Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-10-11

boasting wager in which woinans
name WAS sspoken p Miiyi when l
so admired you in the past, must
tiespise You in. the future
aThe red wave had iit,% rrccdcf,
and his face Was white as death
he folded, his arms acrtIss his broad
chest. and looked down upon her
with dark, burning eyes.
Ees.It was uunaniy,'' ne said, slow.
iy ;.'unInlnly andignoble! Beyond
your pardon, surely; ana YET you
do not know the circumstances un-
der whichit was made. ."i-.'o f.'.
She stopped hlm with a gesture,
her lip curling. utt, osa sl53 3lgae,I
circumstances never excuse such
things,''a she said, eoldlyi; "is IL
necessary forlrne to say you have
lost YOUR wager? I.dance no more,
issf would not have won 2, ne
cried eagerly, Hitting his head for a
moment ~ would have released
YOU from your promise, would have
managed in some way to be true 10
what Is within me, alter all! l
had forgotten all about the wager,
had forgotten everything but that
you were kind to me, and was
happy near you. Don't think me
more unworthy than / am! y
Lena Dale stood up, a softness IN.
her eyes, and laid her gloved hand
on his arm. Z" tH'
9fsThere is nobility in YOU" she
said, gently; '.and when another
temptation comes, because OF the
pardon now grant you, be noble
ever, as you are brave ]" ~
.You pardon metz he cried, Ia
king the hand from his arm and
holding it to his bosom. 81 ask
more of your womanhOOd! ask
pardon for the love j have given
YOU, sorely against my will, know
| ing YOU would not return it-knoW-
ing YOU are pledged to another! L
asf YOU to remember me kindly iu
the future. and with pardon for my
presumption"
f"Psrdon ~ she echoed, a tremor
stirring her heart at p his earnest
words. ...Ob. my heroi II could
accept your heart-with its Few
weaknessess, perhaps its stearling
worth knOw-how royal / would
count the gift! ] can not. And al
though I dance no more tonight,
lead Inc hack to the dancers.
He did so and, when others had
gathered about them, he silently
drew apart, watching her with
gloomy, yearning eyes; and Lena
wondered why there was so dull an
ache at her heart, when Clarence
would come to her On the morrow
And Clarence did seek her on the
morrow but, somehow, the bethro
thai was not renewed; the young
man waited months, and ther
sought her again; but Lena tolC
him, kindly, gently that she nevel
loved him with the love a wiz
should give him--she knew 1t now
Five years had drifted by after ina
night at the ball when Lena Dali
had broke her troth, and Clarauct
Anlherst led a fair young bride Z
the altar, while she stiH went he
calm. Womanly way unwed. Sine
that night she had not seen Capt
Lemore, but she had heard often o
the gallant soldier whose, chivalr.
! toward her sex. placed him -abov'
II his own, whose nobility matches
his bravery, and whose face hat
? never been turned from a foe. gi4'
{ ,"Was il because he still remen
/ bered ?'' she would at times Won
| der, and, then, when she had a
most taught herself to hope no NOR
/, for sight of this handsome face, the
e met The man with a scar, 10
which men honered him, across hi
: bearded cheek; the woman VIII
e had cultivated her girlhood. ~
+ 1t is not hard to comprehend
f human heart. They had bt e
= widely parted, bat love brIdged IN
+ distance between and Capt. IA
s more says hiswifa has made hi,
what he is, and 70 her the worl
!, must give his latreis.