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WILD MARGARET. Ong
. “That it isn’t, but you can take my word for it that
it’s true!’ said a voice, broken with a sob.
It_was Lottie’s. The general turned and stared at her.
‘*You are Miss Leslie’s—that is, the countess’--friend,
madam?” he said, still staring at her in amazement, that
overwhelmed his politeness.
‘‘ No, her worst enemy, but one,’’ said Lottie, in her old
curt manner. ‘‘Oh, I can’t tell you half of the story, but ,
. If you want to know, it was I who separated them,’’ she
said defiantly, through her tears. ‘' But,’’ she added, pa-
thetically, ‘it was I:who brought them together again!”
-“This is strange!’?’ murmured the general. ‘‘Come
away, Rivani!”’
_ The prince started as if from a trance and strode toward
lair and Margaret.
‘One word, my lord!’ he said hoarsely. ‘* You know,
you have known from the first, the reason for our meet-
ing, Will you tell me, as man to man, that it had no
basis? Will you pledge me your word that you have not
Injured this lady, for alas, I cannot trust her! It is her
heart that has spoken——”’
‘“As man to man I pledge my word that I have not
&nowingly injured this lady,’’ said Blair brokenly. ‘‘She
18 my wife, Prince Rivani!’’ then his voice failed him, and
he drew Margaret closer to him with a passionate press-
re,
The prince bowed, his face white as death, his lips quiv-
ering.
_ “That is sufficient,’”? he said. His eyes turned to Mar-
Saret. ‘‘Madam, will you forgive me? It was for your
sake——”’ he stopped. ;
_ With a sob, Margaret put out ber hand to him. He took
it, bent over it as if to kiss it, then, as if he could not trust
his forced composure another moment, he let it fall and
Strode away.
Two minutes afterward Blair a
were left alone.
What pen could describe the joy which fell upon those
two hearts, so long parted by worse than death, but now
reunited! Mine shall not attempt it. For a time they
stood, her head resting upon his breast, his arm holding
her tightly, as if he feared that the next moment he might
‘lose her again. For a time they could only speak in
broken, passionate murmurs, and it was not until Lottie
timidly drew near them that Blair led Margaret to a
fallen tree and implored her to tell him how it came to
pass that she, whom he had mourned as dead, was now
again in his arms;
nd Margaret and Lottie
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