The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-01-22

now suTged upwsfds as she turned to-
ward him with pale face and sparkling
eyes.
''Sir, you insult me .!
No man insults a woman with his
honest love, Miss Arthur" he aus wered,
the pride in hers bearing its reflex on
his face. al loved you-uay, love you!
My love YOU spurn. / can never offer u
again, Miss Irene; bat remember-
should you ever need 10, IL Is always
yours, ready to DO for you, 10 suffer for
you, TO die for you"
"Why does not Earl come % ques-
toned the invalid, 81 want 10 see him
/ miss him. Write, Irene, and tell him
he must call this evening"
She wrote 10 obedience:
Mamma asks for you. She knows nothing.
II you VIII drop in occasionally 70 see her i
I shall be very glad.
1t cost her pride a struggle to send
even this but was IL possible it also
I brought a thrill of something like
pleasure that she should meet him once
more?
The weeks had seemed strangely long
/ without him. Why had she thus an
swered him? or course the thing he
asked was impossible; but all, how cru
L ely size uau elllueu ul M
Had he forgotten il? She expected
some trace Of sorrow on the handsome
I brow but when he entered in obedience
TO her summons, the frank smile lat
7 up his face, as, devOtiug himself 10 the
] invalid, he spoke V her only when
courtesy required.
Somehow, these weeks had improved
him, too. He had acquired a polish ;
or was It only indifference, where love
| had reigned?
Men easily forget" she thought, and,
/ with the thought, she sighed.
] The Winter wore 10 an end, and slowly
and surely the invalid grew weaker.
| The shock had been greater than
her nervous system could bear, aud she
sank under il day by day, until the ex-
ertiOn Of moving from. her bed TO hel
/ couch became too great, when for the
| first time the realization burst upon hel
I daughter that she was soon to be left
I desOlate indeed.
| Earl, during these months, came and
went as of old but sometimes Irene
asked herself if his words 10 her had not
been a dream.
Not once did his eyes rest on her with
I the old lOok-nOt once did he hold for d
single moment the little fingers within
. us - " u anu a 1ElSE 0A Ell lAA hlHAll'
I pointment, none the less bitter because
uuacknow lodged, brought TO the proud
young eyes many All uushed tear. But
the bitter sorrow was iu store, as the in
svalid's rest approached more and more
near until the Angel of Death stopped
aud gathered her TO his breast. Ear
was there at the last, and as she lay 81
quietly on her pillow-they thought
her spirit had fl0wn-she suddenly
reused, and laid her daughters hand in
his.
Take her!" she said, 81 give her t,
you 90
Then the eyes closed forever.
'DO not mind IL; she meant only as
brother, Irene" he said in comfort, dayl
after TO the weeping girl, and Iren,
wondered why she could not as such &C
, cept it.
So the weary days merged into weeks
J the weeks into months, and the prou,
T young spirit learned its own bitterness
She saw Earl rarely uow-there was u,
longer the invalid's impatient demand
upon his time. Some Of the old friend
had come forward in this second hou
Of suffering, but through all she missed
him, and the thought that he had learne,
forgetfulness brought her no comfort
when he entered.
81 am going away, Miss Irene,U h.,
said. "Will you wish me God speed p
. The old pride struggled for MASTERY
T against the choking in the slende
throat, but the words she strOve 10 ute
refused 10 come.
2 81 have been studying law durini
+ these years of hard work, AMI am nov
able 10 wait for the practice / hope viii
T come. You will think Of me sOmeti mes
Irene and, II in trouble, remember tb,
words 1 once said; that / stand alway.
! ready TO act the part Of a friend. /.
even this asking too much ?" he added
as her silence continued.
= Had he, then, forgotten all his words
/, the love he had said was hers forever
Z or did its pale ghost lie buried too
But she must speak sue must not le
him know.
} "GoOd-byer she faltered; then, IN
= spite Of herself, the words she ha,
thought locked in her heart burst from
her:
earl, DO not go; / cannot bear it,"
"Irene ~ Where had his icy indif
ference fled now? His face was pale
for calmness. "What matters II L
you?"
Everything she exclaimed, as hel
pride lay with folded wings at her feet
cor, If you must go, take me with you ,
Irene, DO you know what your words
mean-that l can take you only as my
wife? My darling, is this true ?"
Bot in answer she sprang into hi:
open arms, dimly realizing that the
color mantiing her cheek was the ab.
horred red flag with which she had an-
nouneed herself 10 the highest bidder;
but Earl, holding her close to his heart
will yield his prize nevermore.