Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-10-31

NJ
What do you mean?" she cried
fiercely. What have 1 done save love
you with all my heart and soul? Why
do you insult me?"
There is no need to be angry. Leo
nore," he replied gently. 1--WE have to
talk this thing over quietly. I want
to do what is best for the happiness
| Of us both. You know how little love
have to give; but If we are to be
happy 1 must respect my wife and
trust her thoroughly How is it that
you never told me of the death of
Laura's child?"
why should I tell you? The acct
! dent was reported in every newspa-
per-
Still. one would think that you
would have mentioned it. I'm afraid,
Leonore that you did not wish me
to know
why should conceal it from you, >
she cried. why should I think you
so devoid of all honour as to imagine
that the news would make any diff
ference to you? Was | to think that
you would break your word to me, if
you knew that the tie which bound
Laura to her husband was broken?"
! A faint flush came into Shil's
! white cheek. The argument was I'M
answerable
| Well, Leonore," he replied, after a
pause, we will let that pass, though
it is odd you should never have men
| toned a matter Of such importance.
But there is another question want
you to answer. Is it true that you
were once the wife of Sir William
Tanlerlane, and that you only di-
vorced him three months 'ago?'
Leonore looked at him with terror
in her eyes. She knew that sooner or
later this question might have to be
answered. But she did not expect it
to fall from the lips of a man whose
| only happiness iIi- Y fc gould come from
| marriage to woman who loved him.
rs this true?' Shil repeated stern
ly.
Yes she replied in low voice, sit
is true Who told your
Laura. | thought it merely the raw
mig of disordered mind. 1t was inn
possible to believe it,
1T is true enough. | intended to
tell you before we were married OF
course knew that Laura or her hus
band would tell YOU
She spoke deiantIy She knew that
the mere fact of her having been mar
married to Tankerlane would have but
little weight with John Shil. She only
feared the inference he would draw
from the fact.
For his part he was too astonished
to form any definite ideas on the mat
ter. The confession had started doz-
en- different trains of thought, and
the whole history Of the lives of Leo
more, Laura and William Tankerlane
required readjustment He passed his
big bony hand across his forehead,
and tried to see things in the new
light which had been thrown upon
them. His first thought was for
Laura, and it was of her that he first
spoke after long silence.
Then YOU" he said slowly, you
were Tankerlane's legal wife, when
he first went through a form of mar
riage with Laura, and the child was
illegitimate."
She did not answer. She had
thrown herself into a chair, and was
staring at him with fear in her eyes.
She knew to what end this train of
thought would lead him.
Laura" he continued, gripping the
edge of his. chair, was Tankerlanes
mistress. l will remember that"
She did not speak, but she trelnbled
as she saw the fury gathering In his
hard face
This man. he shouted, rising to his
feet with clenched hands and a face
distorted with rage, "dishonoured her,
and she sold herself to him in order
that | might escape the consequences
of my crime. ] will remember that
Tankerlane; I will remember that
NO cried Leonore, you are mis-
taken. Not even for you would Laura
have sold her honor She thought
that she was Tankerlanes wife, till
we all three CHANGED to meet in Paris.
l had not then seen him for many
years.
And you told her the truth?"
Il told her the truth. She was
great friend of mine, and | thought it
better that she should know. saw
that she wanted some excuse--some
reason for leaving him. offered to
divorce him, so that he could marry
her, and make some amends for his
dishonourable conduct. But she
would not hear of 1t, she insisted on
leaving him., She did not know--she
did not suspect--there Is nothing else
that I need to tell you
Yes" Shil said slowly, there is
something else that I wish to know.
When did you persuade her toemarry