Year: 1864

my thick, heavy veil away from my face,
until voice 1 could never forget, pro-
nounced single word, and that word was
"Mabeli" Aud moment afterwards
Ernest st, Orme had loupod the low pal.
ing against which he had been leaning ,and
stood almost by my side, with his arms
stretched out as though they would en-.
circle me, and his earnest eyes gazing on
me imploringly.


"Mabel, my own darling Mabel" he
said, "come backbone back to my home
and heart once more y


1 was almost ready to spring into his
open arms, and bury my aching he ad up
on his manly bosom, when a voice again
seemed to whisper those bitter words into
my ear. 1t was enough, and again my
heart rose in bitterness against him.


"Ncver y l said, at was your own
hand that drove Inc forth, and l will not
return


In moment had passed him, but he
still stood as had lef! him, only q look
of such keen and bitter agony had
! settled on his face, as it made my heart
ache to look upon. And then, when l
thought how white and emaciated he look
ed, l was almost ready to turn back and
/ forgive him ALL AS rode home that day,
my heart began to soften towards Ernest
St Orme, for | had begun to think he
was not so much to blame after all. Who
would not feel angry at seeing his young
wife so often in the society of such man,
and one Of such great beauty, as Roscoe
st. Orme But then came the thought of
the letters Roscoe had seen in his posses
sion. There was the great separating
link, and 1 felt until they had been ex.
planned, i could not 60 back and trust him.
The moment the carriage stopped before
the home so lately made my own, sprang
OUT and running up stairs, laid my throb-
bing head upon my aunt's bosom and told
her all in voice choked by tears,


81 cannot stay here | said, as I con
cluded. Gle must know that am near
and am liable to meet him at any mo.
ment now; and, @, l could not bear
another meeting l must 60 at once =


"Ifyou will never go back to your bus
band to him you have promised to love
honor and obey through life, this is indeed
no place for you, But wherever you may
go, | will accompany you Where shal
it beI'


"Anywhero you may prefer, so that i
be long ways from here


ave will 60 South then. have rela


tves there, and If your husband should
search Tor you he would never go 80 far.


And so it was settled, We were to g
the next week, and l was very busy pack
ing trunks and making ready for our de
parturc. But at last everything was done
I was again idle. Then, and not unit


then, did fully realize the step wa
| about to take. l was to leave home ant
husband-all that l held dear on earth
perhaps forever, and it seemed like sepa
rating one Of my own heagtstrings to tea
myself away, 1t was true that 1 neve


saw my husband whore | then was, bu


the thought that I was in the same plac
with him, even though he had ceased t.
love me, came like soothing balm to m.
wounded heart. Then what should l q,
when it was no longer SO! suffered
enough as it was, and 1 lelt assured


should die if l went away. l was think
ing of all this, and Of my unhappy, bite
lot, once so bright and sunny, but then s.


dark and gloomy, when my aunt came t.


me,


"Mabel,' y she said, taking my hand ant
leading me to Il seat, 81 have something
dreadful to tell you--can you bear it 7"


"l can bear anything now."


"But this is something very terrible" ;"
"My heart is already as wounded ant
sore as can we'll be. Tell me-nothin,
you can say will have powerto inaict an!


fresh Wounds"


"Then listen, and l will tell you ALL
Ernest St. Orme is very i'll lie ha
been SO ever since that very day you las
saw him. They have almost given up al
hopes for his life, His mind has wander
ed all the time, and he is constantly cal
: ling for YOU"


| had stood white and calm as marble
statue while she had been speaking, bu
soon recovered myself. o, how much o
agony-how much of happiness there hac


been for me in those few words Agony
, that he WAS siclx almost dy;po and hanni