The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1883-11-10
TIE TRUE LOVE TEST.

had been FOOLISH and weak, but not
wicked, in my innocent coquetry with
Leigh Lake. l say innocent because l
had imagined it sport to him as well as
to myself. He had the reputation of
being not only the handsomest man in
his regiment, but the greatest flirt, and
laughed when he had been presented
to rue, and said to myself, sit should
in this case be diamond cut diamond"
Somehow my eyes had fallen under
his first admiring glance, but fortified
myself with the thought:
$50 he always looks. 1t is the first
move in his attack"
i met glance with glance, smile with
smile, and pretty speech with saucy re-
tort, OF sentimental repartee, according
as one or the other could be delivered
with more telling effect.
"Are you sincerep" he questioned,
one evening. ANSWER me frankly. If
you are not, tell me so nOw."
"Inother words, !" answered, "throw
down my weapons, acknowledge my UNI
armed condition, and smilingly invite
you to advance to victory"
''No,n he said. cat your hands l
prefer defeat. You acknowledge, how
ever, that you hold weapons-in other
words, that you wear mask"
No." l replied, g wear no mask.
carry no weapon. Be merciful, Co.
lionel Lake."
lie grew pale, and opened his lips as
if to speak, then hastily rising, and
making brief alden, he left me.
For the first time L was little
frightened, little in doubt as to its be-
ing wholly matter of amusement to
him-a little dubious as to how Roger
would regard my conduct in the matter,
for Roger played a very important part
in my life even then, since-although
500 miles away-he had my promise
that on his return l would become his
wife, and l determined on the colonel's
next visit l would turn the converse.
ton into other channels.
But had no opportunity to carry
my good intentions into effect. His
first act, when he entered the room
the next evening, where sat alone
was to cross directly in front of me
then to stoop and take both my hands
III his.
"You asked me last night to bemer.
ciful," he began. God help you il
9Ou w NV AlANfhh bAboS hOlNos LII y
have been ringing in my ears ever since
Child, do you know-do you dream
how | love you? You have raised il
he the first passion of my life, though
am to-day 80 years of age. What /
little-tgail thing you are, and yet yoI
hold in these little hands strong mani
destiny. Speak to me, Lowell Tell INT
that my wife is here before mel'
In that moment my coquetry tool
wings and fled away, and in its steaC
came a dull realization of what hat
done.
1 strove to draw my hands from his
AS well might | have tried to dislOdg
stone imbedded for centuries in tn
mountain side. My self-possession for
sock me. In my fright Numbered GU
the worst possible thing 1 could hay
said.
Il cannot do that. cannot be tn
wife OF two menl | thought you knew
l was engaged"
A look OF steely, icy contempt hashe
into his eyes. He wrung my fingers a
instant until l cried out with pain
then threw them from me and fUlde
his arms across his breast.
you dane tell me this" he said j
low, concentrated tones. Answer M
one question. What mean, pititul mt
tive has made you do this thingp"
Il did not know you were In earnest,
/ replied, remembering as l spoke ho'
hard l had tried to make him think s
though never, in my innermOs
thoughts to this extent-as the Grea
Father is my judge, to blast his natur,
IN hiring .,hnnt lis 1unuth tho whit
lines of agony now drawn there.
~ thought moment ago." he al
swered then, very slowly, that in Ii
life l had no other prayer to make
heaven, make one now, and that
that may live to see you suffer throug
your love as you have dealt sufferin
to me through life"
His words seemed like a curse. The
filled the room, and oppressed my vel
soul with a namelesS dread and haun
ing presclence Of the future.
Shivering, l buried my face in n
hands. When l had lifted it l WI
alone. Colonel Lake had left me.
when Roger comes home l will Il
him about it," whispered to mysel
But somehow, when three mont
later Roger came home l had so mu,
else to think of in the busy preparation
for my marriage, and my sky was
blue, that could not bear to risk up,
it single cloud.
The colOnel's words were idle mo-
AS though any misery could grow o
of the deep hearU-love Roger and | f,
tor each Otherl How small, how U
worthy of him and of myself, had be
my idle cOquetries of the past. New
mind, had all my future to atone.
Then came my wedding day, VIII
the outer world gave me its smili
benson, i'll bright sunshine and bah
breeZes
1 was Rogers now-his very OWL
and could have detied the universe,
my exquisite happiness.
Six months later my husband entel
our little sitting room, one mOrnil
bearing in his hand a letter stamp
with an official seal.
Be" lie said-my name was b
trice, but L was too undignitied for
possession, and 50 they shortened it
Be-and his voice trembled IA littlt
lit is very sOOn, darling, to remind y
that You are a soldiers wife; but
ordered to report at once to Fort -
under Colonel Lakes command. III
anticipate trouble with the India
God knows how ! hate to leave y
my precious little wife, but there is
alternative. must start within tw
ty-four hours"
Leave lneY' l cried, starting to
feet and throwing myself sobbing u
his breast. you shall not leave
Take me with you, or you will In