The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-06-18


II don't rightly understand you, sir.
I'm only an ignorant girl, and suppose
You are speaking out of a joke
You dare think nOthingo of the sort.
Vincent returned pIssionately; "a sud
den touch that was almost like fierce
ness transforming his good tempered
face for the moment. What right have
you TO insult me by such suppositionp
Dare one JEST when ones life is at
staket'
You want me to marry youY' Mary
said slowly. and with n sudden cold
apathy OF tone. The badness ot the
words struck upon him In the glow and
romance of his feeling painfully aud
jarrngly.
Yes. want YOU to marry me" lao
repeated rather bitterly, "if that is the
way You put it. | want you to know
that ! love love You passlonately, Mary
Trcyarruch.'
"Mr Randall. she said with her eyes
still on hts. and a sudden color coming
into her pale face. "l'd like ymi to UNI
dcrstand me. loved win Penrud-
dock.
Yes. | know" he said sadly. looking
down at the sand 1T his feet.
"Ay. but that's not all. love him
now. though he is-dcar- somewhere
out there, and she stretched her arm
out toward the sea. II never have
cared for any one else, and never can.
when he went down | said goodbye to
evcrythi ng-cvCvthing that makes u
girl like her life. I've been sick Of mine
nigh upon two years hut I've dragged
on some way. It's very good of you tO
speak like this to n poor ignorant girl
like me, but it'll I've She best for YOU Ia
20 away and forget me quickly. Go
away from penrlth and find some lady
tu love YOU Then the tone which had
been almost harsh changed Ia gentle
ness; she took his hand. kissed IT, God
bless YOU. You're good. good man. |
wish ! WAS a lady and free. and I'd love
you, and try to make you happy
Vincent WAS carried away 10y the
emotion which tine touch of her lips on
his hand brought him carried away so
far rs to put his arm around her and
kiss her. She drew back with an angry
more than confused movement.
you've no right, sir she said
haGghtily IF am poor giIl. gave
you no leave. I'll 60 home. There's
nothing more to say
MARY. for Gods sake don't leave me
like that; don't let M keep a memory
of you with anger IN your facet | won't
ycX yuu again. | won't offend you
again; only listen one moment to me.
No one will ever care for you rs | do.
My dearest, | know you loved the man
you promised To marry. ! know YOU
haven't forgotten him. don't ask you
Ia do that. ask for nothing hut that
YOU trust yourself Ia me. I'll make
your life brighter, happier for yOu-so
bright, 81 happy, so full of love, that in
tim" my wife will give me her whole
heart. I'll give You time, Mary, to let
memory Of the past cease to pain you.
I'll not hurry you
Il don't want 10 lose the memory"
she cried, with vehement emphasis. ~
love it better than anything. It's the
best of me. ! can't part with all have
left of the time | was happy, though |
was poor and ignorant as | am now;
there was all the diilrrcnce-all the diff
ference AS she spoke she broke into
passionate crying, and before he could
answer her she was on her feet and
turning her face in the direction Of the
land. lie did not attempt to follow
her, "A drcary sense of the hopelessncss
of the moment, something almost like
dread of the determined resistance of
the girl, kept him back.
"A woman loves by the eyes, he
said to himself with sort of angry sad
ness, and if one were To shower treas
ures of love upon her, she would care
nothing for that. She's like them all"
But Nincent's mood changed before
many hours had passed. The longing
to possess this beautiful creature. nObly
beautiful, unspoilt by the world, "a gem
of purest ray serene set in so rough a
casket, returned with uncomfortable
iierceness, and he did a thing which in
his own mind was mean-the first mean
ness which he had ever committed. lie
went to WOO the mother. lie knew that
Mrs. TrevarrOch, If she ever had them,
had outlived all romantic views of life,
and he represented his case to her with
what he called brutal vulgarity.n lie
told her of the extent of his income, his
position in life, the property he could
settle on his wife. Mrs. rrevarroch
listened with every hard line of her face
sharpened with eagerness-the bitter
eagerness of lifelong poverty.
shes born fool, y was her comment
ON his unvarnshed talc;when she knows
| it's rs much rs we can do to find bread
| a born fool. faint even as If Pen
ruddOck were alive-he might have kept
| her decently, and he was II good fellow,
but she's nOught in the world to look
| to now but want and trouble. I'll make
| her have you, Mr.. Randall, HESS you. ,
Vincent shrank with sort of hatred
| from his ally, but he did not refuse the
offer. lie wanted Mary so much the
more liercely for his difficulty. But he
was cautious; he met her every day fol
week, but he did not press his suit ht
| met her with quiet seriousness and re-
spect which touched her, he looked 80
sadly, Her eyes dwelt on him 50 visit
| fully rs to he almost tender-almost
not quite. Mary seldom was tender
! lhnIItfh hgt heart dam nanalla al
| holding u Whole ocean of love. One
day he asked her bluntly and suddenly
II she meant to marry him, or to breal
| his heart.
Her eyelids quivered and her lips. too
in an attempt to smile. Mems hearts
don't break so feebly.
Don't theyr' he returned. "Yoi
know great deal about them"
Il know nOught about gentlemen,
she answered, half sarcastic ally; but
can't believe in your remembering INT
long
Mary, | don't ask you to love me
remember. You have only to marry
me. AZ least your life won't be worsl
than it is
ut can't be- much.n she said, under
her breath, "Only I'm 10th to lcavc-th,
shore
"Thinko of all it means-freedom from
care. for you, for your mother"
"llush!' she returned iicrcely, that
what she's put into YOU. Don't max,
me do like that. win it make you hap
Ply? Even if can't love YOUR
Yes lac answered, In tone tina
had, however no citation in it; lit is IN,
only chance
Then take me if you will, she cried
putting out her hands. land never say