The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-04-24
He fushed, but answeroa a4a.a.,-

"hen Will you marry ne2'
Never" she said in low voice.
u say you shall!" and he crushed bar
suaoenly In his arms and kissed her
nalr' eyes and lips. 81 love you-I love
you! Why, 10, we were made for each
other' admire your brave little soul.
wnlch never fears me! Why, 1 never
ioFeu any woman as love you. l was
neerothed to my wife in childhood. II
was family arrangement. We had a
quiet hiking for one another, nothing
more"
Do you mean to say" said 10. nusb-
ing him away breathlessly "that won
never told any other woman that YOU
loved her?'
Vane burst into an nirrepressible laugh.
What little goose you are, Jo! Men
make love to women because they like
it." --f-'
is that why you have made love to
me?" demanded 10, grimly.
Good heavens! 10, you know better.
ask you to be my wife-to reign queen
OF my heart and homel My darling-nny
little, darling, will you come? viii YOU
De mother to my little boy, who loves
you so we'll?
His voice was dangerously sweet and
winning.
Il can mott dare mott" cried 10, des-
peratetely, clinehing her fists. 81 shall
go away from here tomorrow"
''Preposterous!" he exclaimed, throw
ing himself away from her and striding
| across the room.
You shall not go away from me into
the great, cruel world. I'll put you un-
der lock and key"
She smiled at him through her tears.
Look here, Jo," he said, coming to a
stand-still before her, suppose prom
lse to reform-will you marry me? What
degree of perfection must man obtain
In order to become your husband?"
This with sarcasm.
She met his angry, cleaning eyes
steadily.
The man whom / marry must not
spend his life in selfish destination.
neither must he ride headlong over all
the gifts W hich God has bestowed upon
him. Think what God made you," she
added, passionately. '"Think what you
have made yourself.
show can you come before your little
boy, carrying all the aroma of debauch-
cry, when you might make hero of
yourself for him to reverence and to pat
tern after? When you have conquered
your vices l will be your wife, for l do
love you, even better than you dream,
and it breaks my heart to see you so
scornful of all thatis good and pure
''How do you know that?' he inter
rupted. 81 am not scornful of this good
and pure little woman. You have little
faith in me, Jo, that is plain; but will
astonish you.
Tomorrow you shall go, as you
choose-for can find you wherever you
go and when / have exercised the dew
lis which have possession here, / will
come for my reward. Only, remember,
if find any other man has usurped me
/ shall make small matter of shooting
him."
Jo laughed miserably, she was quite
sure in her own mind that she should
never see him again.
She turned blindly away, but he de-
tanned her.
''What, going without another word?
Without goodbye kiss? go to town
tonight, and shall not return until after
you are gone. Kiss me farewell, Jo!''
She lifted her pale and trembling lips.
gave him her first kiss, and sped away,
fearful lest her resolution should falter
under the light of his dark eyes.
Five years passed away.
For a year, yes, two years, 10 kept
alive desperate flicker of hope in her
heart.
She never heard of Julian Yane's long
long months of battle with his evil
spirit.
What she heard of him were his oc-
casiona1 back-slidings, when he reck-
lessly plunged into every kind of dissi-
patton.
He never came to her, although she
was in the city and he knew it, and at
last 10 gave up her dream of happiness
and tried to forget it and him.
She left the city, drifted here and
there as fortune seemed to beckon, now
sewing, now teaching, until at last she
IOunu u6ISo41 1uSbd11Su Iu16bEGSS vi d 1lb-
tie school in struggling California set
tlement known as Devils Creek.
1t was a pleanant spot, in spite of its
name, and Jo began to think herself set
tied for life. Until an annoyance arose
in the shape of big, burly rough, known
as Jerry Galore, who had conceived vio-
lent passion for the quiet, sad-eyed lit
tie Schoo1-masano
He followed her everywhere, made |
desperate love to her on every occasion,
sent her badly spelled notes, until she |
finally began to fear him.
One night she was delayed after school |
by some reports she wished to fill out.
The school-house was in lonely |
place, nearly mile from any other
building; and, looking up from her
writing presently, she was alarmed to
see Jerry Galore leering at her from the
doorway.
AS she sprang to her feet he stepped
over the threshold, closed and locked
the door.
'sWhat do you mean, sirg' she de-
sternly. sStand aside: I wish
to pass