Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-08-22
LINK BY LINK.
A THRILLING STORY OF THE
PRANOO-PRUSSIAN WAR.
CHAPTER XIII.
BY MAURICE LEGRAND.


Nor breath of love can shake Tor sigh can
bend.
GA, Dione.
SIX days passed. With the sew
- enth her tormentor sought her
again. His long absence had re-
lieved her. She thought he would
neither seek nor modest her more.
Had she known more of life, she
would have known also, that
stronger than the sweetness
and endurance of love returned, is the
pitiless pursuit of love scorned.
She had besought and prayed her
father to leave this place, but he
sternly refused She withheld herself
from his nightly assemblies, and kept
strictly to her own small dreary room,
but she could not escape her foe when
he chose that she should again see
him. 1t was noon when he called,
end her father summoned her to his
presence. Then, ere she could leave
the room, or utter remonstrance, he
locked the door, and she found herself
trapped and shared ere she was aware
of it. Like an enraged lioness she
turned on the man before her.
''Is it at your biddidg am treated
thus?" she asked, in "a voice that rang
clear and cold as the blows of steel on
iron.
He smiled--a cruel hooking smile
that dashed her rage to threefold fury.
at is; you will not hear me by fair
means"
And so you use force-a manly
action but after the chivalry dis
played in warfare by your country
men, it does not surprise me that you
have none left for women"
''You shall not anger me to-day"
he said cody. "Be as scornful as you
please. The lions claw is preferable
to the patte de velovs sometimes.
"What do you want with me?" she
asked abruptly.
'Much; but would have you listen
to reason in the first place. fear l
offended you on the last occasion we
met. l have come to entreat your
forgiveness.
"You are welcome to entreat it as
long as you please"
Without your granting it?'
Yes"
"You are very truthful, at all
events" he said, biting his lip angrily.
That may be. l have not been
educated in cities.
'But you must be friends with me, -"
he pleaded Listen, and you will see
how foolish you are TO brave and defy
my power. Do you know could yield
your father up TO the government of
his own country at any moment, and
give him the fate of a deserter and "a
traitorP On your head would his blood
be"
$40 do so would be but in keeping
with your conduct and character" she
answered. calmly as ever, though
every vestige OF color fled from her
face at the terrible threat.
''And more" he said, slowly and
sternly, with his ruthless eyes taking
in every sign of emotion in the young
face before him. II will have your
husband treated like dog, till he
dies a dogs death, and with his last
breath curses your name as the giver
of his tortures! Do you know what he
believes you to beg'
The gray shadows of desperation
fell over her, changing all her beauty
into the chill, colorless repose of mar
ble.s
'What vileness have you told him?"
she demanded. He laughed aloud.
"Oh, have touched you at lastP
Well, he thinks you what have made
you-the sharer of my wealth-the
mistress of my heart"
A cry of agony thrilled from her
very soul as she heard those horrible
words. "You have told him that"
she walled. "Oh, Heaven! are you a
man or fiend?"
Il am what my love for you has
made me-"
She threw herself at his feetin sud-
den paroxysm of weeping that shook
her as a storm-blast shakes sapling.
.'Ob, for Gods sake have mercy" she
cried. What have / done that you
should try me thus? But few short
months ago, l was glad hearted, in
nocent girl, and nOw-oh, now-tears
OF blood could not wash away the
memory OF my sufferings! and with all
/ am innocent still. i have not done
one wrong or shameful thing and
here you have made me in his eyes sc
vile, so infamous, that mover again
will his heart hold me one
tender memory, one gentle thought
You are q man-you had mother
once-can her memory not plead fol
me? What use would it be If / made
myself the thing you wish-if for your
wealth's sake / bartered my own sol,
possession? II you bought me as {
slave who hates her owner and des
pises her slavery For / loved once
but my love is all gone and given fol
all time, and never through the furth
est stretch of years live, can give
1t again. Oh, let me be, and spare
him Can you not sell your pity a
my pleadingsP"
"lou Will not sell your beauty a
mine"
"Oh, God, / cannot"
ssEven IN SNARE hie lifap Evan 4,