Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-01-07
Through a
WOn1an'S Heart.
By Sidney Warwick.
CHAPTER VIl.-Continued.

LuGuL, he must nave kHOWu L Was Iy-
ing here i'll. Has he called to ask
after me? He cared for me once
at least he once cared; and he must
have been a little sorry. Oh, if could
only think that he had been little
sorry when he knew how i'll | was!"
But, Olive, can you have forgot
ten?" he broke out, in strangled
voice. He could go no farther. The
words seemed to choke him.
She shook her head
'No, 1 have not forgotten how l
came to you full of passionate anger,
how l spoke of him bitterly-wildly;
only in my heart | cared for him all
the time, Stephen. Deeper than all
the bitterness, deeper than all my an
ger was still my love-" she cried, with
a tenderness in her voice, a tremu-
lous usefulness about her mouth.
when a woman gives her love as I
gave mine, nothing can kill it. Ste
phen. Oh, know he wrote that cruel
letter to me, but perhaps he didn't
mean it; perhaps he is sorry now
that he knows | have been ILL., Has
he been or asked after me?" appeal
ingly.
He shook his head The look of
pain that came into her face made
him vince.
But he will come when he knows
/ have no bitterness left against him,
when he knows that I have forgiven
everything. Oh, tell me you think he
will come, Stephen!" she cried, pitt
fully. You shall go to him from me,
and he will come. am glad haven't
lost my looks; I made the nurse
bring me a glass, was so afraid, be-
cause he used to say l had the most
beautiful eyes he had ever seen. And
when he comes l want him to see the
woman he used to care for"
Stephen Ruthen gave a sharp in
drawn breath like a sob. The tragic
revelation that had broken upon him
took him by the throat.
Living, Philip Hume had come be-
tween him and the woman he loved;
dead, this man still stood between
them. But it was not that. Though
he had given to Olive the one supreme
love of his life, a love capable of any
sacrifice to serve on her or spare her
pain, he had realized three years ago
he had realized again when she
came to him with the night and the
storm to tell him of her wrongs-that
he and she were set apart as by fate;
that his must be an austere love, Civ
ing and seeking no return. It was an
other thought, the unconscious reve1a-
ton of her pitiful appeal, that stirred
Stephen Ruthen by it's strangeness.
Not only had her frenzy Of humilia-
ton and despair, the fierce sense OF
bitterness and wrong at this mans
cruelty, faded into the background Of
her memory, but the sense and stain
of that guilt, which in her distraught
state had hardly been guilt, had fallen
off her soul She had forgotten it as
though 1t had not been!
In some providential and inexpIica-
bic way all recollection Of stealing out
on that night to take a wild vengeance
had been sponged out from her mind.
She still thought of Philip Hume as
living; she loved him still-her love
that had been great enough to forgive.
She still chung to the dream Of win
ming him back to his broken allegi-
ance-the man who had died by her
hand! This was the revelation that
swept in upon Stephen Ruthen. He
had never dreamed of it's possibility.
Forgotten!
If only Olive never remembered!
That was Stephens prayer, as he look
ed down at the beautiful face. If only
she never remembered! She was still
in the flush of youth; the grief would
pass, her grief and horror when she
learned of Philip Hume's fate-for
time is very merciful to youth, even
in a. great sorrow; that white face
would yet be radiant again with joy
and laughter. but only so long as that
sleeping lay unstirred.
She must never know what she had
done; the knowledge that would sure
w drive her to despair, strike bank
rupt of hope and happiness all her flu
ture, if he could not guard her from
il. The man she still loved-the man
she had killed!
stephen, why don't you speak?"
He looked down into the wide, pa
thetic eyes He had to prevaricate.
"Oive. Il haven't seen Hume for
weeks. He has been away from home
all the time you have been ill; he is
still away" he said, speaking with an
effort Then, to prevent further ques-
lions. he added, quickly, Il must not
stav any longer; I have exceeded the
time the doctor allowed me-he said
7 might only see you for a minute or
two. and that I was not to let you talk.
We want you to get strong and we'll
quickly, you know"
He stole out of the darkened room.
Olive had forgotten! 1t was like
miracle. A load seemed to have slip
ned from off his shoulders. If only
the finding of the dead man did not
touch that sleeping memory to life;
that was the only danger. He prayed
she would never remember! Or If she
did remember and this man who was
a priest drew in his breath sharply
she must be convinced in spite Of her
self that it was only some fancy of her
delirium that had never touched ner
real life. that it was absolutely i'm
nossible she could have killed Philip
Hume.
He was a minister of God-but he
was also a man, the man who loved
her. And if a lie could save her