Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-02-22

again. lad that moment been my last
should have said had not lived in vain.
'Phiippa," whispered, my queen, my
love, tell me you love me at last"
She was silent. The tears broke from her
eyes and ran down her cheeks. l kissed the
signs of sorrow away.
Dearest" l said, ''it is answer enough
that you suffer these kisses. but / have
waited so lOng-been so unhappy; look at
me and satisfy me; let me hear you say, I
love your"
She turned her fearful eyes to mine, but
not for long. She cast her looks upon the
ground and was still silent. Yet she lay
unresisting in my arms. That after all, was
the true answer.
But must have it from her lips. Tell
me, deareSt-tell me once" prayed
Her lips quivered; her bosom rose and
fell. The blush spread from her cheek and
stole down her white neck.
"les," she murmured, now that it is too
late, l love you"
laughed wild laugh. l clasped Philip
pa to my breast.
''Too latew | cried. we may have fifty
years of happiness
1T is too late" she answered For your
sake l have told you that love you. Basil.
| My love, will kiss you Once-then loose me,
and let us say farewell
| When death closes the eyes of one Of us
we will say farewelI-not until then" said,
as my lips met hers in a long and rapturOus
| kiss.
| Then with sigh she gently but firmly
| freed herself from my arms. Sherose we
stood on the marble fl Ior, face to face gaz-
| ing in each others eyes
BASIL" she said, softly, "all this must be
forgotten. Say farewell; tomorrow we must
part"
| dearest our lives henceforth are one."
| 1T cannot be. Spare me, Basil. You
have been kind to me. 1t cannot be-
| why? Tell me why?"
| why! need you ask? You bear an hon
ored and respected name; and l, you know
what l ana shamed woman"
"A wronged woman, it may be, not Q
shamed one"
'Ah. Basil, in this world, when woman
| is concerned, wrOnged and shamed mean
, the same thing. You have been as broth
| er to me. ! came to you in nv trouble; you
| saved my life-my reason. Be kinder still,
and spare me the pain of paining you"
By look, by word, by gesture, she seemed
| to besePch me. Oh, how longed TO tell her
that l firmly believed she was the dead
mans wifeI had much difficulty in check
| ing the words which were forming on my
| lips. But / dared not speak. Telling her
| that the marriage was a valid one meant
| that l must tell her of her husbands DEATH
| and, it might be, how he died.
"Philippa," said, ''the whole happiness
of my life, my every desire is centered upon
| making you my wife. Think, dearest, how
when l had no right to demand this gift my
| life was made desolate; think what 1t will
| be when know you love me and yet refuse
| 10 be mine! Have been true to you, Philip
pap
I Heaven knows you have"
Then why, now that you love me, refuse
me my reward?''
''Oh, spare me II cannot l will not give
| it. Basil, dear Basil, why with your talents
should you marry the caSt-off- -mistress-Of
Sir Mervyn Ferrand? Why should you blush
| to show your wife to the world?"
Blush! The world! What is my world
| save you? You are all TO me- sweetest You
love me-what more do 1 want? Before this
| time next week we will be married"
Never, never! l will not wrong the man
| love. Basil, farewell foreverv'
She clasped her hands and fled wildly
| across the court. / caught her at the door,
which she had reached and half opened.
Promise me one thing" said: promise
you will wait here until my return. 1 shall
not be five minutes. 1t is not much to ask,
Philippa."
Philippa bent her head as in assent. /
passed through the door, and in few min
utes returned to the patio, accompanied by
my mother, who glanced from Philippa to
me in a surprised way.
What is the matter?" she asked, with her
| cheerful smile. Have you two young peo-
pie been olarreling?'
Philippa made no answer. She stood with
her fingers interlaced; her eyes cast on the
ground.
Mother l said, Il have to-day asked
Philippa, to be my wife. / have told her
that all my happiness depends upon her con-
sent to this. have loved her for years and
at last she loves me. Yes. she loves me-"
My mother gave little cry of pleasure,
and stepped forward. l checked her
Il love her, and she loves me-" l continu-
ed. But she refuses to marry me. And
why? Because she fears to bring shame on
an honorable name. You know her story;
you are my mother. You, of all people in
the world, should be the most jealous as to
the honor of my name. You should know
whom you would choose for my wife. Tell
her"
/ said no more. My mother advanced with
outstretched arms, and in moment my
poor girl was weeping in her erembrace, while
words which l could not hear, but whose
purport could well guess, were being whis-
pered to her. l had indeed been right in
trusting to my mothers noble nature.
Leave us for little while, BASIL" she
said, as Phiiippa still sobbed upon her
shoulder. Come back in quarter Of an
hours time"
l turned away, went past the screen which
is sometimes put up to insure privacy, out
of the iron gate, into the narrow street.
watched the lounging, dignified-lOOking
men and the dark-eyed women who went
by; looked at the merry urchins at play;
and, after what seemed an interminable
quarter Of an hour, returned to learn how
my gentle counsel had succeeded with my
suit.
Ny mother and Philippa were sitting with
their arms around each other. Philippa, as
l entered the patio, raised her eyes to mine
with look of shy happiness. My mother
rose and took the girl by the hand.
BASIL" she said, Il have at last been able
to persuade her that you and l, at least, rise
above the conventionalities Of what is call
ed the world. have told her that. know
ing all | know, see nothing to prevent her
from being your wife. have told her that
simply for her own sweet sake would rath-
er see you marry her than any woman in
the world. And Basil, fancy have made
her believe me-"
With her soft eyes full Of maternal love,
my mother kissed me and left the court. l
opened my arms to close them round the
fairest woman in the world; and all the
earth seemed bright and glorious to me. My
great love had conquered!
And yet, even in that moment of bliss, my
thoughts involuntarly flew away to snow
heaped road in England-to a white drift,
under which for days and days CHASTITY OBJ |
ject had once been lying. A dream! |
dream! 1t must have been fearful dream. |
Forget it, Basil North, and be happy in the |
happiness you have at last won!