Middletown transcript., 1881-10-28
turing blank was as though it ne'er had

me, Dare ?''
A strain of melody his satisfied soul
set to the words. Not strange, per-
haps she only remembered that she
loved him now, with love every touch
of his strong hand deepened, with a
passion rising mightier, tenderer, with
each kiss that met her lips.
''I was a foolish lover, =" he murmured
after little. 81 thought you meant
the ugly words, my Dare. All, dearest,
you did know what to say For what
were you about to say when l stopped
you? Surely, surely that you loved me
that never as woman loved man you
loved me, Dare ?''
g Yes, but did not say it., she an
swered, quickly, passionately; "you
know my heart as yet only as you read
my face. [ want to say it, Wilfred-
love you I love you with all my
heart and soul, as never woman loved
man before y
Surely Wilfred Hale was fortunate
lover thus to read woman's soul.
But, though it enraptured him, it
startled him he had never thought
Dare so intense somehow fear pos
sessed him that he might never see her
so again. AS suddenly came the i'm
pulse which, even in the moment Of its
awakening, found vent upon his lips.
Will you swear it, Dare P'' he said,
eagerly, while with even more passion
ate intensity he folded his arms about
her and looked deep down into her ten
der eyes.
But no sooner had he spoken than
Wilfred Hale was ashamed. Surely
she had done enough she had shown
him her heart as few women would
have done. She would be angry with
him now-justly angry she would be-
lieve that he distrusted her, per-
haps-'
His lips parted for retrieval, but
"I will swear it yes, Wilfred, will
swear anything you wish. Why not ?"
SO her loving voice broke in. Whynot,
surely He would not have been man
now if he had spared her-if he had
stopped short Of the fondest, most pas
sionate protestations that such an oath
could hold.
She would swear anything he wished,
and she kept her word Z; freely, joyfully
she yielded to his demands. She loved
him why should she not !?
So Dare Winter was betrothed and,
with her hand locked close in her low
er's, she walked home proud, happy,
though their way lay by the seattle
sad sea calling to her, calling to her
singing the same song-the wild song
as loudly, as triumphantly as through |
the years before.
ShaIlthe sea give up its dead ? Loud
ly, more loudly it called to her, closer
creeping, beating heavier the shore each
moment as though mad that she heard
it not. For she heard it not above
its roar sounded the low voice of her
lover, before which the past it honored
had sunk to nothingness.
Shall the sea give up it's dead +?
The wild song was not to pass un-
needed other days. But, though on
the morrow she listened to it, she lis
tened with a smile !; the hope to which
through all she had clung so fondly
grew suddenly an empty bit Of past, for
which-mystery as she knew it-she
had but gratitude.
The song only annoyed her now.
"To love so long and forget so sud-
denly: 1 would not have Wilfred
know Of it for worlds. He would think
it strange, and suppose it is strange
not to know you love man till he
asks you to marry him, and then for
the little love of minute to outweigh
the love of years. Well, I do not
know only know that 1 love Will
fred Hale.''
So she unused, despite herself, bit
more puzzled as the days passed-a bit
more bewildered to hear the sea call
ing, calling, and to realize that what
she had yearned for the long years,
with boundless passion, with a hope
that would not be denied, was now
nothing, nothing unto her.
If the sea were to give up its dead,
she would not be even glad.
The song only annoyed her now. For
though the days passed it annoyed her
yet the wild sea would not be stilled.
Only above it rose the low voice of her
lover, before which the past it honored
sunk still to nothingness.
One night he came not the morrow
brought this little line, mailed from the
nearest town:
business called me away so suddenly, |
dear, could not come Are you prepared |
for a surprise and-a hurried wedding too2 /
l will explain all when come"
A confident little line, sent in the
sweet certainty that the surprise would |
be as pleasant for her to know as it had
been for him to write. She would un-
derstand at what he limited, and
He could not help limiting at it in
this joyful little question. How diff
ferent it might have been he thought,
blissfully how hard to break this
thing, in some respects so hard in it.
self, to woman that loved him less
love you-I love you with all my
heart and soul, as never woman loved |
man before.''
Never before, never before So his
darling had spoken and-ah yes, she
would prove it now. She would un-
derstand, and
Again the joy of realization grew too
deep for certain thought. As never