Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-04-29

| IL i COull.
sBut you do not love me-"
She was silent.
"Tell me, is your love quite dead? Can
it never, never grow warm again."
"Don't ask me that now."
"Not noW-not now; that is what you al
ways say. Why must wait and wait for
ever? You are heartless, Susie; heartless
and cruel"
"No, no, Tom, I am not. Don't think me
either Of those, because it is not true"
"Then answer my question honestly {;
have you, really, left off loving me alto
gether?"
"How could I think about you in that
way, Tom, after was married? 1t would
have been wicked. I wronged him in be-
coming his wife"
"Then, for Heavens sake, why did you
do it?"
"Listen, Tom. I am going to tell you
now what never breathed to any one on
earth, but feel that must do it, to clear
| myself in your eyes. You thought cared
for his money. I did not-I loathed it. 1
felt as ifit was price paid for me, and that
was why it was horrible to me. But-but-
it was either that, or disgrace to my father
to US all. I cannot tell you just how it hap
pened, but he-my poor father-had done
wrong; had been tempted, and yielded to
the temptation, and sinned-and without
money to replace what he had lost, would
have been ruined. Mr.. Barton wanted to
marry me, and 1 knew that if he did he
would help my father-indeed, he promised
to.
ut was bargain, then-an infamous
bargain between those tWo?"
mo, not that; because he-my husband
never knew that-that-"
"That you did not love him."
Susie burst into tears.
"It sounds so wicked, Tom but indeed,
indeed tried to be good-to be true wife
to him. You would not think we'll of me
now if I had done otherwise, would you !?
I tried very hard not to let him know that
my heart had never been given to him.
And he was so generous, so kind! L can
never tell you all his kindness to me. And
I feel, somehow, as if the only amends
I can make to him now would be to keep
faithful to his memory"
| "But Susie, that is folly! don't you see
that it is? I love you, and l believe that
you love me; ; and you are willing to destroy
our happiness for ever for the sake ofa mere
sentiment! What possible good can it do
him now, or what possible amends can you
make, by remaining widow, just because
you did not care for him while he was
alive? Now1ook at the matter dispassion-
ately are you reasonable-are you just"
She wept without speaking. Tom left
her side and took one or two turns up and
down in great agitation.
"For Heavens sake," he said, stopping
again beside her, reconsider what you
have said. won't take it as your final an
swer, Susie. l can't. l don't believe you
mean it,"
"Oh, Tom, if could only make you un-
derstand!" her tone was pitiful in its en-
treaty. "If you could know the self-re-
proachI feel for my behavior! deceiv-
ed him-betrayed his affection, his gener-
osity. He lavished his wealth upon me
and upon all my family, but that 'as
nothing compared to the other proofs of his
kindness. And oh, Tom, he did truly love
me so much-and 1 didn't deserve it-and
now ought to forget him and all that he
did for me, and think only of my own self
ish happiness, just as if l rejoiced at his
death ?"
Now it cannot be denied that all this was
very exasperating to Tom. The poor girl
was so distressed and so confused in her
ideas that she found it hard to express
exactly what she meant-if, indeed, she
knew herself; and her vague notion OF
making restitution for the past seemed to
him nothing short of absolute folly.
"You will make me think presently" he
said, "that you would really be glad to have
him back"
"If had him back" said Susie, 81 should
go down on my knees to him and beg his
forgiveness, and it would be a comfort to
me to do it,"
81 think, after that speech, I had better be
off," said Tom.
But he could not yet make up his mind to
60 away. He was torn by the conflicting
emotions of faith in her love-which her
words had shaken but not destroyed-and
dismay at the seeming impossibility OF
bringing her over to his way of thinking;
he regarded her scruples with amazement,
and considered her treatment of him en-
tirely unjustifiable; but through it all he
loved her so distractedly that he was ready
to forgive her anything and everything,
provided she would only consent to marry
him.
"Susie," he said at last" | do think
have right to insist upon plain answer
to my question and in all our talk haven't
been able to get it from you yet. Do you
love me now or not?"
No answer.
"Susie, you must tell me. Itisn't treating
me right to put me off all the time. Come
now, tell me honestly, yes or no?"
"Tom, what good will it do for me to an
swer you that?"
"It will do this much good, that it will at
least settle one point in my mind; and if
YOU do love me, Susie, and will tell me SO,
1 will wait gladly as long as you bid me,
until you can overcome your scruples-
which l confess l don't understand-and
will name time for marrying me. Now
think that's dealing fairly by you, isn't it?
1t does seem hard to me, everything con-
sidered, that must wait; still ia rather
do it than hurt you by pressing you against
your will. Come, answer me once for all,
Susie-do you love me?'
eff answer you," said Susie faintly,"
will you go away now-at once ?'
"I suppose so--if you order me to-"