Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-08-21

to everything. Yes, he was gone, and
might never return. ft might be that
he was dead. 1t might be even that he
had taken some other wife. and she was
ednseions thasnat aswordAlmdspsxed
hF Prs that {, csrld bs ta5 aprs'il;
. promise. But it seemed to her tina;
this duty of which Mrs. Baggett spoke
was due rather to John Gordon than TO
MIR. W hittlestaff r s2A ! slif sssI.s
She counted the days-nay, she
counted the hours. till the week had
run by. And when the moment had
come at which an answer must be given,
John Gordon was still the hero of her
thoughts. well, DEAR he said. put
ting his hand upon her arm, Just as he
had done on that former occasion. He
said no more, but there was a world OF
entreaty in the tone of his voice as he
uttered the words
81 :. Mr.. Whittlestaf % a asat' 4 ga.
"Weh. DEAR
81 do not think can. lido not think
I ought. You never heard of-Mr.
John Gordon. =. fIs--s-...
Never
=. He used to come to our house at
Norwich, and-and-I loved him."
"What became OF him?'' he asked,
In a strangely altered voice. Was there
to be q Mr.. Compass here, too, TO inter-
fere with his happiness? sSs5s = elses=s
"He was poor. and he went away
when my stepmother did not like him. -
"You had engaged yourself to him?"
sob, no! There had been moth nc
of that kind. You will understand that
/ should not speak to you on such sub
ject, were it not that am bound to tell
you my whole heart. But you will new
er repeat what you now hear"
There was no engagement"
"There was no question of any such
thing.
land he is gomez
YES" said Mary; she has gone -
land viii not come back again 80
Then she looked into his face-oh, so
wistfuiiy. when did it happen?,,
rWhen my father WAS on his death
bed. he had come sooner than that;
but then il was that he went. / think,
Mr.. Whitilestaff, that / never ought to
marry anyone after that. and therefore
it is that have told you
You are a good girl, Mary
Il don't know about that. / think
that ought to deceive you at least in
nothing
You should deceive no one.''
"No, Mr.. Whittlestaff." She an
swered him meekly; but there was run
ming in her mind a feeling that she had
not deceived any one, and that she was
somewhat hardly used by. the advice
given TO her. So aks
He has gone altogether" he asked
again.
IL do not know where he is-whether
he is dead or alive
.'But if he should come back?''
She only shook her head. He had made
her no offer. He had said that if he
returned he would come first to Nor
witch. There had been something of a
promise in this; but oh. so little. And
she did not dare to tell him that hitherto
she had lived upon that little.
Il do not think that you should re-
main single forever on that account.
How long is il now since Mr.. Gordon
went?'' : , ; - AZ =
There was something in the tone in
which he mentioned Mr. Gordon's name
which went against the grain with
Mary. She felt that he was spoken of
almost as an enemy. II think it is
three years since he went"
''Three years is long time. Has he
never written?"
Not to me- How should he write?
There is nothing for him to write
about
lit has been fancy"
..Yes-a fancy" He had this excuse
for her. and she had none stronger to
make for herself.
He certainly did not think the. better
of her5in thatashe had indulged In such
a fancy: but his love was shaFpened by
the opposition which this fancy made
1t had seemed to him that his possess
ing her would give a brightness to his
life, and this. brightness was not alto
getfers obscured BY the idea that she
had ever thought that she had loved an
other person. As a woman she was as
lovable as before. though perhaps less
admirable. AT any rate he wanted her,
and now she seemed to be more within
his reach than she had been. The
week has passed by, Mary, and l sup
pose that now you can give me an an
swer." Then she found that she was
in his power. She had told him her
story. as though with the understand
ing that if he would take her with her
fancy she was ready to surrender
herself. lam 1 not to have an answer
now?" IN TT
"What is it to be-"
IF you wish for me. will be yours. -
Sand you will cease to think of Mr..
Gordon?''
II shall think of him. but not in a
way that you would begrudge me-"
THAT will suffice. ! know that you
are honest, and 1 will not ask you
to forget him altogether. But there
had better be no speaking of him. 1t
is well that he should esbanished from
yonr mind And now. dearest, dearest
I love. give me your hand" She put her
hand at once into his. land kiss. -
She Just turned herself a little round.
withlher eyes bent upon the ground.
NAY, there must be kiss" Then he
bent over her, and just touched her
cheek. MARY, you are now all my
own Yes; she was all his own. and
she would do for him the best in her
power. He had not asked for her love.
and she certainly had not given it. She
knew well how impossible it would be
that she should give him her love. 81
know you are disturbed, he said. "a
also wish for few moments to think OF
itsall.p Then he tufned away and went
up the garden walk by himself.
She went into the house alone, and
seated herself by the open window In
her bed-chan1ber.l As She sat there she
could sec. him up the long walk, going
and retrirningl AS he went his hands
were folded behind his back, and she
thought that he appeared older than
Rshe had ever remarked him TO be before.