The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-26

iSaocl grew pdlt anu ledHeu heavily OH
his arm; but recovering. herself, she
turned hastily away.
That gleam of eagerness she had once
before observed again lightened his feat
ures, and passed as quickly, leaving them
calm and unimpassioned as usual. 9
Nothing more passed between them
until the company was homeward
bound.
Adrian and Isabel fingered, and she
raised her frank, determined face to
! his.
81 have been wrong and you are right,
Mr. Sterne. 1t has cost me something to
say these words to you, but they are your
due. You saved my life and l thank
you;" and she reached out her hand,
which met his ready clasp. s.,..
"Why is it so difficult to say them,
then~ ,A
"Please don't, anger me again, after
heaping me over with burdening sense
of obligation. | want to be pleasant with
you, if you will let me-"
His face was'grave and displeased.
"Miss Loring. 1 have no desire to have
you feel burdened in that way. Act and
speak as you have DONE" ~. .r-
II should be ungrateful."
"You pain me"
lam sorry, let us be friends"
Again the small hand was reached out
to him, and again it was clasped, and
not only clasped, but retained.
"We can not be-" he said, with an en-
phasis that startled her "You told me
once what kind of women men love.
| Will you reverse it, and tell me what
kind of men women love9" ess.
His penetrating gaze searched her par
TALLY averted face. -
"You refuse? Your tell-tale9 ewes
have refused you. do not know what
all women love, nor do care; but Isabel
Loring, in spite of her varying moods of
anger and pride, loves Adrian Sternep
and he almost crushed the hand he
grasped. ...
"Dare you taunt me with it?"
"And dare taunt you with it. You
showed it most clearly" .....-.....
And so the exacting man tortured her; /;
for if there is anything humiliating and
torturing it is to have the most sacred
feelings of the soul dragged out to tile
open scrutiny of the cold and Indifferent
-unsought love known to its object, and
he urgently striving to force her to ayow
| it.
No wonder that she paled and flushed
in quick succession.
"This is more than l can bear. You
are more unfair than thought"
"You can not and you do not deny
it,"
81 have not been traitress to my sex.
You have no right to talk to ME SO.
begin to hate you"
"You can not"
"Then you do not know me-"
"Not know you, Isabel? You have
been my study from the first hour of our
acquaintance. You have panied but
never baffled me. l know the treasures
of your heart and intellect, and know
your defects"
"But, oh, to be accused of unmaidenly
conduct-let me go, Mr.. Sterne!"
"No, Isabel; be truthful. You shall
say to me what the river said to the
ocean,
81 will not"
'lf you have any mercy on me or your
self you must say it. You have not
been unmaidenly. Who accuses you of
being traitress to your sex? You are
strong and weak, proud and humble,
cruel and tender, and you have grown
into my heart so"
And he folded her so tightly to his
breast that every vestige Of color fed
from her cheeks.
"You frighten me-" she said, trying to
escape and evade him.
Darling, do not be chary of kind
words and caresses. I will not let you
60 till you tell me you love me-"
"!s this you, you cold, imperious
cynic? ....>4
"Cold! lam volcanol Tell me you
love me-"
Il have loved you, Mr.. sterne," she
said, provokingly.
"My heart has hungered many years,
Isabel; feed it; call me Adrian"
Il love you, Adrian" she whispered.
"And you'll marry me-"
"And l will marry you, and then quar-
rel with you all the rest of my life. Let
us CO." ,.
When they rejoined the party they
looked SO much happier that Minnie re-
marked it. .,. ..
"Mr. Burnham, I believe that Isabel
and Mr.. Sterne have made up"
eyes peace is declared. I wouldn't
wonder it we had wedding before many
weeks"
The supposition proved correct.
A few days went by, and Isabel very
quietly and willingly became Mrs.
Sterne. .-tt. t.t
ASuit Against Pa0la. Marie.