Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-09-15
For the INDEPENDENT.
Hazel Tregallas.
BY D. II. S.

Concluded from last toeek }
"No, no, Hazel, you are too brave
woman for that - rising and rap
idly pacing the room. ut is but a
little more that you will have to
bear and then you will be mine to
protect. For know you love me, y
pausing and placing her hands in
his, "Yes," looking into her sad
tear stained, appraised eyes, s'true as
truth. All else may change, but
your love never will. 1t is mine for
ever"
"Forever, Paul, forever - pas
sionately, lifting her hands implor-
ingly, and a little color coming into
her cheeks. "But love will not set
all things straight, our love will not
help us to say good by. The courage
the will and fortitude that I had
been gathering for this, for the last
two hours, is all departing. Do not
try it too far. For old times sake, y
taking his hand in her two slender,
burning ones, "for old times sake,
kiss me and wish me well, and then
then go-pass out Of the door, and
out of my life forever"
"Hazel I" he said, wildly, of sud-
den seeming to grapple the meaning
of her words, to notice the agony in
her eyes, 'you do not know what
you are saying. Leave you? Say
farewell to you forever? Thrice
would / rather be carried, cold and
inanimate, to yonder mound. 1t is
impossible. No, hear me-you must
hear me-" as she would have stop.
ped his words, compelling her, as he
spoke, to be seated and throwing
himself on his knees by her side,
whence he could look up into the
shadowy black eyes. "You cannot
must not judge for me. / am a
man. No. tightening his hold on
the hand he held, "there is no use
saying you are older than I. Yes
terday, perhaps, I was child, and
you grown woman I; but to day /
am ten years Older.''
"Ah, my poor, unfortunate
Paul." she said, holly, laying for a
moment her hand on his fair brow.
But she added nothing more, did
not offer to stop him, his cheek
flushing, his words coming faster
as he went on he told her that the
law was her remedy, and the judg-
ment of the law once placed between
her and the man who had ruined her
happiness, her life then would
be her own, to do what she desired
with it. He went on:
"Until then l will wait, / will go
away and plunge into business, new
er see you-it will only be for one
year--it is very long, but we can
trust each other, and oh, my love- y
his voice giving away, ''you are we'll
worth waiting for.'
She listened in perfect silence
not one protest did she offer, but
there was something so icy, more
hopeless in the silence and stiffness
than there would have been in the
most emphatic disapproval. Paul
Hayne felt it, even though to him
elf he dare not acknowled it, lest
he thought drive him mad. In
ancy he knew what the quiet sor-
row stricken voice was going to say,
before a note of the low tones reach
ID his ear.
"Paul, could not. You know
t, even while you are saying it. Do
Iou not ?" very tenderly, as he gave
no answer. Nothing can change
he past not change it. 1t can give
ne freedom" as he would have stop.
bed her, ''but that have. He has
rave me his word to never more re-
urn and if he keeps that promise
SIX nothing more of this earth. So
nuch hold my past life has on me,
hat could not think of having his
ame-my name," a little bitterly
dragged in the mud. And, as for
be rest-well, / am forced to let it
D."