The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1910-06-11

was stirred.
"Llsten," he cried, hoarsely, look
ing up quickly and tlinging back his
head with an imperative gesture that
reminded the little old maid of some
one she had once known-some one
III the long ago. 'Listen," he said,
"and then condemn me if you will.
was barely 20 when l married her
|-she a tobacconist's daughter with
a mad woman for her mother and a
whole rabble of insane folk behind
her generation. No, of course, l did
not know this" and his voice shook.
81 knew nothing until the horrible
thing burst upon me and found /
was mated to maniac"
His eyes famed angrily, but his
voice quivered.
"You in your quiet home, with
your beautiful, peaceful garden, can
have no real knowledge of what that
word means. Ten years ago-I
youth Of 20, she hopelessly mad.
Did l j1ove her? Can mere boy
love?f Now, now I am man, with
mans bitter experience behind.
Must I always go forward into a
loveless future? Must there never
be life and home for me because
of one years brief madness?"
A little pink flush stole to her
wrinkled cheek. She unclasped her
fingers and he saw the deep mark
her emerald ring had made in the
delicate flesh. So she was not wholly
Indifferent and this gave him cour-
age.
"Bettina loves me-" he cried, i'm
petuously. off you forbid her to see
me Bettina will not understand"
tWhy did you tell herr" she cried,
angrily. tsWhy did you speak to her
of love? She was happy before.
Now-now she can never be the
same again"
Then she rose, the long mirrors
in the gilt frames showing dim re-
Election of a little, trembling, gray
lady, her emerald ring flashing as
she held out her hand.
"Come tomorrow" she said, "and
l will think over what must be done,
but you must not see Bettina again"
The young man was gazing Curl
ously at her fingers.
"Our CREST" he stammered "the
MacClov crest. How-where-"
And then he drew out of his breast
another ring, the emerald cleaning
in band of dull gold, where coat
of arms repeated itself like embroid-
cry.
"My fathers ring" he cried.
"See, like yours"
Then the little old lady sank back
again in her chair.
care you the MscC CLOVIS sonw she
asked, family. t'Then why"
81 am the MacClov," he said,
proudly. michael Bradley is but
the name for the world that knows
nothing of the glory of the old days.
Then you," and his voice softened,
"you must be the Lavenia that my
father loved, the woman whose name
he blessed as he died, the love of his
youth"
A sob broke from the little figure
in the brocaded char and she put
out her hands blindly, as though
seeking to ward off blow.
"Come again tomorrow" she
said. "I-I will think it over. Bet
tina must not lose her youth and
her love as las have DONE"
Long after he had gone did Miss
Lavenia sit there, her dove-gray silk
gown melting away into the dreamy
twilight, her slender form notion
less; then at last, rising stif1y, the
little old lady made her way upstairs.
Safely within her own room she
lighted the two tall candles on the
escritoire and, unlocking this, took
from it bundle of yellow, faded
letters, tied up with lilac ribbon.
The house was so still that the
ticking of the great clock in the hall
could be heard distinctly and Miss
Lavenia sighed as she read the ar
dent words dead MacClov had
penned to her before Bettina's moth
er's heart had been broken by her
| faithlesa lnyer.