The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1909-01-01
CHAPTER XIV.

The thought Of all she had suffered.
and of the sufcrings she had inflicted on
the man she loved, almost maddened her.
There was no delaying now IT Tae
Hook. She hastily placed the letter in an
envelope. wrote a passionate note - Miss
Fausset, telling her she knew all. and then
set out for Endcrby. Her husband was
sitting by the FIRE in the library. and did
NOT know she had come till he found her
kneeling 1t his feet.
Mildred. what does this meant
1T means, dear, that 1t was all q mis-.
take. and that I am here to stay with you
forever"
Then shs told him OF her discovery OF
the letters. bu. she did not tell him whose
child yivien was.
He was content to hare her with him
once more, and. as he folded her to bis
breast. thc peace Of Heaven fell upon the
reunited couple.
Mildred took the earliest opportunity
10 visit Miss Faussct, and then she lea n-
ed tire whole miserable story.
sTIsten to me patiently. Mildred" she
began, "and do not judge me too harshly.
How shall | speak OF the man who de-
ssroyed my life? l loved him. Mildred
loved him with a foolish, inexperienced
girls romantic love. / asked no ques.
t>sns. believed Ill he told me. /
tiung myself. blindfolded. into the net.
1t was his genius I worshiped. He was
at the height Of his success. The Milan
csc raved about him as a rival to Doni-
xetti his operas were the rage. Can you
wonder that i. . girl ~passionately fond
Of music, was carried away by the ex-
element which was In the yery air I
breathcda I went to the opera night after
night. I heard that fascinating music till
its melodies seemed interviewer with mr.
being ! suppose I was weak enough to
let the composer zee how much l admired
him. He had quarreled VITA his wife,
and the Quarrel-csused by his own mis-
eondnct-had resulted In q divorce. There
may hare been people In Milan who knew
that he was I married man, but nv chap
cron did not. and he vas careful 10 sup
press the fact from the beginning OF our
acquaintance.
"He used TO join me- AZ the Cathedral
So F&E8EAE- = AslEM II WIS A9E LIZ &Ak8
be went there. Our hands used TO meet
and clasp each ether, almost unconscious
". when the music moved US As it went
soaring mp to the gorgeous root, Ia the
dim light Of the hanging lamps before the
altar. 1t never entered into my mind 10
doubt Faoio Castcllani when ne told me
that. although we could not, AZ papist
and Protestant, be married in aay church
In Milan, we could be united by q civil
marriage before q Milanese authority, and
that such q marriage would be binding
all the world over. l crept ont Of the
house one morning after my music lesson,
found my lcver waiting for me with 4
carriage close by. went with him to :
dingy once in = dingy street, but which
had a sufficiently oAicial air 10 satisfy my
ignorance, and went throngh a certain
forunln. bearing something read over By
IN elderly man Of grave appearance. and
signing my name 10 q document after
Paolo had signed his.
That IN nearly the end OF my story,
Mildred. We went from Milan to Como,
and after q few days at Bellagio crossed
the ST. Gothard. and saHnterel from one
lovely scene TO another til We stepped at
vevay. Fer just six weeks ! lived in .
fools paradise. Then paolo deserted me.
BY that time my brother had traced ~
to V~eyay-hayiag learned all that could
he learned about CasteiIani Mt Milan be-
fore he started In pursuit Of us. | never
saw my husband again. You know all,
Mildred, now"
1T would have been better 10 have
cared for yoar own flesh and blood" Nil
dred said. Il loved Fay, remember. aunt.
| can not forget how bright aud happy
she might have been. l can not forget
the wrongs that warped her nsture..
.You are vaTy hard. Mildrri-saafd 70
Z woman " aoses days. are numbered"
Are not my days numbered, aunff'
cried Mildred. with a sudden burst of
passion. WAS not my heart broken when
left this house last year to go into lone-
lincss and exile, abandoning a husband !
adored: That parting was my death
blow. In ali the long. areary days that
have gone hy since then lny hold upen
life ~ besn looseninx. You miGAe heys