The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1880-07-10
SAIDEE.

4" At your service, Sir WIlfred. From
the gay wOrsteds she was sorting, she
looked up with a mischievous expression
BETTING her words, yet underlying it a
goodly measure of the rare tenderness
that only woman's face can wear
Hers seemed a strange face for lover
to frown upon; but frown he did-uglily,
emphatically.
g am inno mood for testing, Saidee, y
he continued, glumly, "nor probably
will You be when tell you that what We
have SO long debated must be decided
between us now
The sunny smile died from her coun-
tenance; the rare tenderness seemed but
the rarer for its gravity.
Il am sorry, Wilfred, she answered
softly; g so hoped you would see its
impOssibility and agree with me. B"
He could but read how she loved him,
but he read something else now in look
and tone-sOmething that momentarilv
banished the frown and paled his hand
some face. With a passionate impulse
he arose, and, crossing over to where she
sat, took her hands in his, and gazed
down into her brown eyes long and
steadily
g Saidee, do you care at all for me ?''
he asked, finally.
Do [ care for you, WIlfrcd ?" she
mumured, reproachfully, yet with the
rapture of his touch reflected III her face
"Do | care for you? Oh, how can YOU
ask me that, when You know that there
is only you-only you III the whole wide
world for met
His hands fell; he turned away from
her impatiently, with a bitter smile
eff [ am all the world to you, Saldee,
you certainly have a strange way of
showing it. Your words are pretty, but
they do not weigh at all with me- If
you would have me believe YOU, come
and promise to obey me as a woman
should the man she loves
He extended his arms toward her as
he spoke; there was A look on his face
she could not mistake. She knew it
would be the last, last time, but still she
took no step forward; she simply stood
terrified, appealingly gazing up at him.
Wilfred-'
He was frowning again, now deeper
than before.
Il know what you would say, Saidee,
he interrupted, land it is only a waste
OF words As [ said before, your words
have no weight on me; it is enough for
me that you are ready to have me go
away alone And, as now. | shall go to-
morrow, we might as well say good-by "
She I'm not taken her eyes from his
face. and he still looked back at her,
steadily, reIentlessly. At his last word
she shiyered, a death-like pallOr spread
over her countenance, and she answered,
brokenlv:
" WIRED
He did not interrupt her now; ne bent
forward with conscious eagerness for her
words. His own were honest, but he
felt certain of their effect; he did not
doubt that, III this decisive moment, he
would gain her to his will She would
surely not let him 60; she was about to
WELD to him. to say that there could be
no goodbye between them; that, sooner
than this, she would abiure all and fol
low him. And So he bent forward for the
answer. eagerly, with a certain hope.
Wilfred, If YOU SO will, YOU must go,
but | can never say goodbye to You.
That was what she said, hrokenlv, ten
DERBY, yet with the gentle firmness that
lltitl 81 SIbl tttl IIili JNiol IipN
IF Won so will, YOU must go"
They were little words, but he did not
mistake them; the fullest judicial SEN
tence never weighed more heavily. A
moment ne stood regarding her, shaking
with pain and disappointment; mo-
ment passion swayed him, a fleeing,
wavenng impulse, but he quickly crushed
them down
Il do SO will, Saidee, he replied,
with scornful emphasis; land since YOU
object to goodbye, let us make it good
afternoon.
This was their parting. SO he left her,
striding out and past the window 10y
which She sat She did not turn; she
sat. fixed and rigid, listening to his re-
treating footsteps, each of which was a
knife stabbing deep down in her heart.
As they died away she started mp MS if
to follow him, her lips parted with pas
sionate cry: but as suddenly his cutting
words tloated back To her it sank into a
moan.
"And this Is the end of it all, she
murmured; when he knows how | love
him. when he knows how | would die fol
him Oh. Wilfred! my love. my dearest,
how could Won leave me sol
1t was not strange that that other time
should rise wildly before her; that day,
six month ago, when, in this very room,
in the first blissful realization OF their
mutual passion. he had fallen on his
knees before her, and solemnly affirmed
that. come what would, no power OF
earth should ever separate him from her.
IF ever a woman was sure OF man,
Saidee. YOU are sure OF me.
What music the words We're. though
neither of them could forsee the future
and the sore test that awaited them
All seemed bright ahead; they were t
he married in six months time. and she
was to 90 away with him to Brazil
where he had secured a government ap
polntment.
There seemed no need of the passion
ate protestations, the solemn oath o
this fond lover; their truth was TO b'
tried. In the fifth month of their en-
+ gagemeut, Aunt Ruth-of whom Saide'