The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-07-23

love me, and you would not had you
known.
81 could only say, How could you
do SO wrong?'
"He replied, Il do not feel that it was
wrong, Myra. did not know how much
it was possible to love woman until
you came
81 had been seated upon the sofa, over
come with grief and humiliation. L now
arose and said, If you are engaged to
Milly, of course it is impossible to do
otherwise than to marry her. will not
make it difficult for you to do your duty.
Henceforth you and will remain apart.
/ will go home day after tomorrow.
This love-making, which is but the
mockery of love on your part, must go
no further. Keep in mind that you are
pledged to another woman; and, if you
wish to retain even my respect, leave me
to myself.
He protested.
{" You are cruel, Myra. As God is my
witness, did not mean To wrong Milly,
but L was powerless in your presence.
Say that you do not despise me, and L
will do whatever you command.
No, / do not despise you, Kenneth
| am sorry for you l am sorry for my
self but still there is something higher
than happiness. You must marry Milly.
i command it desire it. / could never
found my happiness on another womans
misery. And, whether you marry her or
not, L shall never marry you. No more
need be said. Good-by, Kenneth We
will not meet again if L can prevent it. ;
s. L had been strong, cruel, If You will !;
but just at the last my voice quivered.
1t was very hard to be stern then very
hard to see him standing there III his
splendid, manly beauty, yearning to
take me to his heart and hold me against
the world, and then to turn away to take
up again my old desolate life. Some
Power higher than myself gave me cour-
age and strength III that hour. One mo-
ment my hand was pressed i'll his, and
the next he held the door open as L
passed out. / have confused vision of
n sad, stern face that bent toward me as
if struggling to speak, and then stood
proudly erect as If he accepted the worst
that fate might infiict.
81 loved Kenneth more than I knew,
until the inseparlble barrier arose be-
tween us. His word was pledged and
should not be violated for me that L
resolved, and yet l cannot picture one
tenth of the agony that resolve cost me,
not only on my own account, but on
his.
1--WE met the next day at breakfast.
dinner and tea, but were not alone to-
gether for an instant / would always
manage to have AIilly with u.s. When /
announced my intention OF leaving the
following day she frightened percepti-
bly,. Kenneth was civil to us both,
nothing more.
There was no congcniality between
Milly and myself, and therefore no con-
fdences. The last evening OF my stay,
however, said to her Il wish you
happiness, Milly. Kenneth has told me
of your engagement" She smiled and
answered Dear Kenneth / am sure
L shall be happy with him.
"Oh, how / hated her at that moment !!
/ soon made preteXt to leave her room.
Kenneth was haunting the hall awaiting
my appearance. He detained me by
gentle force, and said, Come into the
library, Myra.'
quoted my uneasy conscience by
saying to myself, Surely, l may see
him this once tomorrow L CO. L
took my old place by the window, but
the air was cold and the room strangely
cheerless. Kenneth lowered the win
dow and leaned against it. l sat with
downcast eyes. felt that he was look
ing at me, and l toyed nervously with
the fringe of my shawl. The silence
was becoming painful. lifted my eyes.
60 You had something you wished to
say to me.
{" Yes, Myra I have become in
some degree reconciled 90 yO,lr decision.
| can see it is best. With yOur encour-
agement and example it will be possible
for me to keep my honor safe from
further doubt And yet I believe n
strong and pure friendship is still pos
sible between us-a friendship that will
wrong no one.
SIS L believe SO, too and yetit must be
SO strong that it will need no reassur.
ances. We must indulge no hope OF
meeting.
So Still cruel, but right. l understand
the purity of your motives, and but love
YOU the more. L have little token of
remembrance for you, Myra,' he said,
drawing small velvet case from his
/ pOChtt' NCdl IL, ucsu llltil't, uS 81
souvenir of our eternal fidelity and the
purity of our resolves.
''He took my hand and placed this
cameo on my finger, and it has never
been removed. L gave him slender
gold ring of mine i'll exchange. Our
love is unchanged and Interchangeable. In
three months he and Milly were mar
ried, and have heard that he is kind
husband"
Her voice sunk almost to q
whisper. l pressed my face against
hers, trying to express my sympathy.
We sat thus few minutes then she
lifted her head, saying, {" 1t was wrong
in me to trouble you with my private
griefs.
" No, it was not wrong. 1 shall re-
spect you all my life for knowing of
your temptation and your triumph. A
weaker woman would have yielded you
We're firm, and 1 honor you, Cousin
Mirabel."
"a sense of having done right has a