The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-06-23
$40
FIGHT
EMERSON HOUGH
AUrHOR or 1HE fnyJIJJTPPI BU1bLE
COpSRiCSiT 1000 BY BobBS- rTERRTLL CO

Couiu uot SSS HeI CLEARLY LOW IL
was not her voice. l took her hand,
yes; but it had now none of answer
ing clasp.
Elizabeth" l began; Il am just
back. / have not had time-I have
had no leave from you to come to see
you-to ask you-to explain
Explain" she said evenly.
But surely you cannot believe that
i"
Il only believe what seems credible,
Mr.. Trist."
i pulled from my pocket the little
ring which l had had with me that
night when drove out to Elumhurst
in my carriage, the one with the sin
gle gem which | had obtained hurried
ly that afternoon, having never before
that day had the right to do so. In
another pocket l found the plain gold
one which should have gone with the
gem ring that same evening. My hand
trembled as l held these out to her.
Il prove to you what mean. Here!
had no time. Why, Elizabeth, was
hurrying-I was mad!-I had right
to offer you these things. l have still
the right to ask you why you did
not take them? Will you not take
them now?"
She put my hand away from her
gently Keep them,' she said, "for
the owner of that other wedding gift
the one which received"
Now broke out Good God! How
can l be held to blame for the act OF
a drunken friend? You know Jack
cambridge as well as l do myself. /
cautioned him-I was not responsible
for his condition"
1T was not that decided me-"
You could not believe it was l who
sent you that accursed shoe which be-
longed to another woman"
He said it came from you. Where
did you get it, them"
Now, as readily may be seen, was
obliged again to hesitate. There were
good reasons to keep my lips sealed.
/ flushed. The red of confusion which
came to my cheek was matched by
that of indignation in her own. l
could not tell her, and she could not
understand, that my work for Mr.. Cal
houn with that other woman was
work for America, and so as sacred
and as secret as my own love for
her. Innocent, still seemed guilty.
$50, then, you do not say? do not
ask you"
Il do not deny it,"
you do not care to tell me where
you got it."
NO" said 1; 81 will not tell you
where l got it."
"Why?"
Because that would involve another
woman
Involve another woman? Do you
think, then, that on this one day of
her life, girl likes to think of her
her lover-as involved with any other
woman? Ah you made me begin to
think. l could not help the chill that
came on my heart Marry you?-I
could not! / never could, now"
But you loved me once" l said
banally.
Il do not consider it fair to mention
that now"
Il never loved that other woman. |
had never seen her more than once.
You do not know her"
"Ah, is that it? Perhaps l could tell
you something of one Helena Won
Ritz Is it not SOP"
Yes, that was the property of
Helena Won Ritz" | told her, looking
her fairly in the eye.
Kind of you, indeed, to involve me,
as you say, with lady of her prece
dents!"
Il hardly think any one is quite just
to that lady," said I slowly.
Except Mr.. Nicholas Trist! A beau
tiful and accomplished lady, l doubt
not, in his mind"
Still l went on stubbornly: But
NAV | not see your father and have