The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1887-03-30 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

CHAPTER VI  -CON I I N U 1.0  He did not start from her—did not ding from him the snowy, wee hand—he replied soothingly. as though he were pacifying a child: " Humphrey is dead, Nell; but I would answer for his innocence as I would my own. He loved your father, he would not have lifted his arm against him." " Not premeditatedly, but in passion. David don't tempt me! if I had not hearkened to you, when you besought me to be your wife, in v father had been living now. David! David, leave me. If I consented to acknow• ledge and dwell with yon a our, wife some day I should take my life. Had we not been married, and your brother had murdered my father, you would not have sought me. I will not. I amiot be aught but a wife in mere name--in the sight of God we are divorced He strained her to him, regardless of her struggles. "Nell, Nell, you are my wife, you do not know what you are saying: recollect you are little DaN id's mother." Woful was her pinched face—she cast herself on the floor in abject misery. "David, be merciful; my heart aches so, aches to breaking I Would that it might break—that I could die I If you force me to live with you as your wife, the law will compel me, but you will not do that, you will let me go my way— a way alien to yours.He placed her on her feet; he was stern, grave. " Nell, your prayerlisl bitter. I love you. Child, sweetheart, have you forgotten how you loved me:' I have done nothing that you should cease to love me:' "Cease to love you? " she said, wonderingly. " David, did I love you less, my danger would not be so extreme. In a secondary degree, I am guilty of my father's death. The only expiation for my sin it to deny myself earthly happiness. Dear, by the sacred tie that binds us, I conjure you to release me." Listlessly he moved aside: she remained still, as though stricken to stone. Would he let her go'? Could he let her go? " Nell," he was so near her that his breath mingled with hers, "if it was proved to you that Humphrey had not killed your father?"  Her bosom heaved, a dash of carnation showed how ghastly pale she was she pressed her thin attennated hands, •• David, be did kill him." . .  " Well, jest one moment, suppose otherwise, if be did lint _  " 'then Dm id—oh David I love yon. If I had any alternative, yon know what my choice would be."  ' I will not put your soul in a crucilbe that will grind the kernel to worthless powder, and preserve the bask. I will not be linked to a white slave. You are free—free as the wind—till you come to me and ask me to take your single freedom from you. Nell, God bless you ! I will not taste sloth until I ask you to bear witness that Humphrey was not guilty. I have been slow to clear his fame of the blot on it, henceforth every faculty I possess shall be used to prove there was no blood on him. Good-bye, my darling, goodbye! we do not part in anger:' She was transfixed. She heard him distinctly, her mouth was rigid, unrelenting. Only when he turned from her, when she was fully conscious he would not try to move her elected self-sacrifice, did a paroxysm of doubt shake her. Kiss me, David !" she cried, "kiss me!"  He kissed her tenderly, lovingly, but not, as she hungered to be kissed. Already the fierce heat of the tire was on her—already the flame of the pyre scorched her ; her immolation had begun, but that conscience sternly drove her on, she would have torn her resolve to shreds, and have bidden her love not quit her. Alas unwise was she to glance back; she fell on her knees, beseeching for courage that she might not shirk her penance, that she might not lose her father eternally.