The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-12-18

"Ah, i seer
Yes. Nou see. Leon, 1 wanted TO know
how you were getting sn"
Very kind Of you. and believe me, I
falIy appreciate your h-ughtfuIness."
~But. seatiuC herself beside him
why was it you issued instructions
that mo- one but Rowland. was to visit
yoa &"
Because l was very III sud wanted 70
be quiet. 1t was also the doctors direc-.
tidus as Wen as mine"
How cruel Of you and hiul For be-
sides wishing 10 know how Yea were Iro-
crossing. I-I-wisLed 20 ten Won how
brave / think You were In rescuing from
certain death poor Grace. whom we al
love So we'll"
You think me braveT" This was said
IN very indifferent tones.
brave" cried Ethel; brave is hardly
the word"
1T is yuly what any man would have
done"
i cant say that. for all men are not 90
brave as You. And how singular it In
that Grace cannot recoIect how she man
aged 70 tumble in. All she seems 20 re-
member Is that she heard q great rush
ing sound, and then that she found her
self struggling in the water
1T Is Singular replied Leon. calmly
putting his cigar, very singular
"Au3. Leon, you-you viii forgive me
what I am about to say7~
Certainly
i do So love a brave man. / think /
should he very. very happy as the wife
Of a brave man. Leon. u was not so very
long ago that You asked me 20 he your
wife"
True"
"Aud I said that some day would give
you an answer"
you did
THAT answer, Leon give you now.
It Is that I VIII be your wife"
And she laid her small white hand up
on his arm and looked earnestly into his
face, wondering, however, as she did so,
what made him look so grave.
Suddenly She face Of Leon underwent
complete change. A fierce light LLazed in
his eyes. and. hiuging his cigar from him,
he started % his feet. and looking fun in
Ethels face, he said:
Ethel Danvers, were 1t 70 save my
life, were il 60 save my soul, / would not
make You my wife."
Ethel rose 90 her feet. and in turn
looked hard into the face Of the man be
fore her.
Her bosom rose and fell rapidly. and
then she Easped out:
What do You ueau77
4 mean what say I would not be
your husband upon any consideration. II
/ had to choose between marrying You
and death. 1 would choose death"
why this change. Leon What have
done 20 be treated so by you7- she
gaspai.
"What have You done, Ethel Danversw
cried Leon bitterly. why DO you aski
You know well enough that. had not
been present at the lake on that dreadful
night, you would he standing before me
a. this moment "a Hlgi..tssl"
His voice sank into a whisper IS he
said this, but no sooner had he uttered
this terrible word than Ethel trembled
from head to foot.
"Oh, Ethel" exclaimed Leon In q voice
which trembled with emotion. lit is true
that once 1 loved you-aye, with all my
heart and soul / would have thought
myself the haTpiest Of men had I led YOU
70 the altar No man ever loved 8 woman
more Vassiuuately than I did you; but all
that Is now past and gone. II has fed,
never more to return You stand before
me now. not. thank Heaven. as a murder
ess, but still with a load Of guilt upon
your soul. see now the reasons Of your
repeated refusals Of me, but that I need
not mention. All / ask of You Is, never
speak to me again"
e "Oh, Le0n!" cried Ethel, as she cast
herself al his feet and raised her hands
in suppiication, '-have mercy upon mel
have mercy upon mel"
"Have 1 not been mercifulf Have I
uttered word respecting 1T Could 1
not have done sol But no; that would
not do. Il
"You viii not expose mel For my
mothers sake, I implore y1u, do not eE-
pose meT'
aye. I win uoti not only for your
uotlszI'z sake, however, but Tor your own.
But do not ask mercy Of me. Rise and
seek your room, and when there ask
mercy and pardon Of your God. Oh, 1
would freely give my whole fortune could
that faarfal night lie forever erased from
my memaryr
Aud IuryinE his face In his hands,
Leon s1blal bitterly.
Ethel sla.ylr rose. There was now no
sign of emotion visible upon her features.
Waiting until Lruu's emotion had some
what a'ata7. She said: Il win obey your
desire, and WlLl not see y0u again. but
you VIII promise not u mention q word Of
the matter 60 auyoueE
81 g. promise
Farewell. DO you forgive me7"
''lez. I forgive yCu. for 2 believe that
you must have been maI-rouzumed by
a foolish passion. Therefore 1 forgive
you. and may Heaven da likewise
"Wiu yoa take my haaIE- she asked
softly. as she stepped close uu 10 him.
"D0 not ask met Is iura~-ible.'
"Yet you bad better. u- oae-aHe day
you may regret not having done So"
At that time Leon did not attach amy
Importance tg her words.
After a short rause he held forth his
hand; Ethel took If and pressed 70 warm
Is. lrlt the pressure was NOT returned.
Heayiug a deep sigh. E.lel turned and
with slow and stately steps returned o,
the house.
u p. ae-....-0