Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-04-27

STAY AND HEAR NE: MUST SPEAK"
but 1t seems you We're not told of it."
! Palette bowed, saying: mo, Miss Field;
saw Mrs. Norcross, who thought it best to
| speak to you first herself"
81 am happy to meet you, Mr.. Paletto,"
said Agnes. Il was just going out however.
at you see and l must ask you to excuse me
| this morning.
Oakkurst saw with a paug how silently,
but effectually, he was disposed of; down
| right rebuff would not have been so humiliat
ing. But he was not to be deferred from his
purpose, and he went on:
Pardon me, if l seem to overstep the
bounds of courtesy; but I cannot let you so
in this way, Agnes-for so l must call you
Stay and hear me. Now that see yon,
must speak. God only knows with what
anxiety l have sought you for the last
| month. -
She tried to answer. but could not COM
| mand her speech. Seeing her increasing
agitation, Palette led her to a seat, and
then, in a gentler tone than he often used,
said:
II will leave the room, if you please, Miss
Field; this is an interview that did not de-
sire to witness"
No." she exclaimed. do not go have
nothing to say that you should not hear and
l hope Mr.. Oakhurst Will spare me the pain
of going over history which is better for
gotten"
at can never be forgotten" interposed
Oakhurst; land, in spite OF your protest,
must say what | can-and that is little
enough-to exculpate myself, and then
throw myself upon your charity~for forgive
ness"
Agnes remained silent, but it was 81
ience that gave no encouragement to Oak
hurst. He advanced still nearer, looking at
her with a tender earnestness as though his
very soul were in the glance. She covered
her face with her hands
Agnes, he said, "you know what that
name once meant to me- l cannot speak il
now without feeling beyond utterance"
Palette, meanwhile, quietly sidled toward
the door, and, saying that he was going back
to see Mrs. Norcross, abruptly left the room
Oakhurst went on-"I know my conduct
was utterly inexcusable, but declare by my
hope of Heaven, l never loved any woman
but you. l was fascinated, ensnared, capt.
waited by the senses only; now that illusion is
past, and | turn to you"
"My allusion is past also; you turn too late
Can you make me forget those months OF
neglectr'
The tone was tender, but mournful How
he wished that her answer had been full OF
rebukel He could hope to overcome her an
ger far more easily than this settled sorrow
Il know | can never atone for the wrong;
there are injuries that are irrepsrable
wounds that leave ineffaceable scars can
never undo what | have done, would to
Heaven could You may never forget this
period of suffering; but that is past now; il
is not to be lived over again. Go bach
rather to the brighterdays before it; think OF
them, and then look down the future-may
dare say it?-the future, perhaps, will make
US both forget my insane wanderings and
your undeserved pains"
"But love must have faith to lean upon
While | loved you, rested on absolute trust
L would have believed you against all the
world. | would have been glad to share
your lot, even in poverty and obscurity. l
did not love you for your art or your fame
You wavered, you forgot me. l don't know
what it was that tempted you, but it was
enough; it drew you away from me; and a.
long as you preferred another, or could be
satisfied with any other woman's love, you
lost all claim to mine"
Oakhurst could not but feel the force OF
this direct, womanly logic; in its clear light
how pitiful were the excuses he had framed
of the best Of men, might have erred in the
same way; but this was an argument which
would have much more weight with his own
sex than with women. Men know their own
frailties and are therefore charitable; wo-
men consider Inconsistency to be the one I'M
pardonable sin, and are memorable.
He came still nearer, yainly hoping TO So
some indication of relenting; but the Iah
face was as firm as it was sad.
Il said before, Agnes, that | do not attempt
to defend my faithlessness, hardly to extern
uate it; and | do not at all wonder at your
altered temper toward me. 1t was cruel
blow / gave you. But my life shall show you
the sincerity of my repentance.
She shook her head as she answered. -
when you left me, the last spark of love
went out. 1t is hard to kindle anew ths
dead embers. No,-when | found that YOU
could be untrue, all was over,-past, present
and future"
'But consider, " he said, still more earnestly.
'what remains for you or me. You will
have the memory of this great sorrow, and
the unending remorse. l can never love
another woman while you live, and you-may
l say iti-will never love again as you have
loved Is it not for your own happiness, az
it is most assuredly for mine, that you over
look the fault, receive me again, and trust
to the lasting effect of the bitter lesson have
learnedi Forgive me-if | seem too box, III
the desire to atone for the past makes me sue
for pardon with unbecoming zeal II wers
less urgent, it would be because was not
sensible of the wrong, and careless about re
paration."
She was silent: contending passions strovs
for mastery. She had not forgotten him,
thenl He took courage and came yet
nearer.
will you give me your hand, Agnes, win
your
He reached his own toward her.
"No,-pardon mel must not. 1t is not
well to decide by impulse,-to be svayed By
a thrill. When my heart tells me to give you
my hand it shall be yours I don't wish te
be charmed out of my calner Judgment
Your presence, your fiery words, and your |
viii, are sufficiently magnetic"
my dear Agnes, / have bean guilty Of one !
folly, serious one but you don't believe ]
am incapable of constancy henoeforth Re |
member you were away; time hung heavily
on my hands: my good nature made mo 90 |
eept invitations which brought me into daily
contact with q woman who Of all others was 1
mos: dangerous to man Of ardent tempera-
nent. The friendship which began without /.
6 thought Of nearer relation grew into an !
intimacy which was not far-sighted enough /
to check. In your words, l was mag
netized, thoroughly; and when, at last, /
in scene Of imminent danger, rashly SAIL 1
some things that should not have been |
spoken, / found myself committed irrevoca-
bly,. It is not too much to say that the lady /
was looking for the opportunity which fate 1
and my own stupidity gave her. But the
spell did not last Your face was constantly
before me like accusing angel / waited
only until the lady recovered from danger
Gus illness TO tell her that I did not love her,
and that my heart, as well a. my faith, was
yours. / went at once TO see you, and found
y0fIr father dead yourself h0rnoiAss And