Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1911-09-15

[ stood now looking at her, silent,
trying to fathom the vastness Of what
she said, trying to understand at all
their worth the motives which i'm
PEELED her. The largeness of her plan,
yes, that could be SEEN The large
ness of her heart and brain, yes. that
also. Then slowly, l saw yet more.
! At last | understood. What I saw
was a horror to my soul
Madam" said l to her, at last, did
| you indeed think me so cheap as that?
Come here!" I led her to the central
| apartment, and motioned her to
seat.
"Now, then, madam, much has been
done here, as you say. 1t is all that
ever can be done. You shall not see
Pakenham tonight, nor ever again!"
But think what that will cost you!'
she broke out. '*This is only part 1t
should all be yours
l flung the document from me- "This
has already cost too much" I said
eve do not buy states thus"
"But it will cost you your future!
Polk is your enemy, now, as he is
Calhoun's. He will not strike you
now, but so soon as he dares, he will.
Now, if you could do this-if you
could take this to Mr. Calhoun, to
America it would mean for you per-
sonally all that America could give
you in honors."
"Honors without honor, madam, I
Go not coyet," replied. Then ! would
have bit my tongue through when
saw the great pallor cross her face at
the cruelty of my speech.
And myself" she said spreading
out her hands again. But MOI know
you would not taunt me. I know, in
spite of what you say, there must be
sacrifice. Well, then I have made
it. | have made my atonement I say
can give you now, even thus, at least
part of Oregon I can perhaps give
you all of Oregon-to-morrow! The
Pakenhams have always dared much
to gain their ends This one will dare
even treachery to his country To-
morrow-if I do not kill him-.-if l do
not die-I can perhaps give you all of
Observation-Disclosures and i
paid!" Her voice trailed on into a
whisper which seemed loud as a !
bugle call to me.
mo, you cannot give us Oregon"
| answered. eve are men, not pan
ders. We fight; we do not traffic thus |
But you have given me Elizabeth"
MY rival" She smiled at me in
spite of all. But no, not my rival.
Yes, I have already given you her and
given you to her. To do that-to
atone, as / said, for my attempt to
part you-well, I will give Mr. Paken-
ham the key that Sir Richard Paken-
ham of England lately held. l told
you woman pays, body and soul! In
what coin fate gave me, I will pay it.
You think my morals mixed. No, !
tell you I am clean! | have only
bought my own peace with my own
consciencei Now, at last, Helena Won
Ritz knows why she was born, to what
end! | have a work to do, and, yes,
| see il noW-my journey to America
after all was part of the plan Of fate.
I have learned much--through you,
monsie Ir.''
Hurriedly she turned and left me,
passing through the heavy draperies
which cut Off the room where stood
the great satin couch. / saw her cast
herself there, her arms outflung. Slow,
deep and silent sobs shook ell her
body.
Madam! Madam!" I cried to her
do not! Do not. What you have
done here is worth hundred millions
of dollars, a hundred thousand of lives,
perhaps. Yes, that is true. 1t means
most of Oregon, with honor. and with
out war That is true, and 1t is much.
But the price paid-it is more than all
this continent is worth, if it cost so
much as that. Nor shall it,"
Black, with million pin-points of
red, the world swan around me. Mil
lions of dead souls or souls unborn
seemed to gaze at me and my I'M
hesitating rage. I caught up the scroll
which bore England's signature, and
with one clutch cast it in two pieces
on the floor. AS it lay, we gazed at
it in silence. Slowly, I saw a great,
soft radiance come upon her face The
red pin-points cleared away from NY
own vision.
(TO BE CONTINUED