The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-01-08
Through a
Woman's Heart.
BY Sidney Warwick.
CHAPTER vil.-continued.

CHAPTER vil.-continued.
Called, Oliver" His tones were
startled. He looked at her in Devil.
9erment. What did she mean?"
Eyes," she said, in feverish excite.
ment. "he must have known was ly.
ing here i'll. Has he called to ask
after me? He cared for me once
ut least he once cared; and he must
have been 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 I
came to you full of passionate anger,
row 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
q tenderness in her voice, tremu-
Ious 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
tngly.
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 1 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 l haven't
lost my looks; made the nurse
bring me glass, was so afraid, be-
cause he used to say had the most
beautiful eyes he had ever seen. And
when he comes I want him to see the
woman he used to care for"
J Stephen Ruthen gave a sharp in
drawn breath like 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, 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.
dng and seeking no return. It was an
other thought. the unconscious revela-
tion of her pitiful appeal, that stirred
Stephen Ruthen by its 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
0f that guilt, which in her distraught
state had hardly been guilt, had fallen
OF her soul. She had forgotten it as
though it had not been!
In some providential and inexp1ica-
SIe way all recollection of stealing out
on that night to take 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!
II 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-fo
time is very merciful to youth, ever
in a great sorrow; that white fac
would vet be radiant again with jo.
and laughter. but only so long as tina
sleeping lay unstirred.
She must never know what she ha'
done; the knowledge that would sure
" drive her to despair, strike bank
rupt of hope and happiness all her fl
ture. if he could not guard her fror
It. The man she still loved-the ma
she had killed!
stephen, why don't you speak?"
He looked down into the wide, ps
thetic eyes. He had to prevaricate.
"Olive, IL haven't seen Hume TO
weeks, He has been away from HON
all the time you have been ill; he
still away" he said, speaking with a
effort. Then, to prevent further que
tons, he added, quickly, Il must M
stay any longer; have exceeded tn
time the doctor allowed me-he sal
I might only see you for minute
two. and that I was not to let you tall
We want you to get strong and we
quickly, you know"
To .tn1a o,1t of the darkened rOOI