San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-10-22

but lima neid MS neart, ana Win low
cry of pain chung to him, pressing her
golden head against his breast.
"No, no." she said passionately, "you
shall not put me from you? You have
done me no wrong to love me and teach
me-ah, you could not help that ito love
you. Heaven will not curse you'll will
not believe it,"
'Hlma, lima, hear mev
ono, mop she cried again. "Even II
the curse be true, you cannot save me" =
and noble triumph shone in the large
clear eyes that gazed now fell into his
for | love you, and must now suffer
with you. Your fate must be mine,
Philip, whether for veal or woe; and, oh,
it would be a thousand times better to die
with you than to live without youw
"Hush, hush, darling, you break my
heartV But he strove no more to put
her from him, folding her closer and closer
to him. "Why should be exempt from
the curse that has been on all my house
for three hundred years; though indeed
such q love as yours, lima, might redeem
the blacklist doom that ever fell on man?
Child, listen to me. was yet a youth
when l vowed that no innocent life should
suffer for my love; and 1 believe that 1
could live my life without love. Once-it
was years ago-I saw one whose face was
fair enough to linger in my thoughts; and
l feared and would not see her again; and
soon almost the bare memory of that face
passed away. Since then l have seen
many fair women in many countries, but
not one who could win me to break the
VOW had made. But, when saw you,
knew for the first time the force Of the
power that had thought more under my
own control. 1 was master Of my own
heart no more. There was one being in the
world, through which had wandered so
many years, who was to enter into my life
and make 1t her own; and that one was
golden.haired child, with cloudless eyes
that spoke to me language they were not
conscious of uttering."
He paused a moment; his voice failed
him; but lima whispered softly
alt is so sweet to think that it was my
lot first to win your heart, Philip, and
that even on that morning when you saw
Inc on the river bank you gave me what
must ever be mine."
"Ay," he said bitterly; shut 1 should
have been stronger. did struggle, Heav-
ell knows, to conquer, but not till had
madly flung myself into temptation-till
l had sought you defying my fate, and
giving my whole heart to you; and then,
when 1 believed you loved me, Ilma-ah
forgive me for the cruel test put you to,
and never blush, now dear one, that your
heart betrayed truth it did not recognise
Il thought the last cord that bound me
had snapped. Yet made no more effort
to be true to myself. On that last evening
that l saw you 1 resolved to keep away
from you'll would try to discover whether
your love was but girls fancy-and in
one second Of time all was swept to the
winds Of heaven, save only my love for
you. And now must your dear life be
sacrificed for mine? Oh, lima, when you
will not believe my evil fate, it is your
great love that speaks! But, even so, is
my guilt the less in winning you!-for
cannot plead doubt"
'"Guilt?" The girl almost smiled. "Your
heart, L think, spoke better in that than
your reason. You know am not an utter
sceptic, Philip. l was at first; but, after
what heard, l could be so no longer. But
why Is there only one reading to the full
flment OF the prophecy? You all allow it
to be ambiguous, yet believe that it can
point only to the extinction of your house,"
" Life for life,'" repeated Darrell;
''and gladly would my life be laid down
for you, lima; but, even then, should not
bring to you bitterest wOe?"
"Woe to which death were happiness"
said the girl passionately. "But, Philip,
life is given by will US by deed; may not
that be the expiation?" b..
Sir Philip started violently.
81 cannot dare not think it," he said
hurriedly. "No, the hope were too
bright"
"You have lived so long, Philip, in the
shadows that the light blinds your eyes;
but, come life or death, | am still yours"
"Not to share death-just Heaven for
bidp he said, looking upwards.
:, "Philip, Philip, what are the mere years
of existence when all is gone that makes
life more than time"
Darrell gazed down wonderingly at the
exquisite face through which the woman's
soul shone so clear and strong. Was this
the happy careless child he had seen but a
few days before dancing in the sunshine,
without it would seem, a thought for the
morrow?
"Oh, my heart, my heart" he said,
with ineXpressible sadness, al have
robbed you of your happy childhood, and
have given you in exchange love that
must pierce you like 4 two-edged swordw
"But, ah, the joy with the pain !" she
whispered, hiding her face. "And is not
one hour more of earthly happiness worth
long years of dull content"
"Dost thou so love me, darling?"
He could say no more, but bowed his
head on hers again in silence; and he was
almost won to her faith, and the bitterness
almost passed away in the glory of her