The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-06-07


"FrOm your lips that question is
an insult"
"of which you need not fear the
repetition" she rejoined, with cut
ting formality.
"No it can't end like this, he went
on. 'Do you know ever since you
have been here, / have bitten my.
lips through and through to keep
them from speaking of the past2-
This meeting was not of my seeking,
and it seems to me unmanly to take
advantage of this opportunity"
ave are sometimes so much mis-
taken," she said, hurriedly, but her
words were hardly audible, and he
continued:
"Alice, you have treated me badly.
On that day, now three years ago,
when 1 gave you my love, and be-
lieved in yours, l was frank with you.
told you how wild and irregular
my life had been, and how full Of
faults l was. You reclaimed me-
you transformed my ways-you made
life pure and fair; and then, because
some thorn in my love hurt you, you
threw it all away and left me to per.
ish miserably." She would have in
terrupted him, but he silenced her
with gesture, and went on: "And
now when we meet after three years,
you ask me if ] am happy. If l low
ed you once, | shall love you forever.
Do | look happy2"
81 think there were faults on both
sides" she said quietly.
"Yes, there were," he replied; 9but
l was reading your last letter only to.
day. Oh, how terribly bitter it was!"
sand have you forgotten your an
swer to that lette?" she said passion
ately, her voice quivering and her
breast heaving.
81 don't remember 1t word for
word he returned quickly; 81 know
it was written on the impulse Of the
moment"
"But have it by heart" Then,
very slowly: "You said if your love,
in its heart and strength, was little
exacting, mine was cold and tideless;
in fact, no love, only cold, sluggish
affection. You almost thought ! was
right, and that we could not be hap
py. am naturally proud" she
went on; "but q woman with less
pride than l could not have acted
differently. Only one course was
left to me-to be silent"
"Well it's all.,oser4 now; we shall
probably never meet again"
"Y9u, won't take my friendship,
then?"
"No, thank youl you are very gen
erous, but l do not want that gift"
He drew himself YEARLY into.a
chair, and for q time there was ST !
lence. Hope is so subtle, so intangi-
BILE, that we,are only aware of its ex-
istence when it has ceased to be-
Arthur Seton looked Upon himself
as man without hope. 1t seemed
to him that his life could not be
more desolate than it was, yet who
shall say what feeling, Of which he
was not directly conscious, may have
sustained him during the last three
years? Now everything seemed gone
there was nothing left for him but
death.
Presently a carriage came down
the rodd; carriage lamps flashed
through the dusk, and grew station
ary opposite the window. Mr.. Hun
ter hustled in and announced that
the carriage had come for the young
lady, and had done the distance won.
derfully quick. Then the door shut,
and they were alone together again,
Softly and distinctly Seton heard
her speak his name, "Arthurl" but
he did not move. 1t seemed to him
that he would keep back all his love,
clinch fast his heart till she was gone,
and then die swiftly of the pain.
Arthur, l am waiting, dear
Won't you come? Are you not going
to forgive me?"