened. ! you utterly
and entirely, and no word or argument
OF yours can change me. Therefore. 10
not attempt to see me. for with my w
Consent | will never look upon your
face again. deem no explanation
necessary: you own conscience will lell
you why | have been forced to make
this decision. ! return to you with tn 8
uute everything that can serve to re-
min me of you. and ask you to do mo
the favor to burn all that you may
Nsa mine. Farewell, now and forever.
: "MARGARET HARRISON
There remained still something more
10 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 row.. she was no. certain
that she could ever see him again. Sac
dared not risk the influence his per
sonaI pres ence might have upon ,er.
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 CT New
Hampshire. resided old Nellie Day. the
woman who had nursed her. and whom
she had not seen for twelve years.
Nellie was a very quiet. discreet person.
and had been very warmly attached 10
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-cf-the-wav
village of iightield. Margie had KEEP:
up a sort OF desultory correspondence
with her. and in every letter that the
old lady wrote she had urged Margie
10 visit her in her country home. II
had never been convenient to do so, but
now this place was suggested to her at