The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-05-29
CHATTER XII

|
The wntry light had faded into dusk
but Philip Darlington saw Florence in u
moment, and crossed quickly to her side.
"For three days nearly, Florence" he
said, "yOu have summed me--has the ill.,
terval been long enough Have you tor
mented Inc sufficiently TO satisfy yourselfy
Or is 1t the truth, az they tell Inc, that
you have been ringing the changes Of ia
tigue and illnessy You do not look i'll
however" And she did not then; her
cheeks were flushed TO the hue OF rose.
81 am not ILL.," she answered instead
lily, leaving her hand in his burning grasp.
"Ah, | thought not guessed your mo-
tive in flying from me; but l have caught
you at last. However, you shall not COM
plain of my persecution, Florence. Send
me from you to-day, and l will leave you
in peace till you summon be back again
But do neither lightly, i beg you"
lie spoke with almost tremulous eager
ness, and his low tender voice seemed full
of pathos. She took refuge in evasion.
81 have never stunned you; on the con-
trary, have continually wondered ut your
absence"
| "And longed for my presence? That Is
| good to hear, Florence. Give me little
patient attention then, now that | have
| come; that IL all that ask. cannot beat
about the bush; it is my nature to always
go straight to the point; and you have
made Inc suffer suspense, during the last
three days, beyond my powers Of endu-
rance. You tell me In words, Florence,
that you do not like me, and yet confess
rarely, ! grant, but sometmes-that
have power over you. You put me from
you, and you tempt me to your side.
| know well that | am often outwardly
harsh and brusque to you; but you have
tried me sorely. Between such tempting
sweetness and such bitter disregard for all
my feelings am puzzled.
Miss W0rthington's face was bent down;
one hand covered her eyes, the other was
in his grasp. .lnstlnctiyely he guessed his
fate; but he meant to know ii now beyond
all doubling.
"Florence, alone Of all this household
read your pride; did not would ap.
proach you very differently. 1t Is proba.
bic you will deem 1t presumption that |,
tradesman---yes, know"--he felt her start
at his words, dare to raise my eyes to one
so fur above me; but there Is something in
real, true, unselfsh love that Is worth d
second thought before it is cast aside"
"Oh, pray stop! DO not say more to me
now--speak D little time hence, not now"
she pleaded In low broken tones She
could not send him from her, she dared
not bid him stay she prayed him to be
silent, and yet elung convulsively to his
hand.
81 must speak now, Florence. Let me
know my fate. / cannot bear this uncer.
tainty. Florence, love you with all my
heart and soul-as never man loved before,
do believe" he said In low passionate
tones. "Let my love bridge over the great
gulf Of pride, OF caste, between us, II, as
suspect, there ssuch gulf" He felt her
trembling and shrinking, and tried to draw
her nearer to him. "Florence dearest,
listen to me; do not lightly refuse my
| prayer"
"But l cannot grant it--indced I can
not" she said, crying softly. "What you
ask is impossible"
81 ask you first Of all for truth, Flor
ence"-his hopes sinking fast. sis it that
you cannot love mcy'
| "Yes--no--think what you will It comes
always to the same thing---I cannot marry
YOU she said more firmly.
at must be .Yes' or NO distinctly,
Florence. Either you do love me, as have
sometimes dared to hope, and your pride
bars the way, or you do not love me, and
have lured me on from . caprice to please
yourself, little caring how you might spoil
my life. ifit were not for your pride,
Florence, and your station, l should be a
far humber -wooer; but II l abased myself
to you, should be worthless In your eyes
III know that. Florence dearest, listen
to me; grant my prayer, and the one
thought OF my life shall be to give you hap
piness, to encompass you with love deep
or than you can imagine. would not risk
your happiness by tempting you to share a
fate devoid ofa single comfort that know
Is essential to your can give you all, be-
sides my greatloye and my lifelong deyo-
tion, he pleaded.
al cannot--I cannot ~ she cried; but
she was sorely tempted.
Pride was hor bane. She could not re-
linquish the birthrght she thought her
own; she could not then realize the worth
Of what she then 80 recklessly trampled
on, Her decision was formed; but she be.
trayed his power over her. She was cry
Ing bitterly. -
"Must the decision be nowS Why have
you spoilt all my remaining time with you
by forcing II upon ME nowf"
ayes, 1t must be now, Florence. You
must either accept or reject me. / must
know my fate. Tell me truthfully-truth.
lu.ly, mind-with your hand In mine, your
.yes meeting minc--that you bid Inc hope,
tha' you put on the decision only to give
yourself time to ascertain the real state
OF your feelings towards me, and will