The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-01-31

pened."
" Are you ashamed Of yourselfP" ha
questioned.
I" Yes"
"Do you despise yourself ?"
Yes
"Do you hate yourself as you deserve
to be haiedP"
ayes; God knows do"
"Mell," he replied, "the strange
thing is that l, who ought to hate You,
ought TO scorn and spurn you, love you
just as madly as ever. Polly! Polly!
| can't bear II! For Gods sake come
to me my darling!" :.
For a moment she stood irresolute.;
then with low cry, she flung her arms
round his neck and dropped against his
heart. He strained her close to him,
kissing her with long, passionate kisses,
calling her by hundred endearing
names, seeming to forgive every thing
save the fact that she was in his arms
again after their cruel separation. At
length, with sudden revulsion Of feel
ing, he thrust her from him almost
roughly, saying, in 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 child from the
hand that has stricken il. 81 forgot
nothing" she moaned.
Say that oath over. them" he ex-
claimed, holding her hands in his, as in
a wise.
" Spare me this!n she cried.
"What have you done that should
spare you!" he retorted, almost bru-
tally. "Come, l have fancy to hear
that oath, and hear it will. l can
prompt you with it."
And then, as one speaking in trance
she spoke:
/" Ii ever during your absence ! let
any man touch my lips, or willingly lis
ten TO any words Of love, or become in
the least word, thought or deed, unfaith-
full, may l be slain, soul and body, so
help me God"
ssThat's the oath you made and broke
thenir he exclaimed, still holding her
hands and still looking at her face with
his keen pitiess eyes.
"Oh, Mark" she cried, 81 love you,
and only you. 1t is not toe late yet.
Tomorrow let US fly together
q No, we can't get out of It like that"
he rejoined. 81 don't know that I've
much conscience; or it may be that
have good deal in my own way. Where
two folks love each other they make
their own laws, is what think. What's
right to them is right, and what's wrong
is wrong; but this man, your husband,
I'd toss him over, as in rough weather
we've tossed overheard far more precious
cargo to save the ship; am not what
men call pious, either. don't live diff
ferent on Sundays TO what do on other
days, and I'm not particular about GO
ing to church when I'm ashore; but I'm
bit superstitious. believe in God,
and If your oath meant any thing it
meant every thing. II you'd made a
blunder, married this man, loving me
all the time, and just said simple and
childlike, Mark, I'm sorry-forgive
me- I'd have taken you back 10 my
heart, and thought nothing bad of you.
But we can't get away from this oath.
would let his name be taken and sworn
just to make a fine soundP No, we can't
escape it. Don't you know we can't?
Wasn't it for this, just TO meet you here,
that the ship came back three months
before the time she was due? DO just
as tell you," and he would have taken
her in his arms again, but at that mo.
ment the door opened and Oldworth
came in.
81 told you should be ten minutes, 7
he said, sand have been twelve Come,
Mary; your room is ready. Wish your
friend good night"
sit strikes me-" observed Mark,
she's not as anxious for that as you
would have her. You've come back
too soon; we haven't done our talk yet
we've fancy 10 finish it on the shore. =
" A fancy which you must most Ger.
tainly resign replied Oldworth, fore
ing smile, though he was white as
death, and his hands and lips were
quivering, "Mary, my dear, are YOU
comingP"
"No, she isn't,- put in Mark. " DC
you think she'd rest without knowing
my news! tll YOU apuln, sou Saii,
back too soon. Five minutes walk and
talk on the shore, and then it will all be
over"
/" Yes. then il will all be over, DEAR
said Mary, going TO her husband.
" You don't want TO grieve me, do
youPr he answered. " Come, Mary
:" No; must 60 to the shore first
she replied. !" Indeed, should like IL.
II Is such strange news Mark has for
me that it makes my heart throb and
burn, and the night air may cool III"
" You will tell me every thingw said
Oldworth.
" Yes, every thing" she answered.
Well, of course 1 shall come with
you"
GAS you like" calculated Mark, who
surinU this hriaf dialOpue had hopu