The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-04-23

Europe, and he will soon forget her. Why
did he seek me il he loved herr 1t vss only
he sboald marry me il consented. Bat he
came to me, and love him-l love him!
Can Barbara give him better love than
mine? / can give her money to return 10
her old home, If che wishes Bat IL he loves
her Oh, Cyrus, 90 you love her and not
me- / can rot doubt. must kuowl'
As If in answer 20 the thought, servant
raped ~ the door and, opening il, Fannie
was handed Cyrus Lennox's card.
II will come down At opc3," she said, TAX
ing of her hat and smoothing her dis
ordered hair. she was not sorry thst he
had called while the first excitement Of her
discovery nerved her with fictitious strength
to endure any word she might speak. She
came to him quietly, digni6ed as ever. bat
very pale, 30 pale, ne asked anxiously If she
WAC we'll.
well, but tired" che answered. 81 have
been out this morning"
They talked of Indifferent matters for a
short time; then Fannie said, earnestly:
Cyrus have q craving desire TO ask you
one true women's question. Will you prom
ise me 8 sincere ansYerp
He hesitated 2 moment then said:
81 will answer truthfully whatever you
ask"
"Did you ever love any other woman be.
for you knew me?"
DO you not think il enough to know l
love you noT2" he said.
You promised me q sincere answer, and
you give ne al evasion" she said, reproaeh-
fully.
because you ask me- to tear opsn an old
wound your love Is healing
"Yet, even IL it pains both you and me, 1
beg you to tell me of your first love-
'Fannies lips were parched and stiff, but
she spoke calmly.
''since you insist" Cyrus said, grsvsly, VI
will tell you. Two years aga, in farm
house where l was boarding, met a woman.
or, rather, girl, sweet, fair maiden,
loved. l was poor man then, Fannie, and
she had happy, pleasant home. So babe
her farewell. hoping to return the next year
and bring her home to the city. When did
return the farm was Sold and Barbara had
gone away. None of the neighbors could
tell anything about her,"
"Itwas your place 10 seek hern'
81 did, faithfully. BatI could find no
trace OF her whereabouts. In the autumn
my sunt died. She bad loved you for years,
| and her last wisn was the hope that yeu
| would one Gay be my wife. It was sweet
! solace TO me even IN my sorrow Tor her loss,
| and pain at Barbsra's disappearance. TO have
YOUR sympathy, and / soon found there was
| yet room in my heart for a true, tender
love. You can not believe l would have
asked you 10 be my wife had not loved
| your
bat If. even now, you found Barbara?n
''I have long ago ceased to seek her!"
yet, If she came 70 your"
"You are my be,rothed wife,
yet, ii Barbara came TO you, poor, friend
! less and sick If she told you she had come
| TO ms city seeking work, hoping to ind you,
/ ard had sunk under her burden OF loneli.
ness and soil; If she told you, that ragged
| foo'sore and y cary, she had looked II 81 yoC
in your cczg Office, and turned away un-
| willing 20 throw tue burden az her poverty
| upon You; II she bad struggled until she mad
| fsinted and fell sick. and was gaining health
slowly hopelessly, with no future bsfors her
but future OF poverty and toll, If Barbara
came SO TO you, Cyrus, what would you
| say?
I, But only pallid face, with great beads Of
| perspiration upon the broad brow, was
| lifted in speschless agony 70 meet her
| eyes. Only large, brown eyes, wistful
and suffering, appeared 10 her womsnly
! heart.
There was deep silence in the room for 8
long time. Then a hoarse voice ssid:
You have seen Barbara"
Eyes, have seen her"
"As you describe"
"Yespi
"And you Gsspiss me as faithlsss to her
and TO your
''No, I do not despise you, am orry
that you did not know your own heart bet
ter, when you came to ask me to be your
| WIFE"
the cold, proud voice which Fannie Pleas
| anton ass umed, to cover her breaking
heart. But after moment, she said more
| gently:
| IA 'BafbaTa has been very i'll, and is still too
| weak to bear any great agitation. You
| must be patient and leave her 70 me. When
she is well enough, you shall see her"
Fannie, you will break our engagement?
| You will dare the gossip that will be the re.
suit OF any change now? You will not trust
me to tear cut this old love and be ever true
and faithful TO You? 1 am not so weak but
can do so, if you will trust ma"
But l will not.' was the quiet reply; 81
win marry no man whose heart is not all
| mine. 1 will have no memory of another
love tor my constant rival. We can still DO
friends, Cyrus, but never again lovers"
He had no words to meet the steady reso-
lHtion OF her voice, but yet he took no
towards plea for shelter. He would not
say, even to his own heart, "She never loved
me: che is glad to throw me off," He knew
she had loved him, being too purely woman
~ to give her hand where she had not al.
ready given her heart DE knew the sacri
fee she was making lie took both her little
cold hands in his, lifted them re7erently to
his lips, saying:
May God bless you for your goodness "a
her. / will come again Whsn you send f0I
me-"
So be lefs her, Carrying the dresm OF future
| happiness sbe had carried SIX months next
| her heart with him.
She could not trust herself to think. Oh
tanning the doctors permission she brought
| Barbara to hey own stately home and nursed
| her back to health. restoring her to her lover
but telling her nothing OF Ler own sacridce
Before the winter snow came there vas Q
quiet wedding for the doctor had strongly
urged a warmer climate for the invalid.
She was very happy this pale, little
| Barbara, when sheltered by her bus
bands love, she took leave of her kind
| rriend and want nwar 10 sack the sofI