The Red Cloud chief., 1878-01-24

"'ch' w" ~. sob hho"- hS
went on, 1.-The better it will be for all
three"
"Yes, do 90. dear" exclaimed Mary,
with an assumption of gayety in her
voice. Whatever you do. don't quar-
rel. Mark is rough and violent, you
know: but he may have news which !
ought to hear. OF course l shall tell
YOU everything"
IL will leave YOU. then. for ten min
utes," said Oldworth, addressing HIM
self to Mark. Not, you understand,
on account of your threats. but be-
cause a gentleman will allow no brawl
TO take place before a lady. and ! see
nothing less than this would satisfy
YOU. At the end Of ten minutes l shall
return"
Oldworth glanced at his watch and
left the room. The door closed after
him. and the two were left together.
Mark folded his arms and fixed his eyes
on the girls face. Under that keen and
pittiless scrutiny she writhed and WING
ed as in some great physical pain. The
wind shrieked around the inn; the wood
fire hearth cracked and suffered. the
red flames leaping up fitfully; a a r
Numbered near on the dark road, and
drew up p~Onderously at the inn door.
At length Mary broke the silence:
..For Gods sake, speak," h said.
do you wish to kill me by just look
ing at me?"
Il wish l could" he rejOined. II
| should like to see you dying inch by
| inch under my eyes, without touching
YOU. You're the right sort of a girl,
aren't you. for a man to have loved. be-
fore. indeed, he was man-nOthing
but a small boy, who went miles after
the least thing you wished for. and only
| left YOU when he was a man to get
money enough to build a home for you.
You're the right sortO of a girl to have
! trusted and believed into have prayed
for night and day. Why, in some of
| our great storms l have done what l
never did till then. / have prayed God
save me: for if l 90 down. and don't
come back any more, how will that girl
| know. far off in Kent bear it? If she
knew that Mark would never come any
more TO take her in his arms and kiss
her, why, it would just break her heart
or send her mad And all this time you
were making love to this fine gentle
man-this creature that looks more like
a sick girl than a man! Why, if l were
to slap the thing friendly like on the
shoulder, it would go down under my
hand like a nine-pin, and howl with
pain. Did you hear any rumOr of the
ship being lOst?"
NO" said she.
you hadn't that excuse, then. Do
you love him?'
Il fancied | did"
Have YOU any eXcuseg
"NO. only mother and father were
failing. and he said he would do every
thing for them, and make me a lady,
and take me TO places ] wanted to see
so much. And every one said it would
be such a fine thing for me; and they
made me proud; and that's how it hap
pened."
..Are you ashamed of YOURSELF" he
questioned.
Yes"
do YOU despise YOURSELF"
Eyes"
"Do you hate yourself as you deserve
to he hated?"
Eyes, God knows l do"
Well" he replied. 1.-the strangest
thing is that I, who ought to hate you. |
ought to scOrn and spurn you. love you
just as madly rs ever Polly! Polly! l
can't bear it! For Gods sake come to
my. my darling!'
For a moment she stood irresOlute:
then, with a low cry, she flung her arms |
around his neck and dropped against |
his heart. He strained her close to him. |
kissing her with long, and passionate
kisses. calling her by a hundred endear-
ing names, and seeming to forget every
thing save the fact that she was in his
again after their cruel separation.
At length. with a sudden revulsion of |
feeling, he thrust her from him almost |
roughly. saying. i'm a voice Jared with
suppressed passion:
Have you forgotten your oath-the
oath you swOre to me that last night, |
under the moonlight. when we stood to-
gether in your fathers garden?"
She covered against the wall. shrink
ing from his eyes as a child from the
hand which has stricken it.
Il forget nothing" she replied.
"Say that oath over. then" he ex-
claimed. holding her hands in his as in
. wise,
''Spare me this" she cried.
"What have you done that / should
spare you?" he retorted, almost brulal-
y. "COme, l have a fancy t o hear that
bath. and hear it l will. / can prompt
with it." And then, as one speak
ne in a trance. she spoke:
"If ever. during your absence, 1 let
my man touch my lips. OF willingly lis
en- to any words of love, or become in
he least word, thought or deed, I'M
aithful. may l be slain, soul and body,
20 help me, Cod"
That's the oath YOU made and broke ]
hem" he exclaimed. still holding her ,
still looking into her face with
lis keen, pitiless eyes. L
"Oh. Mark" she cried, II love you,
nd only you. 1t is not too late vet, To- !
morrow let us fly together" !
No, W. can't get out of it like that
rejoined. II don't know that rye J
luch conscience; or it may be that I I
ave a good deal in my own way. When !
folks love each other. they make s
heir own laws, is what l think. What's 4
lght to them is right, and what's wrong I
wrong; but this man, your husband, .
q toss him over, as in rough weather
eve tossed overheard far more pre- q
lous cargo to a v the ship. 1 am not .
hat men call pious, either. / don't live !.
lfferent on Sundays to what l do other { .
avs, and I'm not particular about go =
lg to church when I'm ashore. but I'm =
bit superstitious. l believe in q God, 9
nd If your oath meant anything, it =
leant everything. If you'd made q 8