The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-09-15
in return

She looked at him an instant-a look of
inexpressible anguish and remorse-and
burst into bitter weeping.
This sobered him at once. He humbly
asked her forgiveness, and asked that she
would have patience with him.
81 have been blind and selfish" she said
when she could speak with composure. "But
have lived so long in solitude, that could
not deny myself the solace of human com.
panionship | told you once that / would
tell you more of my history. l find that !
can not. We must part, the parting must
be final, and desire you to forget me or re-
member me-only as you have known me.
What l am " may have been can be nothing
to you.n
"Neverr' he protested vehemently. 81
can not let you go. 1t is too late" Then
with sudden fear he asked her if she loved
some one else.
mo-" she whispered with a shudder.
"Do you care for me at ala"
81 can not tell you. Do not urge me any
| longer. l can only repeat what 1 have
already sad; we must part to night, and our
parting must be final. | know that yoi will
not force upon me an acquaintance l can no
| longer retain whatever l may desire. You
will respec my wish-no-not my wishes
but the inetorable destiny that stands be-
tween US"
Strangfod did not reply; his brain was in
a whirl, bit in all his bewilderment he
chung to tn, hope, or rather to the firm be-
lief that h, had the strength and patience
to finally overcome any other obstacle, or to
contend tiumphantly with any difficulty
that Nigh separate them for time.
| He passsd a sleepless night, and in a state
of feverih uncertainty and indecision, the
morning wore away.
That lie should submissively let her go
beyond Ill recall, or beyond reach of his aid,
should she ever need it, was impossible, so
Notwithstanding her request, repeated many
times he determined to see he once more.
] As he la ted again to let his horse drink
! at the wayside spring, his glance wandered
Ter the diverging roads-one winding up
the hillside, the other disappearing behind
the willows that friuged the bank of the
creek, and he recalled the day when he had
been impelled by his good or evil genius to
choose between them.
The few weeks had effected little change
in the landscape. That afternoon and this
were strangely alike, and he felt, for mo-
ment, as if he had returned empty handed,
to the starting point of some futile journey.
The same gray clouds yelled the sky;
there was the same hint of approaching
frost in the chilly air; he heard the same
sounds-the whirr of the grasshoppers, the
chirping of the crickets in the grass, the
barking of dogs and the lowing of cows from
distant farms.
But there had been, within his own soul
tremendous and abiding change, and,
either in the happy conclusion of his ex-
perience, its rich fruition, or the dearth and
bitterness of denial new life was before
him.
He halted at the Aliens gate, his fieeting
Encouragement succeeded by fresh hope
and renewed determination inspired by the
consciousness of being again in Margaret's
presence. He felt rather than saw that she
was in her old place behind the vines. At
the same moment he caught the penetrating
odor of cigar. Then he saw man sitting
beside her tilted back in his chair. His