Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1907-05-09

man, whose hand was red with MUIR
| der! Archer Trevlyn, you took the life
of Paul Linmere and thus removed the
! last obstacle that stood between you
and Margaret Harrison
Trevlyn's face had grown white as
| death while she had been speaking,
! but it was more like the white heat Of
passion. than like the pallor OF detect
ed guilt His rigid lips were stern and
pale; his dark eyes fairly shot light
nings n, looked at his wife as though
he would read her very soul.
"Alexandrine." he said, hoarsely,
you believed this of me? You deemed
me guilty of the crime of murder, and
yet married me?"
Yes. I married you | was not so
conscientious as your sanity Margaret.
She would not marry a man who had
shed blood-even though he had done it
for love of herr
Trevlyn caught her arm f1ercely.
Madam, do you mean to say this
shameful story ever came to the ears
of Margie Harrison?"
Yes, she knew it, | told it to her
myself. Kill me if you like" she add
ed, seeing his fearful face; sit will not
be your first crime"'
He forced himself to be calm.
When did you make this revelation
to Margaret"
''The night before she left New York
the night she was to have gone to
the opera with you. / deemed it my
duty 1 did not do it to separate you.
though | am willing to confess l de-
sired you to be separated | knew
that Margaret would sooner die than
marry you, if the knowledge of your
crime was possessed by her."
And -Margaret-be me
guilty?"
why should she not? Any jury of
twelve impartial men would have com
mitted you on the evidence | could have
brought You were in love with Miss
Harrison, She was under a solemn
obligation TO marry Mr.. Linmere-
yet she loved you. Nothing save
his death could release her. You
were then, at night, in a lonely
graveyard where none of your kin
were slumbering. There, at that hour,
the murder was done, and after its
commission, you stole forth silently,
guiltily. By the side of the murdered
man was found your glove, stained with
his blood: and a little way from his
dead body a handkerchief bearing the
single initial "A Whose name COM
mences with that letter? Gould any
thing be clearer or more conclusiye?"
And you believe me guilty?'
do"
never forgot the dreadful look upon his
face.
Il scorn to make any explanation l
might, perhaps, clear myself of this
foul accusation, but [ will make no eff
fort to do so. But not another day will
woman who believed me guilty of muir
der, and yet sunk herself so low as to
become my wife"
LAS you please" she said, defiantly.
81 should be quite as happy were it So"
He bowed coldly. courteously-went
out, and closed the door behind him.
The sound struck to the heart of his
wife like knell. She staggered back,
and fell upon chair.
Had she been mad? She had wound
ed and maddened him beyond all hope
of pardon-him, whom in spite of ev
erything, she held more precious than
the whole world! She had lost his re-
spect-lost forever all chance of win
ming his love. And she had eagerly
cherished the sweet hope that sometime
he might forget the old dream, and
turn to the new reality. But it was
past!
She went up to her chamber, and
locking the door, threw herself,
dressed as she was, on the bed. How
long must this continue? How long
would he remain away? His business
would not, probably, keep him more
than few days, and then, surely, he
would return. And she would throw
herself at his feet, acknowledge her
fault and plead-yes, beg for his for
giveness Anything, only to have peace
between them once more!
She could not write to him, for he
had not left his address. The next
morning, she went down to the store,
but they knew nothing of his destina
ton, or his probable time of absence.
So all she could do was to return home
and wait
A week passed-ten days-and still
he did not return, and no tidings OF
him had reached his agonized wife.