The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-04-24

oelote. Dut nave my vile, ana an
you know the rest" and Mr.. Shultz got
up, taking two or three turns around
the room before concluding.
81 know do seem false to you. 1
remember what you said Of certain
past. ! have been true to no one-Jose-
phine, Judith, or myself. Yet IL was
not meant to be so false. Can you for
give me ?"
''The confession seems unnecessary" !"
said Judith, after brief silence, during
which an effort was being made to col
lect her thoughts, good deal scattered
by the unavoidable embarrassment of
the situation. 'It only confirms what
I suspected before-except in one re-
spect. You never loved mem she said,
shrinking from the words, but bravely
determining to utter them. az think
you loved yourself, whom you amused
with me;" and she lifted her eyes with
increasing boldness, confronting his
gaze.
''You wrong me, them" he cried.
"6ou are unjust to me-"
81 do not know what you call love, I"
said Judith, growing animated with the
recollection of past pain. "But I call
that love which seeks another's happi-
ness and safety. You had no regard to
either. You trifed with my ignorant
dependence upon you; and when you
were called away to keep your engage
ment-even then you endeavored to re-
tain your influence by limiting at false
hopes. You wished me to write to
you. You offered me your friendly ser
vices when you were betraying-"
''My love" she would have said, but
checked herself before the words were
formed.
'Do you think so very i'll of me ?" he
asked, imploringly. "Have / indeed
lost everything, when have come to
beg for your love once more ?"
"How long is it since your Josephine
was buried out of sight 81 inquired Ju-
dith, with a glance Of indignant scorn.
"You do blame me for that, too. But
how could l not explain to you any
longer? Or when I am here, how can I
refrain from saying love you? I will
go away and stay away so long as you
may choose, if may come again some
other day, and make you believe in my
love"
at would do me no good to believe in
it now" answered Judith, more gently.
"Once it would have been everything
to me. Once would have walked, as
the martyrs did, over burning plow-
shares, to have had the glory and the
happiness of it; but that was when ]
faneied you something different-some-
thing a little more than mortal" she
added, smiling with touch Of irony.
''I am almost eighteen, and have given
up such delusions."
"Judithl Is it possible that wounded
you so deeply? All, Heaven, what
moles we are? If 1 could live once
more two years ago, you should see how
different it would be. You then wodld
believe in me again"
"Unfortunately the past cannot be re-
called" said Judith, rising 10 end the
interview.
"But the future-the future may atone
for the past" cried Mr.. Shultz, not no.
ticing the movement.
'T intend my future shall atone fol
my past" said Judith, calmly. "Bu
do not reproach yourself too much.
am not so stupid as not to know that, il
spite of all, you we're of much service t.
me. thank you now, more intelli
gently than I could have done then
And there is no thing would undo, if
could, in the experience of that time
but one" AT which statement judith
blushed rosily.
'AIay ask what that may be ?n
"You kissed me-" she said, with
charming confusion, "and no other maj
ever did-except my brother. a girl
first kiss ought to be sacred thing
and that mine was stolen-taken 70
naught by a trifIer-has given me mucl
pain, and caused me many angr,
thoughts"
Mr.. Shultz gazed upon her with
mingled expression of shame and ad
miration. AS she stood there in he
maiden pride and. holy indignation
charging him with filching her virgil
kiss, and thereby doing her an irrepara
, ble wrong, she had never looked s
, lovely. Had there been the least CO
, quetry in her manner, he should hav
4 made a jest of it, and offered back tn
: kiss. But she was unmistakably /
d earnest. She had been robbed, an
5 there could be no restitution; no apo
d ogy, even, that would not be an insul
L lie blushed, through all his worldly a
'e surance, that had once impressed Judit
a as being something superior, and hun
ls ms mead before her. She was the fir
ct TO break the uncomfortable silence.
Perhaps have not acknowle,,osd
I'd | ought the good you did me in direc
ing and fostering my undeveloped tas
Is for reading and criticism. lam not n,
E. grateful for these kindnesses. I do N
I'd think it is my nature to be ungrateft
N AT all events, | do thank YOU 81
le cerely."
in "My Godl Why did I not know
I'd Mr.. Shultz exclaimed. "But now IL
N too late. II is useless. My dear Nj
as Miles, bid you farewell" and he to-
e, up his hat.
b, Goodbye" said Judith, with inv