Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1908-06-05

you could throw me away at the first
word from a stranger"
! She made movement to speak, but
he went on: Il was foolish, admit;
but, you see, thought you loved me.
You must make allowance for the
other delusions that followed on that.
1 The point is that I was not going to
defend myself, since you-who ought
to have defended me-if you had
loved me, mean, of course-set your
self as my accuser. But that's all
over, thank God! can now feel sin
cere, if slight, interest in your well
fare-as an old friend; and !. think
ought to tell you the unpleasant truth
about Lord bennington, your for
tunate bridegroom"
Il wish you wouldn't talk like a
book" she said. IF you want to abuse
my future husband, do it in plain
English"
II WILL" he said. "He told you that
he. found a girl in my rooms at mid
night, and that her arms were round
my neck. You asked me if this were
true. I admitted it, You asked for no
explanation, and gave none"
ono explanation" she began an
grily, could have"
"No-I know; but now it is differ
ent. l can't let an old friend marry
that man in ignorance of the facts.
He had arranged to call for me at
twelve; had an article to finish, and
we were going on to the Somersets'
ball. At about quarter to twelve
opened the door to knock. It was
not bennington, but this girl. I knew
her very slightly. She, had lost her
last train to Putney, or Peckham, or
somewhere-would help her? 1t was
like scene in play, don't you know.
was discretion absolute-left the
door open-gave her wine and biscuits,
and proposed to charter a homeward
cab for her. Then came Leamington's
step on the stair, and at that, as at a
signal, she flung her arms round my
neck l should feel like hairdres-
ser's apprentice in telling you this, but
know now why it was done. 1t was
Leamington's last cast for you; and
him."
She looked at him with shining
eyes.
'"Is this true?" she said. "Why didn't
you tell me before?"
,"You never asked me-
ut is only your word against his"
"After a few years of married life
you will be better able to Judge Of
their relative values" he said, leaning
back in his corner.
She lifted the violets to her face
the cool freshness of them was like a
child's kiss.
Charles" she said softly, and
reached out. a timid hand towards him.
His face grew stiff and set.
"You understand my motives?" he
said coldly. 81 could not see any old
friend married to a liar and black
guard without word of warning"
Il was only wanted to shake
hands with my old friend-to show
that he forgives me-" She hardly knew
what she was saying.
There is nothing to forgive" he
said. II had almost forgotten the cir
cumstances till your face reminded me
of it,
She turned her head to the window,
so that he should not see her eyes.
With a shrek and a rumble the train
passed into tunnel. The roar of it
rang in her ears, and the tears ran
down her face on to the sables. Two
shrieks from the engine-the train
quivered and shook with the sudden
stress of the brakes Then came an
other shrek, a crash-and-the big
gest accident of the year, as the
Northern express ran full into the rear
lights of the slow local.
The tirst-class carriage where pride
and love had fought lay battered and
overturned on the up-line. The deaf
ening noise of steam, the clamor of
voices, the wailing of children, the
cries of women, rang out in the arch
of the tunnel. But in the first-class
carriage there was silence and dark
ness, for with the shock all the lights
had gone out.
Presently in the darkness a match
spurted. He raised himself on one ell.
bow and tried to drag his other arm
from under the wood that imprisoned
it. The arm was tightly wedged, and
he felt that it was broken. He lit an
other match, his teeth set in agony
and looked round for her. She was
lying quite near him, yet not within
reach, all twisted up, heap of dark
cloth and furs. Her eyes were closed
and there was blood on the CHASTITY
| white of how fooa