San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-10-16

yOu-I must.n
The girl was trembling in every limb.
! Nevertheless she managed to reply in
steady, indignant tones:
This is COwardly, unmanly to adj
dress me thus. Mr.. Archer. | would
not will not-believe you guilty of
| such baSrneSs, to insult me when / am
in your power"
" Yes. you are in my power; Fate has
so CHANGED. We are in the heart of the
! bush, safe from all intrusion" he re-
joined. But, Florence, do not insult
you. | but say | love, and ask return
have rescued you from Heaven alone
knows what fate. You say you owe me
gratitude; there is but one way can
be paid-I iCW be paid-yOur lOve.'
He threw himself on the grass in
front of her. impriSOning her hands,
his eager eyes fixed on her cOuntenance.
She was overwhelmed with terror.
Rise, | entreat you" she pleaded.
IF you love me, think how you are
making me suffer"
Where is the difference? You do
not love me. and you cause me agony"
he TejOimed. The sight of yOu-Of
your beauty-fireS my brain-makes nv
pulses beat as if the blood were molten
lead consuming them. Florence, my
pain is the worst. BE merciful. Tell
me-swear to me-that YOU will be my
wife-that you will forget Philip Bath
urst and we will return"
Forget Philip calculated Flo, al
most invOluntarily. "ImpOSsible!"
Remember him, but be my wife,
Yes, Florence, will be content, and
try as meet your gaze to forget that
the love in your eyes is for Philip, not
for me.
1T is impossible, Mr.. Archer. can
not swear it, for | should break my
oath. Never can | call another huS-
band.
Them" she repeated, anxiOusly re-
gardmg him as he arose and looked
down upon her.
I'VE do not return. We shall remain
here-alOne. together in the BUSH
"Rcmain here. she gasped in horror.
eS, remain here until you promise
to be mine. For mine, Florence, have
sworn you shall be"
"Oh, lleayen." she cried, ''help me-
save me from this man."
at will not hear. Florence, or why
may its pity not be for me?'
This is sIameful-cOwardly," she
exclaimed. Indignantly. rs this way
to win wOman's love? would rather
die than wed yOu.'
lie laughed, and in despair she bowed
her face on her hands and burst into
tears. For a space he watched her,
then once again was at her feet.
Florence. why are you so deter
mined?" he calculated. why will you
reject an affection such as mine? |
worship you. See, at your feet | pray
i entreat you to hear me-
More passionate words vet fell from
his lips, as, prone before her, he held
her feet and pressed his lips on them,
terrifying the unhappy girl into silence.
Florence, do not think to move me-
Even your tears, though they pain, can
not do that. Spurn me, dash this foot
| hold in my face and | will yet kiss it
I will yet love you. Whatever say
and do. remember that it is my love
that is the cause. Reflect what such a
love must be. No mans has ever sur
passed it. Florence, do not reject it.
One word and | follow; l obey you as a
slave. If you refuse to speak it-yOu
must obey me-"
Am your prisoner them"
If you so term it, yes. Your love
MY love!" she cried. 81 hate yOu!'
The words burst forth invOluntarily.
yet with bitter intensity. Fain would
she have recalled them, but too late.
lie had sprung to his feet as if shot.
His passion Outwardly had disappeared.
His cOuntenance was dark and lower
ing.
$50 be it, he remarked; II must
wait then for time. What will the world
perhaps, you, Florence, and | return
from our sOjOurn in the bush?n
Let them say what they will, the
sinful alone suffer-
What fallacy. That is to say, the
hardened criminal is the most senSi-
tive. Tut. before the week is over,
Florence, you will have consented to be
mine"
Never" she rejoined firmly.
1--WE shall see." He smiled as he
walked away, and flung himself down a
few PAGES off.
How near death he was at that mo-
ment he never knew.
To attempt to describe Florence
Grainger'S feelings would be impOssi-
BILE. The widest ideas thrOnged her
brain. Why had she been abducted?
BY whom? How had Herbert Archer
rescued her? Then suddenly came the
thought that the whole had been plan
of her captOr'S.
Could she ever lOve-nay, wed such a
man? Yet what was she to do?
At moments she succumbed to
changeful fits of Indignation and de-
spair. At others dull, helpless leth-
argy stole over her.
AS the day advanced, Herbert Archer
had brought and placed refreshments
before her. Flo said nothing. She
turned from him, but it confirmed her
belief that she had been the victim of a
cruel plot, else how was this man pro-
vided with refreshment. AS the night
drew on he kindled fire.
1.-The nights are chill in the BUSH"
he remarked. I'VE must camp out now
of necessity. | must wait your reply
until the morning"
Florence did not answer, and he with
drew to his former place.
The morning, what would it bring
her? Should she start away in the
night? 1t would be useless: she would
be only ANONYMOUSLY overtaken.
Herbert Archer again approached,
bringing her riding cloak that had
been strapped at his saddle. After that
neither moved, and the long, long hours
of the night stole on, and over and over
again the unhappy girl asked herself
what the morning was to bring.