Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-11-27
THE TRUE LOVE TESR.

l had been foolish and weak, but not
wicked, in my innocent coquetry with
Leigh Lake. say innocent, because had
imagined it sport to him as well as myself.
He had the reputation of being not only the
handsomest man in the regiment but the
greatest fiirt, and laughed when he had
been presented to me, and said to myself,
''It should in this case be diamond cut dia-
mond."
Somehow my eyes had fallen under his
self with the thought:
$50 he always looks. 1t is the first move
in his attack
l met glance with glance, smile with
smile, and pretty speech with saucy re-
tort, or sentimental repartee, according as
more telling effect.
care you sincere ?' he questioned one
evening. "Answer me frankly; if you are
not, tell me so now."
''In other words" l answered, ''throw
down my weapons, acknowledge my un-
armed condition, and smilingly invite you
to advance to victory"
NO" he said cat your hands prefer
defeat. You acknowledge, however, that
you wear a mask"
"No," l replied, 81 wear no mask. l
carry no weapon. Be merciful, Colonel
Lake,
He grew pale, and opened his lips as if to
speak, then, hastily rising, and making a
brief adieu, he left me.
For the first time / was little frighten-
ed, little in doubt as to its being wholly a
matter of amusement to him-a little dubi-
Gus as to how Roger would regard my con-
duct in the matter, for Roger played a very
important part IN my life even then, since
although five hundred miles away-he bad
my romise that on his return | would be-
come his wife. and I determined on the
Coloners next visit would turn the con-
versation into other channels.
But had 10 opportunity to carry my
good intentions into effect. His first act,
when he entered the room, the next even
ing, where sat alone, was to cross direct
ly in front of me, then to stoop and take
both my hands in his.
You asked me last night to be merciful, "
he began. ''God help you if you do not
mean those words. They have been ring
ing in my ears ever since. Child, do you
know-do you dream-how l love you
You have raised in me the first passion of
my life, though I am to-day thirty three
years of age. What little frail thing
you are, and yet you hold in these little
hands a strong mans destiny. Speak to
me, love! Tell me that my wife is here be-
fore me -
In that moment my coquetry took wings
and fled away and in its stead came dull
realization of what l had done.
strove to draw my hands from his. AS
well might | have tried to disldge stone
imbedded for centuries in the mountain
IT,
my fright blundered out the worst posi-
BILE thing could have said.
81 cannot do that l cannot be the wife
of two men! 1 thought you knew I was
engaged"
A look of steelly, icy contempt flashed in
to his eyes. He wrung my fingers an in
slant until | cried out with pain, then threw
them from me and folded his arms across
his breast.
"You dare tell me this," he.said.. in low,
concerted tones. "Answer me one ques-
tion. What mean, pitiful motive has made
you do this thing ?"
81 did not know you were in earnest, re-
piled, remem bering as l spoke how hard l
had tried to make him think so-though new
er, in my innermost thoughts, to this extent
as the Great Father is my judge, to blast
his nature, or to bring about his mouth the
white lines of agony now drawn there.
Il thought a moment ago." he answer
ed then, very slowly, ''that in my life
had no other prayer to make to heaven.
make one now, and that is that l may live
to see you suffer through your love as you
have dealt suffering to me through life.''
His words seemed like curse. They
filed the room, and oppressed my very soul
with nameless dread and haunting pres
cience of the future.
Shiveringly, 1 buried my face in my
hands. When had lifted it was alone.
Colonel Lake!had left me.
"When Roger comes home will tell him
about it, l whispered to myself.
But somehow, when three months later
Roger came had so much else to think OF
in the busy preparations for my marriage,
and my sky was so blue, that 1 could moi
bear to risk upon it single cloud.
The Colonel's words were idle now. AS
though any misery could grow out of the
deep heart-love Roger and felt for each
other! How small, how unworthy of him
and of myself had been my idle coquetrief
of the past. Never mind, had all my flu
ture to atone.