Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-06-30
SAIDEE.
GO Saidee u

s'Saidee.''
"Atyour service, Sir Wilfred." From
the gay worsteds she was sorting, she
looked up with mischievous expression
BETTING her words, yet underlying it
goodly measure of the rare tenderness
that only woman's face can wear
Hers seemed strange face for lover
to Gown upon; but frown he ,dd-uglily,
emphatically.
Sc am limo mood for TESTING, Saidee,"
he continued, glumly, @'nor probably
will you be when tell you that what we
have SO long debated must be decided
between us now. 4N tt
The sunny smile died from her coun-
tenance; the rare tenderness seemed but
the rarer for its gravity.
81 am sorry, Wilfred, p" she answered
softly; 81 so hoped you would see its
impossibility and agree with me"
He could but read how she loved him,
but he read something else now in look
and tone-something that momentarily
banished the frown and paled his hand
some face. With a passionate impulse
he arose, and, crossing over towhere she
sat, took her hands in his, and gazed
down into her brown eyes long and
steadily.
'sSaidee, do you care at all for me ?"
he asked, finally.
EDO [ care for you, Wilfred?" she
murmured, reproachfully, yet with the
rapture of his touch reflected in her face.
"Do I care for you? oh, how can you
ask me that, when you know that there
is only you-only you in the whole wide
world for me!''
His hands fell; he turned away from
her impatiently, with bitter smile
eff am all the world to you, Saidee,
you certainly have a strange way of
showing it. Your words are pretty, but
they do not weigh at all with me. lie
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 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.
"W1fred-''
He was frowning again, now deeper
than before
81 know what you would say, Saidee,"
of words. AS I said before, your words
me that you are ready to have me go
away alone. And, as now, shall go to-
morrow, we might as well say goodbye"
She had not taken her eyes from his
face, and he still looked back at her,
steadily, relentlessly. At his last word
she shivered, a death-hke pallor spread
over her countenanee, and she answered,
brokenly:
Wilfred-"
He did not interrupt her now; he bent
forward with conscious eagerness for her
words. His own were honest, but he
felt certain of their effect; he did not
doubt that, in this decisive moment, he
would gain her to his will She would
surely not let him go; she was about to
yield to him, to say that there could be
no goodbye between thems that, sooner
than this, she would abjune all and fol-
dow him. And sohebentf forward for the
answer, eagerly, with a certain hope.
"Wilfred, if yosl so will, yau must go,
but I can never say goodbye TO you"
That was what she said, brokenly, ten
derly, yet with the gentle frmness that
had SO started him just now.
eff you so will, you must co.
They were little words, but he did not
mistake them; the fullest judicial SEN
tence newer weighed more heavily. A
moment he stood regarding her, shaking
with pain and disappointment; a mo-
ment passion swayed him, heeting,
wavering impulse, but he quick crushed
them down.
ST do SO viii, Saidee," he replied,
with scornful emphasis; 'fand since you
object to goodbye, let us make it good
afternoon.
This was their parting, SO he left her,
strading 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
knife ,stabbing deep down in her heart.
AS they died away she started up as If
to follow him, her lips parted with pas
sionate cry; but as suddenly his cutting
words hoated back to her It sank into a
moan.
aAnd this 10 the end of it all" she
"when he knows how love