Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-09-24

.ferti- -exclalped NanL<y. S1R uttered
the word b laif sqrsann w. u
n Il vas Fyndwful Mat Intensity of feelint
fhis one shdrt syllable conveyed. But there
she was actTess-actrsss 20 the core Pad.
I tell me why. Hasan one been poisoning
your mind against mel"
II cannot marry a woman with a secret
which ssc wiifnoeor canncte1 e1piain. wftf.c
| spoke this with perfect dignity.
'.Is this generousf' cried Vanity. "s IL justi
Did You not pres me to marry you-did you
not press me again and again in the face OF
my oHn- -waERiBgs On this very mateerf Bf+
i not tell you that my position was No.
that Of most womeni Did not tell you OF
shame and disgrace hanging over mei You
persisted in your course until you won my
love. Now you cast me of for the misfor-
tunes you knew before-casting me of to Ole
hFoken-hearted-for shah die il you lsass
me.n - II y
| Her grief appeared extreme; besides, he's
remonstrance had reason in it; so that Viii
began to find his resolution giving way. b,4
he reminded himself that even now, in l., +
very difficulty, she made no attempt to dew
or extenuate the facts Of her position. lie
was himself again.
''What you say is true" he answered; 'I
did persist in loving you in spite of your
warning, but had no idea then of the or
stacle that lies in your way. believed It %
be something embarrassing. not dishoncr-
able; at least II Imean not-not so odishonor-
| able as-as-"
''As whatF' Vanity asked; what have
| you discoveredf'
He looked her straight in the face, and
spoke with great severity:
| You know your own secret; don't ask NO
| to describe it." E
"What can you knowr cried Vanity,
with symptoms of alarmed curiosity. "Nj
secret-my real secret-you cannot possibly
know
The words were ill-chosen. Willie de-
tected defiance or audacity in what she said,
and grew irritated
'Your secret is" said he, pointing rs he
spoke in the direction of the Farm, +that
your father is not your only companion in
that house,
Vanity again started palpably. He saw
he had hit the mark.
"a man comes there by night, !" continued
Willie. HE is very intimate with you.
You sit alone with him. You sing together.
He takes you on his knee. You kiss him.
| y
that mans He is your secret-your dis
grace-your tormentor, dare say, and you
were going to escape from him and bestow
the treasure of your love on me, and we
were to fly to foreign country that we
might not be pursued bys-this man. There!
let us part now. By this time you have
heard enough to satisfy you"
| Vanity stood like statue listening to him;
| b,,fa ho oJol ~
with relief, took the place of grief and fear
in her face 1r'. 2 Ih"'i'i 'ii "ii'isf 10.
"You have discovered my secret, Willie"
she said ''But you don't understand it.
know how all this reached your ears. That
wretched tipsy fellow who watched us
through the window told you . .tr.
LET me say that he watched you by acci-
dent, SO far as am concerned interposed
Willie; 81 never sent him to spy you out"
"It would not be like you to do it," replied
Vanity gently. s,a'ss ssa''rl'.a '7sa-~4-a' ID. rs'a
| She. remained silent for moment, and
then began again in quiet, reasoning voice:
| "On the whole, my mind is relieved by
| what you have said. What has been told
| you is quite true as matter of fact; and of
course you think it very strange. But as,
sure you solemnly that all the suspicious
you have founded on it are imaginary. Re,
member the promise asked you to give me
which you ,gave-that in spite Of all ap-
pearances Of evil you would trust me. Why
did l obtain that promise but because
knew that this difficulty in some shape or
other might arise Now, I know the de-
mands make on your love, but still keep
| that promise. Trust me as you promised to
| trust ME. Your reward shall be the devo-
ton of my life. If for any other reason you
| want to break with Ine-if you think, on
further consideration that our marriage
would be imprudent- don't fear that shall
| upbraid you. l shall bear my sorrow in
silence; but don't cast me off because you
suspect me of deceit and selfshness." '
! little indignation-a faint shade of dis
appointment infected these last words. 'r
"Can vice speak with the voice of virtueF'
asked Willie IL = iau i...sr,.' 4g aN
'What!" cried Vanity, with flashing
look. But her fire only infamed his -
''H you ore angry with me, y he replied
fiereely. Justify your anger. Explain who
your, friend is Tell me his name--tell me
his relations with yourself f7say how he can
be so intimate with you, fyou are free
and blameless" "ga an, ro 4. +.er ~ -t
Al thai, " replied Vanity slowly, lis my
secret sr-+,,,tr,.,.. ...-, -,.,5,+. ~, #
,1'''And you will not disclose itsn f.'..-n.
81 cannot; am bound, %, " .., ',r5.'.l
There followed moments silence, and
then Willie spoke, not making any show of 4
regret, which, indeed under his circum-
stances was hardly to be expected s5
"'Then we part; we part for ever" ~" ,li
Vanity looked at hun as wounded deer
might look at huntsman, her eyes big
with an agony she had no speech to explain.
"You will not trust nep' she said. ...
'''I will notp' cried Willie furio,isly. 81
shall never speak to you again-I will
see your face no more" 'A'ii-~Ia'iilH
| Without another word he turned away
and left her, She made no movement while
he walked hastily across the field toward
the road. He half expected to hear her foot
step behind him, and finding she did not
follow, he stole backward glance at her
just as he was leaving the field. u4a.lE7}s -'''
She had turned round and was looking
after him. When she saw him glance back,
she put out her arms imploringly, beseech-
ing him in this silent way to return to her
He answered by cold shake of the head
and then vanished out of her sight. anl -
.F 'H, CHAPTER XVII "ln'. W