Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-08
By H. D. Pittman
Author of the Belle of the Blue Grass
Country"
CHAPTER XII.

When Marguerite hears the door close behind
Col Steale and knows that he is gone; that she
has nothing to fear, she sinks back in
her chair exhausted. The tension has been too
great.
With closed eyes she reviews the scene; all
that she has endured in being forced to listen to
his shameless protestations of love; her humilia-
tion in being obliged to confess to him her hui
initiation, her shame, her fear, and entreat his
silence. Suddenly she sits upright. Back to her
mind comes his cruel words; his claim that she is
his wife, and has been all these years. "Whdt If
it be truef" She gasps with wildly beating heart
at cannot, it cannot be true;-but-I must EnoW
For my husbands sake-for my own, must knoao!
How find out without taking him into my con-
fdence?-That cannot; must not do"
LET me thnk-let think" pressing her
hands to her temples and pacing the floor. There
is no time for thought. He may be here at any
moment" Stopping she presses her face against
the window There is no sign of his coming.
Relieved she seats herself again by the fire. She
tries to think but cannot-her faculties all be-
numbed. She watches the flames leap and burn
as brightly as If there were no such things as
darkness and despair They seem to be burning
their way into her heart. Spent with the tension
of the last hour she crosses her arms upon the
table and hiding her face in them gives way to
bitter weeping
So absorbed is she with her grief that she loses
all note of time She fails to hear the clatter
Of hoofs outside; the opening door; footsteps, until
her husband stands beside her.
Laying his hand upon her head he Is stroking
her hair with caressing touch If she were
tired child At this she starts-troubled
81 thought, Sweetheart, you had fallen asleep
while waiting for me-" holding out his arms to
embrace her.
Throwing herself quickly into them and hiding
her face in his bosom she seeks to conceal the
traces of her emotion.
''What-tears?" he asks tenderly kissing her
brow
idle tears, my husband, since you safe"
"I have been detained later than I anticipated"
'You have been gone whole week; your first
long absence from home"
"And you have missed me?"
II felt that could stand it no longer have
been waiting at the window watching anxiously
for your return"
"And them"
81 suppose I must have cried little" wiping
her eyes.
Sweetheart! then I must kiss the tears away"
Releasing her from his embrace his eye is
caught by the CLEAN of the deadly little toy lying
on the table beside her. He had seen 1t once be-
fore that day in the wood when she promised to
become his wife.
Marguerite; My love;-what does this mean"
pointing to the pistol Her cheek pales as she
turns her head to look at 1t.
what has happened dear one?"
Nothing. Why do you ask?" She feels that
it is a stupid question for he is pointing to the
pistol looking at it as If it were oadstone hold
ing his glance
"Why do ask, dear? There lies something be-
side you which do not quite understand"
Her eyes droop for she has no speech ready. He
divines the cause of her unreadiness; perhaps the
cause of her tears. Can this poor heart never
cease to fear?
where is its fellow? 1t has one know"
She points to the desk where the drawer is still
standing open. Crossing the room he takes pos