Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1910-06-17
CHAPTER xxi.

Hugh sAVille sprang forward AZ.
claiming, MY own love; nv own dar-
ing wife!" and folded her in A ran,
turous embrace. kissing her hair. her
eyes, her lips, forgettul of everything
Nrs Rs lle again rose from her
chair, and stood pagiaed, At last Hops
dIsentangied ae1 sen rom ner hus-
bands arms, and, crossing to where
her mother-in-law stood, said, broken
ly, Can you forgive me the deceit l
have practiced? Can you have ba-
tience to hear my explanatiop3"
II am bewildered," cried Mrs. sa.
vile, looking from one to the other.
us Hope Desmond your wife, Hughr'
She isl Can you forgive me now?"
said Hugh, advancing to support
Hopes trembling form by passing his
arm around her.
at is incrediblel How did you coras
to impose upon me in this way3"
Il will tell YOU all" Hope began,
when she was Interrupted by a mes
sage which the butler brought from
Mr., Rawso9 requesting to be admitted.
"Show him up; he Is a party to the
fraud" said Mrs, SaviilA sternly.
Hugh drew his wife closer to him as
Mr.. Rawson entered looking radiant.
N trust you do not consider me an
intruder" he said,
you come Just when yea are want
ed. feel my brain turnin," returned
Mrs. Saville.
eff you will listen," urged Hope,
with olasped hands.
Eyes, pray hear Mrs. Hugh Saville,"
said Mr. Rawson.
| Mrs. Saville turned a startled look
upon him, and Hope went on: when l
came to this good friend, who offered
me the shelter of his house so soon as
he found was the niece Of his old
rector, was in despair. I began to
realize the mistake, the disobediencs.
that Hugh had been guilty Of: l had
yielded too readily to the temptation
Of spending my life with him. felt
that was the cause of his troubles,
and / was overwhelmed l wished that
1 could die; anything to be no longer a
burden and an obstacle. Then l heard
Mr.. Rawson speak of finding a COM
panion for Mrs. Saville, and the
thought came to me of being that COM
panion, and perhaps winning her affec-
ton for myself and restoration for
Hugh" A sudden sob interrupted her,
then, with an effort, she went on: "Mr.
Rawson was startled at the idea, but
| his daughter at once took 1t up, and,
after some discussion, 1t was agreed
that 1 should make the desperate at
tempt. l was therefore introduced TO
you by two of my names-Hope Des-
mond. l was called Katherine Hope
Desmond after my mother, who was
Uncle Desmond's only sister. How
had the courage to brave such an ex-
pertinent cannot now understand, for
my heart" -she pressed her hands
against her bosom, and, disengaging
herself, made a step nearer her moth
er-in-law-"seems to lutter and fall
me. But the desire to retrieve the
wrong 1 had wrought sustained me.
did not tell Hugh what had under
taken until l had been some weeks
with you. He was much alarmed, and
begged me not to risk too much-to
leave as soon as could, II the strain
was too great; but he did not forbid
me to stay. So l stayed. How dread
full the beginning was! Yet though
you were cold and stern, could bear
It, for you are too strong to be suspi-
cious, or petty, or narrow, and ! dared
not let myself fear you; and them
grew to know you had heart That
Il what makes this moment - tsrrt