The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-04-13

nave b''h betrayed INTO 4 dlSiDHaltY and
come Il r.new yoGrallrgjdnrr, or is it
Oecaus you wish 10 leave me ,"
His voice sounded deep and hoarse as
be sa.i thr few las; words
She s;ppl uncertain, and then said:
"ch, !e: lur %. ! want you to let me
90. ] am mot worthy OF You - not the
woman whom you should marry. Let
me 20 Ralph ="
lie rose and said, GIVE me tonight
TO think. ! cannot answer you so sud
denly. My life turns on it, and yours
also. Tomorrow morning you shall have
my answer Then he left her.
That night made It's mark on those
three souls, however differently it was
passed; Tor love and passionate grief,
sorrow and disappointment brand them
selves in5cIihy on all human things upon
whom they fall.
The next morning early Ralph sought
the cottage. Amy he said, Il have
thought for you and for myself. and NAV
God do - 10 me and more also ii aught
but death part thee and me-"
She shuJ1crel n his worls q, II she
were hearing Ia. scntrucc OF death prof
npunccd upon her. lie took no note o.
it, but went on in the sane inI.Niblc
way:
"It is better for yaa. for rs hoth, that
You should bc my wife. Listen To- me.
' lflt'f lltNNsiihl G-tllllbl. VIII ltI- SHOULD
say. marry YOU. You are fragile and
v0ung-a a woman who most cmihaticallv
needs a strong arm To iight lor her and
protect her. Here you cannot stay if our
engagement Is broScn and ! 20 away
lou Wiil 70 forth intD the world 10 fight
an unequal battle and succUmb. This is
vour only Informative | love YOU, and [
think understand YOU. Lii" with me viii
develop YoUT stronger sell. The cner-
waiting atmosphere OF luxury in which
these people live, the climate itself, are
inIulous To vou-a plant of northern
growth. With me You viii be braccd
and made strong, and ! can make YOU
love me. Tins i all mist, lhi- fancy OF
vour-, and the sun viii melt il AWAY.
have decided. ! viii not release YOU
You can break with me, forfeit your
word, and the burden OF a broken promise
viii rest on YOU always. ] trusted YOU,
and now you have failed me- but | still
trust myself. l am sure, and am stead
last. ] VIII marry you II you viii keep
VOHr word -
He looked bold and strong, almost
noble a. hc spoke these wolds and stood
upright ana inloNible before her.
She looked at him, and her whole soul
gave way. She did not love him. but She
was unable To- resist hm his strong will
had met her feeble cnc and jIaIuplcd it
under foot. She felt this, and hc iylt il:
and at that instant when their souls
seemed TO be illuuInated bv "A sudden
light, the light in his eyes that cleaned
upon her. WAS that al power, not OF love
and hers gave back only a dull reflection
OF submission. Her heart had rccOiied
from meeting her conqueror.
"WcN, Amy" he said, will you keep
your word ~
81 ,cW," she said.
"Ihrn, one thing more: You will write
TO Mr.. Heyward and tell him the truth
as YOU told me ~
Yes" She said, Il viii. I must do
that
@Do it now, then. I viii see that he
gets il, and then II is all over. DO not
fear Il quarrel between us / would not
consent to quarrel with him"
LET me write - she said and he led her
to a table where there were pens, ink, and
paper
She drew a sheet toward her, wrote
few words, and then said as if she was
stunned and weary: write Tor me, or
tell me what 10 say"
He wrote the note, which She copied
as if mechanically till the last words,
when she shivered and added few
words, which he let pass. The note ran
thus: q write TO tell YOU that | have de-
t,rmined To marry Mr. Hoicombo This
being 80, l need scarcely say that il is
better that we should not see one another
again. Mr.. Holcombc forgiveS the wrong
l have done him, and l am ready and
wiling To keep my promise to him. Gol
could never have married me, and il is
better for Yon as we'll rs for me that this
should be the end Of our summers dream
Believe that / shall always wish Won
we'll and here she added, "and believe
above all that loved You" She signed
it, and il WAS done, Ralph drew her to
him, held her tight against his heart fora
momcnt-s.lid, "Amy, you shall be hap
py," then lett her.
,n;t ni.at Victor Howard LETT his
HON 81 idcnly saving he would return
in lew DAYS but they grew 10 hc weeks,
dnd Ee did not come. Raipa urged on
! his wedding and when three weeks had
| gone ~ they We're made man and wife.
! Ii was very pretty wcdding-thc bride
| little paivr, the groom perhaps tritie
| stcTncr than bridegroom are Won't T. ue :
but still all went WEI. and smoothly. The
| summers glory Gas over, the carly au-
tumn had some, and there was but lttlo
! eI thG southern wealth ol color and per-
i..me about tlc day that saw them mar
/ rled. RalBa liked it better So. and ANY
thought II did not matter. They went
away 10 their new home, and found it
awaiting them simple and modest, but
very fresh and full Of comfort. W. old
Mrs. Holcoplbe at the door, nil sobe,,
| gray and brown.
/; Inree months after Amy was sitting,
alone at twilight, wirvl. the door OF her
little parlor opened and a man entered
abruptly; it was Victor Hayward. She
| put her hand up, as an involuntary i'm
! pulse bade her, to keep him from her
| He stood still and looked at her eagerly
and long. His face was haggard and
worn, and she saw that he was trembling
with agitation.
amy" he said, II thought I could not
live any longer without seeing YOU. 1t
seemed rs If it would give me life again,
and | have come. / have travelled since
the thought came 10 me day and night
do not know why. Are you angry with
| me, Amy?"
He spoke so humbly and sadly, that
she could not speak harshly 10 him.
| Victor, you should have spared YOUR
self-havc spared us both this trial We
can never be anything TO one another.
! Why did You come here? / am married
| happily married. Do not come to raise
| ghosts about me"
lie raised his head and said eloomilv,
"No, | should not have come here. You
are happy, you say You forget easily,
more easily than l can do. Oh. AMY,
my love, why did you ever come here.
| Why did yon not marry me- me who was
your real lover ?"
She flushed with resentment. "NIr
Hayward" she said, spare me needless
insult. That you did not ask me to
marry you was perhaps the fault of cir.
cumStances rather than your own"
WHAT he cried "Amy, Amy, what
are You saying? / insult you? l not ASK
you 10 marry me ? God in heaven! What
did the letter Holcombc gave YOU from
me say Did it not lay my fortune ant
my hand at your feet ? And YOU did mo-
condescend to refuse them, save 10y YOU
silence"
She looked into his eyes, saw that h,