The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-01-30

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TO interfere with YOU" His large, strong
hands were clinched. but they hung
down heavily. "The sooner you go, you
know" he went on, "the better it will bt
for all three"
Yes, do go. DEAR" exclaimed Mary
with an assumption of gravity in hel
voice. Whatever you do, don't quar-
rel. Mark is rough and violent, know
but he may have news which | ought &C
hear. OF course, shall tell you every
thing"
:" will leave you, then, for ten min
utes," said Oldworth, addressing himseli
to Mark. "Not. you understand, on
account of your threats, but because q
gentleman will allow no brOil to take
place before a lady, and l see nothing
less than this would satisfy you. At the
end of ten minutes shall return"
| Oldworth eiancad at his watch and left
the room. The door closed after him.
and the two were together. Mark folded
his arms and fixed his eyes on the girls
face. Under that keen and pitiless scru-
tiny she writhed and WINGED as in some
great physical pain. Tue wind shrieked
round the inn, the wood fire on the
hearth cracked and sputtered, the red
flames leaping up ftfully; a cart lum-
bered near on the dark road and drew
up ponderously at the inn door.
At length Mary broke the silence.
! "For Gods sake, speak," she said.
"Do you wish to kill me by just looking
at me?"
81 wish 1 could" he rejoined.
should like to see you dying inch by inch
under my eyes, without touching you.
You're the right sort of girl, aren't
| you, for man to have loved--before,
| indeed, he was man-nothing but a
small boy, who went miles after the least
thing you wished for, and only lett you
when he was man to get money enough
to build home for you. You're the
right sort of girl to have trusted and
believed into have prayed for night
and day. Why, in some of our great
storms have done what | never did till
then. | have prayed, God save me, for
If go down and don't come back any
more, how will that girl l know of far off
in Kent bear it If she knew that Mark
would never come again to take her in
his arms and kiss her any more why, it
would JUst break her heart or send her
mad And all this time you were max
ing love to this fine gentleman-this
creature that looks more like sick girl
than man Why, if 1 were to slap
the thing friendly.like on the shoulder,
1t would go down under my hand like
ninePin, and howl tor pain Did you
hear any rumor of the ship being lost ?"
NO." she said.
"You hadn't that excuse then? Do
you love him ?'
Il fsncied 1 did,"
"Have you any excuse?"
"No; father and mother were failing,
and he said he would do everything for
them, and make me lady, aud take me
to places | wanted to see so much. And
every one said it would be such fine
thing for me, and they made me proud;
and that was how it happened"
Are you ashamed OF yourself?" he
questioned.
Yes"
eyes. !"
:" Do you hate yourself as you deserve
to be hated ?'
Yes; God knows ] do"
WE'LL" he replied, "the strange
thing is that /, who ought to hate you,
ought to scorn and spurn YOU, love you
ust as msdlv as ever. Polly Polly!
| can't bear it! For Gods sake, come to
me, my darling"
For a moment she stood irresOlute
then, with low cry, she flung her arms
around his neck and dropped ainst his
heart. He strained her close to him,
kissing her with long, passionate kisses,
calling her by a hundred endearing
names, seeming to forgive everything
save the TACT that she was in his arms
sgan after their cruel separation. At
length, with sudden revulsiOn OF feel
ing, he thrust her from him almost
roughly, saying, il voice Jared with
suppre ssed passion:
Have you forgotten your oath, the
oath you swore to me that last night,
under the moonlight, when We stood
together in your fathers garden?"
She covered against the wall, shrink.
ing from his eyes as a child from the
hand that has stricken it. az forget
nothing" she mOaned
Say that oath over, then" he ex>
claimed, holding her hands in his, as in
Il wise:
"Spare me this " she cried
What have you done that l should |
spare you ?" he TetOrted, almost brutally. |
I" Come, | have fancy to hear that
oath, and hear it | will. can prompt |
you with it.
And then, as one speaking in a trance,
she spoke:
CLEVER during your absence | let anv |
man touch my lips, or willingly listen to |
any w, r1s of love, or become, in the
/ asst word, thought Or deed unfaitblul, |
may | BE- slain, soul and body, so help |
me God
That's the oath you made and broke
then !" he exclaimed, still holding her
hands and still looking at her face with |
his keen, pttiless eyes.
"Oh, Marx !" she cried, &C. love YOU,
and only you. 1t is not too late yet,
To morrow let us fly together"
No, we can't get out of it like that"
he reioined. " / don't know that I've
much conscience; or it may be that /
have 8 good deal in my own way.
Where two folks love each other they
make their own laws. is what l think.
What's right to them is I gnt, 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 different on Sundays to what l do
on other days, and Pm not particular
about going TO church when Pm ashore
but I'm q bit superstitieus. l believe in
God, and if your oath meant anything
IL meant evaruthinR IL you'd mada a