Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-08

ing flame leapt up suddenly and died out leaving
only dead ashes upon the hearth.
Darral was not that mold of man that acts I'M
pulsvely and without due care and consideration
He was able to restrain the natural impulse
which babe him go forth at once and STAY
This was a solemn duty he had laid upon his
shoulders; one that he believed he owed not only
to himself and wife, but to the world also for the
nature of the offense was such that no lifting law
could reach it without Furnishing the innocent
with the guilty.
To her gentle pleading he answers irmly,-ten-
Derby Dear one, nothing is changed since that
day you consented to become my wife, except, that
we love each other more;-Gnd he has Oioldted the
Sdnctity of that loue; and our home"
BY mutual consent they had never mentioned
the matter to each other since that day, when she
consented to become his wife. Each had striven
to round out completely the others happiness and
forget the cloud which lay far away upon their
horizon.
Often Darrall had said to himself, a reckoning
may come some day. but like Marguerite the more
he learned to love her the more he hoped and be-
lieved that Judgment had already overtaken him
who had been false to his VOWS.
He had never known how truly, how devotedly
he loved her until this moment when her tender
pleadngs and protests were overcome by natural
instinct stronger even than his love.
AS the night wore on he grew more silent for
his thoughts were far away. So many things were
to be considered So delicate a situation must be
handled with great care in order to mete out pun
ishment to the guilty alone.
The struggle ended, and with it passed the dark
ness. The daylight peeping in through the open
window, found Marguerite still beside him, her
head pillowed upon his shoulder. She had not dis
turbed him. She too had foreseen from the first
the possible ending and could understand the
nature of his musings Wallace now turned to
her.
you are silent, dear heart, and yet your silence
has been to me kind of speech without words; l
have OWNED your thoughts"
For answer she only sighed.
81 have been thinking of the future, calmly and
without passion" He paused for each word
caused him effort; and yet, something must be
said. 1t like signing and sealing death war
rant.
"a duty lies before and I must go forth to
meet it."
Throwing her arms about him she cries, "Stay!
Oh, stay with me! Do not leave me implore
you or, rather let us go away together to the end
of the rth;-anywhere that we may be alone and
happily at rest"
Trembling with agitation he loosens the clasp
of her arms from about his neck.
Dear wife there is part of the earth to which
we may fly and leave this thing behind us. TIE
knowledge of this eUil would be ever with us,
cloud upon our sky skeleton in our closet, dead
ashes upon our hearth So long as 1t was shadowy,
indefinite it could be endured and might, perhaps,
in time have passed out of mind, but now that 1t
has assumed definite shape and substance is
merged into horrible certainty, it would prove
cankering that would eat out our hearts.
Large as the 1oorld is it aoould be prison to me
1Cith that man in IT.
at would be no prison house to me long
you lived ana counted me innocent Oh any WrouB,
my husband" she answers. "And to you would
come peace of mind with ever increasing years,
and love and labor and honor"
Sweetheart, you do not know of what you
speak. This is my destiny. Help me- oh help me
to meet it with firm purpose and brave heart.
Lie down now and snatch few hours sleep
from the morning, and rest l will return to
court Together, you and I will not discuss the
matter again."
Time flies inexorably on; the impracticable
hours passing with unfaing regularity. At the
Manor House there was pause, deviation