Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1890-08-28
needing her words:

marriage yet, out you are not too Young
to love, to promise me that in the full,
ness of time you will become my wife, p
oh, no, no, mol" she sobbed; Cru.
pert, you know not what you ask Let
me go away at once; forget mel / can
aaeUey' be your wife!"
He struggled to his feet and stood
leaning one hand upon the back of his
chair.
"Gracie" he cried, "let me know the
truth at oncel If you love another,
say so and / will never trouble YOU
again"
MOI she exclaimed, looking him
frankly in the eyes, Il love no living
man as | love you; but / warn you to
crush your love for me in the bud, for
1t can bring nothing bns misery and
modification to us both"
What do you mean?"
You promised to ask me no aues-
tons about my past if ] came here, y
she retorted, responsibility.
And | have kept my promise, )" he
answered proudly; II would not listen
were you to tell me; / accept you with
your secret untold, and to the day OF
my death | will never question you. /
only ask you now why / should not love
you?"
'On account of my past
But l tell you that the past is past !,
whatever it may have been, l care not !,
so long as no other man has claim on
your love, will love yourl''
His outstretched hands were about
a. clasp her in their fond emlrs.oe,
wien she took a backward step and held
up her hand warnincly.
"Wait!" she said Rupert, we have
gone so far now that I will make YOU
some explanation; if it influences you
against me, we'll and good; 1 cannot
complain against my fate. My past has
been one of darkness and horror; it has
been Swallowed by crime and stained
by innocent blood, but as God is my
Judge, am innocent!"
81 knew It'll"
wait! For reasons that refuse to
explain, the burden of that terrible
crime rests upon my shoulders, and
there it shall rest unto my dying day 7"
GIVE me the right to bear my share
of It'll" he cried passionateEy: "I only
ask you to let me love you blindly, in
ignorance of all !"
And could you love me? Could YOU
swn wife with nameless faint upon
her fair fame, with the shadow of an
unknown crime forever hanging above
her head ?" she asked TREMENDOUSLY.
"Yes! / could love you, could make
you my own darling wife though hell
itself yawned before me-"
ooh, Rupert! you ofter-me too much.
l can hardly believe so great happiness
is to be mine. Only few short min.
utes ago and was, of all Gods crea.
lures, the most miserable, and now
He folded her to his manly breast
while she sobbed out the. remnant OF
her dead misery.
And so the happy days went on, sun
Lit with perfect love that of itself bred
the inevitable storm.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Detective Bancker
went about his duties, and within the
allotted forty-eight hours he dropped in
at the Brevoort House.
Good evening, Mr.. Boyden," began
the detective.
"Well, what news?" demanded Boy.
den, eagerly, ignoring the salutation.
II am upon the trail of the young
woman" replied Mr.. Bancker.
Good! is she in the city?"
"What city,"
This city-New York, of course"
That l cannot say positivelyat pres.
ent."
"Then can't see that your informa.
ton amounts to much" snapped Boy.
den, in disappointed tone.
That is according as you choose to
regard it"
We'll, what have you discovered ?"
That the girl Grace Garland came
over in the Oregon, and was brought
ashore in the Fulda."
Il could have told you as.much as
that"
"That she landed" went on Mr.
Bancker, coolly, "and left the pier in
company with young portrait painter
of the name of Rupert Arnim."
"Is he New orker?"
HE is, sir"
What is his address?"
You can find it in the directory; he
lives in Harlem"
Have you Swallowed him ?"
mo, sir"
"Have not ascertained whether the
girl is in his house?"
"No, sir"
"And pray, why not?"
For the reason that intend to drou
the case just here"
What do you mean ?"
"That I have a new and more i'm.
portant lay to pipe"
"Oh, indeed! Very we'll, / suppose
that finishes our intercourse"
For the present, certainly" re.
marked Mr.. Bancker with intention.
Forever retorted Boyden. "You |
may instruct your chief to send me his
oil for your services, but permit me tc |
say that | do not think your work has
oeen much credit to you"
Perhaps not, sir Then with
,omical twinkle of his keen eyes the
detective added: How about that little
tottceur?"
"Douce,sr!" cried Boyden; "what
loucetr2"
The one you promised sir"
II promised no douceur until Won
,ad forp1 fba r,,rJ 49,