Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1889-06-29

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wear the blossoms in her hair and IN ner
bosom-he has seen them there twenty
times.
An idiotic, sentimental desire steals over
Carol to possess himself Of ono Of toese
roses, they cleaned SO white and son IN
the moonlight. climbing up to lay tnei coy.
faces against her window-silL 1t 10 sucn
an innocent theft-he could snatch II IN
seen. for the house is quite dark and sun;
and she is asleep up there. God bless nerI
She would never know it II he spranR over
the garden wall. So
Half ashamed of his folly. hall eager.
Page strides across the dewy lawn Jumps
the belt of fiower-beds. and crosses the
white gravel path. and in second Is stano-
ing under her window.
It is wide open. but there is no light In
there. and Hark! was that her voicef
His heart gives a wild. hot throb and
stands still. as a sharp. piteous vail OF pain
catches the words. keen and distinct:
L tell you it would kill me! Oh. mother.
do you want to break my hearth
Page Carol ought to turn away md go.
but for the life of him he cannot stir. There
is the low, indistinct murmur Of an older
voice, and then his blood thrills again at
that passionate. sweet one. hall choKeo
with tears:
I can't do 1t. Let me have my own way.
will be happy just little while longer.
Oh. mother. mother. do love him sol
That broke the spell. and Page Carroll.
burning with shame. on fire with q feeling
that he could not define. turned sharply
and dashed away as II he were flying for
life.
The rose lay on the grass in the moon
light-he thought no more OF roses that
night. 81 a., nc. =, .,o s. ,orr, ;. i, ID
to hear four words rung over and over
nothing but four words. in every key OF
passion, melting into a caress. or wailing
into a cry. only that maddening confession
that carried with it. God only knew what
meaning for him. Il love him SOL No more
rest for Page Carol until he had heard
those words again. with one sweet dill
ference.
For awhile he never even remembered
what else had caught his ear. but it came
back to him with dim trouble when the
fever in his veins had cooled little.
What did it mean? He had no right to
wonder or to think Of it at all. that broken
fragment of some secret never meant for
his ears. Its very recollection seemed to
dishonor him. and yet he could not drive
it away. The burden of great sorrow lay
upon her image nova blow hanging over
her that would break her heart II 1t fell. and
he could not take it upon his own, or step
between her and the unknown danger.
1t maddened the man-it haunted him as
her sweet face did. and he had no rest from
that face day or night.
Page Carol had drifted far away from
the conventional woman; hour by hour he
was floating further and further from the
traditions OF his education and birth into
an ocean of doubt and wonder. and every
thing but distrust-that ugly shadow never
darkened Alice Berkeley's image" mystery"
though she might be to the carping little
world wherein he met her.
And he had begun to think that 1t did
MT off n VI n,
tional barriers she might have raised or
broken down. SO long as her own pure self
was there-the loveliest woman on earth to
him. and the hottest, be she aristocrat or
rOturiere.
He haunted the out of-the- way places
along the beach that he knew she fire.
quented. and smoked uncounted cigars in
the wood near Holiness Place" and at
last, one lazy, hot afternoon, down by the
sea. he came upon her. quite alone. when.
for the first time, she showed no desire to
escape him.
She sat on the sands. with her face turned
seaward. and he lounged beside her. and
they talked for few minutes as common
place people do-very fast and easily. Then
the words tagged little. and then they fell
into long pauses, and at last into silence
that grew harder and yet more hard to
break: when each one was afraid to look
into the others eyes: and so they both
looked out to sea.
1t was Carol who spoke first.
You have not been ill, have you? You
have not walked here for SO many days!'
NO" she answered. simply.
you. They said you were not we'll when
called at The Oaks. You look now as if you
had been suffering" he said, hurriedly, de-
vouring her face with yearning. unre-
strained eyes.
He saw the color rush into it with vivid
crimson.
lido I? How absurd! Yes. believe 1
had a headache. or was over-fatigued that
day when you called. / had forgotten it.
Isn't the sea perfect this afternoon. Mr..
Carol? never saw it so blue
-Don't!" cries Page. half fiercely. scarcely
at the sea- I came here-you know why I
came! Just to say three words-thar
love your
MIR. Carroll" she cries. swiftly rising.
and he starts up. too. and stands before
her. bareheaded. in the sunlight.
What can I say more that that?" he
asks. in deep. shaken voice: Other men
you'll My whole life and strength have gone
into my love for you: and il No. will
not lose you, my darling!"
Hush! oh. Mr.. Carol, for PHYS sake
don't speak to me SOL"
Il will not. If you don't wish it," he says.
uOWu Ills pftSSlOu anu CALMING Ills
voice with struggle that she cannot but
see; I'll wait until you answer me. Alice.
Only answer me quickly"
And he folds his arms over his breast and
waits. pale and eager. for the words that
inger long on Alice's lips.
The minutes pass. and only the wash of
the waves is heard filling up their silence.
why don't you speak to me?" he cries.
passionately. Alice. for Gods sake.
answer me! Will you be my wife?-
Your wife, she bursts into wild laugh.
You don't know what. or WHOM. you are
asking. There can be only one answer to
such question as that. You are hooking
yourself and me, too. Mr.. Carol
She takes a quick step forward as she
speaks. and as she hurrries on Carol
strides beside her. his colorless face growing
white with strong passion.
Il am asking the one woman-the only
woman on earth that / ever loved-to give
me all that care for on earthl never
loved until I saw you, Alice, and shall new
er have any wife but you-never!'
Il never can marry you! Oh. Mr.. Carol,
you are torturing me! You are mad to talk
of-of loving me-a woman Of whom you
know nothing-whose whole life is mys-
terry to you! You. man who has made q
god of his own pedigree and position. to
marry a nameless girl. whose life six weeks
ago YOU cannot guess att Let me pass on