The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-03-23
The sight Of her agony almost

killed me-
"Oh, Lola / said, '1where?"
She flung herself back on the
lounge with q motion of utter des-
pair. went to her and threw my
self on my knees beside her and
folded both her trembling hands in
mine.
lola, be brave l said. Face
the worst. 1t is bitter thing to
say, but l believe he is false to you.
/ believe the illness was a feint, and
] believe he is willfully lost to you.
Ny little darling, it is hard know,
but not so bad as if you had mar
ried him and found ii out afterward.
But do not despair. will not leave
you. and YOU shall tell me just what
you would have me do. | will take
you back to Spain ii you want to
90"
Il cannoti [ could not bear it!
And / have no money
Never mind that" | said. Il
have plenty more-far more than l
want. | would give my life to COM
fort YOU. | will go now if you say
so, and take passage on the next
returning ship"
Il could not bear it. | never will
20 back" she said "no one loves
me there. / am only useless little
burden. | never will 90 backp'
Then say" ! said, passionately
stay with me. Let me love and
comfort you. Stay with me always,
Lola. No one can love you as |
will"
At first | thought she did not un-
derstand my meaning, but when
she did she wrenched her hand
from mine and sprang to the middle
of the room.
"How can you? How can you be
so cruel?" she said. "Do you think
| could ever love any one else after
having given my love to him g? No /;
/ have loved him only have CIV
EN- him all my love-and worthy or
unworthy, he has it STILL"
Lola, my little child" l said,
"you must face the truth. You can
not live in this strange country all
alone. You have neither friends
nor money. | cannot help you and
maintain you unless you take my
name and occupy the honorable po-
sition of my wife. But l will not
force it On you. For the present l
will find some place to put you in,
and we will see what can be done.
At all events, whether you can love
me or not, / love you and will al
ways love you"
"Do you love me?' she said fac
ing me and speaking with eager We
hemence.
"Oh, ! do, | dol" / said.
Then find him for me"
| could not speak at once. For
one moment wild hope had bud
ded in my breast, and it would not
die without a struggle. Then |
looked at her and said calmly:
Il will try. viii do my utmost.
| will give it my conscientious eff
forts. But, Lola, if | fail ?"
IF you fail to find him." she said
"or if you find him to be false, then,
l will give you the reward you wish.
| will marry you.
1t was not arapturous consent, but
| found a wonderful satisfaction in
it, despite my fond sympathies for
her. | was not being selfishly hap
py at her expense, for, on my own
part, | entirely believed in her lovers
Righteousness, though there was
nothing that could go for real proof.
1t was a foregone conclusion with
me, and it was, therefore, only its
issue rejoiced at.
In my present state of feeling it
was easy to fall into hopeful dreams
of the future; it was impossible not
to. And now, as she sat meekly on
the sofa, after all her passionate
struggles were over, | felt convinced
that, if j could win her hand in the
way we had agreed upon, / could
also. with time, win her pure heart
for my own. Itwas a glorious goal.
Something to live for, something to
work and struggle for. My life and
utmost energies had found the in
centive they had lacked so long.
We fell now into a composed and
quiet talk, and she listened patient
ly while / unfolded my plans for
her. But there rested on her lovely
face such look of unutterable sor-
row that | had to turn my eyes
away. How blessed it would be to
smooth away this look-to recall
the gay vivactity of my own bright
Lolal What a happy taskl In spite
of all, felt | should succeed.
\ long silence had fallen upon us
both. The room was warm, and /
had set open the door leading into
the hall. | was glad of an excuse to
do so, as it took away some of the
air Of privacy which feared she
might find irksome. She did not
seem to notice my action, but sat
facing the door, with her dropped
eyes resting on the little hands
clasped in her lap. Presently foot
step was heard coming along the
hall, and she listlessly looked up.
As she did so, the light of great,
ecstatic joy rushed over her face.
She gprang to her feet, with the glad
cry:
"Richardl' and flung herself into
his arms. He clasped her tight to
his heart, and drew her into the
room. Was he true or false? |
knew that / need only to see his
face to tell. In that moment Of ex-
treme excitement he would forget
to don his mask. He stopped above
her and covered her neck apd face
with kisses. Then, after that mo-
ment of rapture, he looked at me. 1t
was a noble face-honest, manly
and kind.
I ouDbf tn have haan olaJ huf 7