Year: 1879

| Ing.


Take seat, sir; what's your busi-
nessP .-L


There's a fellow down at an old
boardin' house in Pine alley wants to
to see You; says he can't die easy if he
don't get to tell you something that's
weighin' heavy on his mind. He won't
be alive long, he's goin' fast, and if
you're comm at all you'd better come
at once"


"Who is he? / don't see what he can
want of me-


Don't know his name. he says he's
done you q great wrong


4 will go with you. Lead the way
=


Hasn't he come yetP and the speak
er, a man who looked as if he had once
been handsome. but whose face now
looked hard and grim by the fast fad
ing daylight, lifted his hollow, sunken
eyes to the face of the woman who
bent over him.


Not yet. There that Is him most
likely as a step sounded on the
stairs.


Mabel, go out and leave us alone
when you have let him in.' e ---


No. / will bear part of the blame,
as well as you. 1t is time l did some
thing to atone for some of my sins


You here said Claude, as in re-
sponse to his knock the door was open
ed by woman with yellow hair and
black eyes.


! why should not be? 1t is my broth
er that is dying. Come, he wants
you,' and she gave him seat by the
bedside Of the dying man and with
drew to a window.
Don't you know me Colonel? said
the man looking up.


Il do not and yet it seems to me ]
have seen your face somewhere


You have. ] am the one who per-
formed that mock marriage for you and
my sister.


Mock marriage! what do yon mean
man! speak out.


i am 70 preacher. So how could
the marriage be legalY He went on
rapidly, if you will look back you will
remember that the Minister was a
friend of hers, as were also the witness
es. She thought you was rich, and we
would get your money, and then de-
camp; for we have been "a bad lot all
our lives.''


oh, God! what misery / might have
been spared if had only known


Can you forgive as? ask il on my
dying bed.' and the eyes that sought
Claude's face were glazing fast in
death.


| 4 doforgive you. But It is hard
thing to do


Mabel, am dying! She flew to
his side and bent over him tenderly.
There was some womanlyness left in
that wicked abandoned heart, after all.
Claude opened the door and passed
out, leaving those two alone; never to
gaze more on the dead face of the 9th
er. His step was light and joyous, as
of old, and his eyes shOne with the old
light


! CHAPTER TX.


Only six months have passed sirce
Maud Martin first met Claude Seaman.
What short time to crowd so much
misery and joy into,' thought Maud
sadly 20 herself one day, as she sat
gazing listlessly out of her bedroom
window. She spent most of her time
there now, and her cheeks grew pale,
and her round form began to look slen-
der and thin. The old Captain beside
himself with grief, proposed that she
should travel. But no, she would dc
nothing but sit at her window or wan
der about the house like little ghost.


go and visit Carrie and Bob, dear
suggested her mother; for Bob had
married the dearest little thing in ex-
istence.'
No don't want to go any place, or
see anybody answered Maud.


Maud said the Captain, coming in
to the library where that young lady
was reading, go into the drawing room.
there is some body there wishes to see
you. Go at once
Very well, will, but / know of no
one l want to see. She entered the
dining room, and before her eyes be-
came used to the semi-dark state of the
room, she was clasped in some ones
arms


oh, Maud, my love! are you not glad
to have me back againP
Claude, is it really you2 1t all
seems like dream


Really me, little one looking down
fondly at the little figure by her side.


And that woman, Claude, she wasn't
your wife after ALL she said after he
had told her all about the death-bed
scene, and the confession that had
brought SO much happiness to both of
them.


Never was. 1 don't see how Icould
have been so duped, and by a woman
too. Although they are pretty good at
deceiving us poor fellows, are they not
little girlY


We're good at beirg deceived. Just
think of my being so intimate with that
Lady MontagueY
She left soon after that night, didn't
sheY


L think she must have left that night
or next morning early; for no one ofour
set saw her after that Every one
wondered and commented on her sud
den disappearance, but I never enlight-
ened them


Suppose we change the subject and
talk about ourselves for little whiler


Very well; what shall we sayP and
Maud's eyes as she lifted them to his
face, lost the tired, listless look they
had worn for the past few months.


when can 1 call you all my own
sweetr drawing her close in his arms
and kissing her red lips with passion
ate fervor. Shall it be soon; next