The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-07-23
CHAPTER VIII.

still, making no motion to give him her
hand. Nor did she say word. To
her her promise to Mr.. Whittlestaff was
binding-not the less binding because it
had only been made on this very day.
She had already acknowledged to this
other man that the promise had been
made. and she had asked him to spare
her this interview. He had not spared
her, and it was for him now to say
what there was to be said. She had set
tied the matter in her own mind, and
had made him understand that it was
so settled. There was nothing further
that she could tell him. "Mary, now
that we are alone, will you speak to meP"
81 have nothing to say"
"Should not have come to youpn
"You should not have stayed when
you found that l had promised myself
to another"
sis there nothing else that 1 may
wish to say to you?"
"There is nothing else that you should
wish to sayto the wife of another man."
"You are not his wife--not yet"
81 shall be his wife, Mr.. Gordon.
You may be sure of that And | think
| can say that l shall be true wife. He
has chosen to take me, and his wishes
must be respected. He has asked you
to remain here as q friend, understand
ing that to be the case. But as you do
not choose, you should 60"
"Do you wish me to stay, and to see
YOU become his wife?"
81 say nothing of that. 1 have ex-
pressed one wish, and you have refused
to grant it. Nothing can pass between
us which will not be painful to both of
u.s."
"You would have me 90, then, SO
that you should never hear of or see me
againP"
81 shall never see you, I suppose.
What good would come of seeing youP'
"And you can bear to part with me
after this fashion?"
The world is full of hard things which
have to be borne. 1t is not made to
run smoothly altogether. You must
bear your cross-and so must l."
"And that is the only word l am to
receive, after having struggled so hard
for you, and having left all my work,
and cares, and property, that / might
come home, and catch just one glance
of your eye. Can you not say to me a
word OF kindness that may carry back
with mepn
"Not word. If you will think of
it, you ought not to ask me for a word
of kindness. What does kind word
mean-a kind word coming from me to
youp There was time when | wanted
a kind word, but did not ask for it.
| At that time it did not suit. Nor does
it suit now. Put yourself in Mr.. Whit
tlestaf's case; would you wish the girl
to whom you were engaged to say kind
words behind your back to some other
man? If you heard them, would you
not think that she was traitorp He
has chosen to trust me--against my adj
vice, indeed; but he has trusted me,
and know myself to be trustworthy.
There shall be no kind word spoken"
MARY" said he, "when did all this
happenP"
ut has been happening, suppose,
from the first day that l came into his
house"
"But when was it settledp When did
he ask you to be his wife? Or when,
rather, did you make him the promisep''
John Gordon fancied that since he had
been at Croker's Hall he had signs,
indicating that the engagement had not
been of long date And in every word
she had uttered to him he had heard
whispered an assurance of her perfect
love for himself. He had been sure OF
her love when he left the house at
Norwich, in which he had been told
that he had been lingering there to no
good purpose; but he had never been
more certain than he was at this mo-
ment. And now, in her mock anger
and indignant words, with the purpose
of her mind written so clearly on her
brow, she was to him more lovable and
more beautiful than ever. Could it be
fair TO him as man that he should lose
the prize which was to him OF such in
estimable value, merely for word
of cold assent given to this old man,
and given quite lately? His devotion to
her was assured. Nothing could be
more assured than his love. And he,
too, was somewhat proud that he had
endeavored to entang!e her by no prom
ise till he had secured the means oi
maintaining her. He had gone and hac
come back with hopes which he hac
felt must be subject to disappointment
because he knew himself to be q reti
cent, self-restrained man; and because
he had been aware that "the world, al
she had said, sis full of hard thing
. which have to be borne"
!; But if, as he believed, the engage
! ment was of recent date, there would
be a hardship in it, which he could no
bear patiently-a hardship, the endur
] ance Of which must be intolerable to her
, If it were so, the man could hardly b.
so close-fisted, so hard-hearted, 81
: cruel-minded, as to hold the girl to he
, purpose! when did you promise to b.
4 his wifeP" he said, repeating his ques
: tion. Now there came over Mary
! face look the opposite to the strength
2 she had displayed when she had bad
] him not ask her for word of kindness
To her the promise was as strong, evel
though made but that morning, a
though months had interviewed. Blu
she felt that to him there would be 81
1 apparent weakness in the promise Q
her engagement, if she told him that
was made only on that morning.
GIVh OF 10 ;t Ma,.1p pii