The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-07-13

calm enough, but her heart beat fast beneath
her breast.
II want to ask you," he said, speaking
slowly and thickly, "if you will be my wife.n
Beatrice opened her lips to speak; then,
seeing that he had only paused because his
inward emotion checked his words, shut
+ them again and went on digging little holes.
She wished to reply on the whole case, as a
lawyer would say.
81 want to ask you," he repeated, Ito be
my wife. ! have wished to do so for some
years, but l have never been able to bring
myself to it. 1t is great step to take, and
my happiness depends on it. Do not answer
me yet" he went on, his words gathering
force as he spoke. Listen to what | have to
tell you. | have been lonely man all my life
! At sea | was lonely, and since l have come
into this fortune have been lonelier still
never loved anybody or anything till began
/ to love you. And then loved you more
and more and more, till now have only one
thought in all my life, and that thought is of
you. While am awake think of you, and
when l am asleep dream of you. Listen,
Beatrice, listen! l have never loved any
other woman. | have scarcely spoken to
one-only you, Beatrice. | can give you a
great deal: and everything l have shall be
yours, only should be jealous of you-yes,
very jealous"
| Here she glanced at his face. It was out
wardly calm, but white as death, and in the
blue eyes, generally SO placid, shone fire
that by contrast looked almost unholy
81 think that you have said enough, Mr..
Davies she answered. II am very much
obliged to you l am very much honored,
for in some ways / am not your equal; but l
do not love you, and I cannot marry you,
and think it best to tell you so plainly, once
and for ALL and unconscioCsly she won't Oh
digging the holes.
''Oh, do not say that" he answered, almost
in moan. ''For Gods sake don't say that!
1t will kill me to lose you, think should go
siad Marry me and you will learn to love
me-"
Beatrice glanced at him again, and pang
of pity pierced her heart. She did not know
it was SO bad case as this. 1t struck her,
too, that she was doing foolish thing from
worldly point of view. The man loved her
and was very eligible. He only asked of her
what most women are willing enough to give
under circumstances so favorable to their
well being-herself But she had never liked
him, he had always repealed her, and she was
not woman to marry man whom she did
not like. Also, during the last week this dis
like and repulsion had hardened and strength
ened. Vaguely, as he pleaded with her,
Beatrice wondered why, and as she did SO her
eye fell upon the pattern she was automatic
ally priczing in the sand. 1t had taken the
form of letters, and the letters were
GEOFFR e. Great heavenl Could that
be the answera She blushed crimson with
shame at the thought. and passed her foot
across the tell tale letters, as she believed,
celebrating them.
Owen saw the softening of her eyesand saw
The blush, and misinterpreted them. Think
ing that she was relenting, by instinct rather
than from any teaching of experience, he at
tempted to take her hand With turn of
the arm, so quick that even Elizabeth watch
ing with all her eyes saw nothing OF Inc
movement, Beatrice twisted herself free.
Don't touch me-" she said sharply; ''you
have no right to touch me. have answered
you, Mr.. Davies"
Owen withdrew his hand abashed, and for
a moment sat still, his chin resting on his
breast, very picture of despair. Nothing,
indeed, could break the stolid calm of his
features, but the violence of his emotion was
evident in the quick shivering of his limbs
and his short, deep breaths.
Can you give mo no hopeT" he said at last
in q slow, heavy voice. ''For Gods sake,
think before you answer; you don't know
what it means to me. 1t is nothing to you
you canno; feel 1 feel and your words cut
like a knife know that am heavy and
stupid, but l feel as though you had killed
me. You are heartless, quite heartless."
Again Beatrice softened little. She wa!
touched and flattered
Surprising l should say yes to you," sh,
said to him, "supposing that married you
not loving you, what would it be forl Fol
your money and your position, and to b
called a married woman, and what do 20,
suppose should think of myself in my hear
then! No, no, may be bad, but have no
fallen so low as that. Find another wife, Mr.
Davies; the world is wide, and there ar,
f, plenty of women in it who will love you fo
; your own sake, or who at any rate will no
be so particular. Forget me, and leave me t.
go my own way-it is not your way"
: Leave you to go your own way" he an
swered almost with passon-''that is leav
you to some other man. OIL l cannot bea
; to think of it. 1 am jealous of every ma,
who comes near you. Do you know hov
> beautiful you are? You are too beautiful
, every man must love you as do. Oh, if yo,
took anybody else think that / should xii
!. him."
do not speak like that, Mr. Davies, or
o shall 60"
lie stopped at once Don't go,n he said
!. imploringly. Listen You said that yol
= would not marry me because you did no
: love me. Surprising that you learned to low
: me, say in a years time, Beatrice, would yo
marry me thenla
Il would marry any man whom loved,
she answered.
''Then if you learn to love me you vii
marry ne?"
"Oh, this is ridiculous" she said sit j
i not probable, it is hardly possible, that sue
q thing should happen. II it had been gon
= to happen it would have happened before"
at might come about he answered.; "you
y heart might soften towards Inc. Oh, say ye
. to this 1t is small request, it costs yo
. nothing and it gives me hope, without which
q cannot live. Say that may ask you one
: more, and that then if you love me you wi
marry me-"
y Beatrice thought for moment. Such
:, promise could do her no harm, and in tn
! course of six months or year he might &C
;, used to the idea of living without her. Also
4 it would prevent scene. 1t was weak of hel
but she dreaded the idea of her having refuse
. Owen Davies coming to her fathers ears.
= ''lf you wish it, Mr.. Davies she said, IS
:. be it. Only ask you to understand this,
:, am i'll no way tied to you. | give you n
g hope that my answer, should you renew tn
= offer year hence, or at any other time, wi
differ from that give you today. do nc
y, think there is the slightest probability {
q such thing Also, it must be understood