The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-10-16


he had never shown any pursuit of her
that could be construed into deliberate
courtship. she had been conscious of a
centered on herself She had resented
it tacitiy, at times with an underlined
nervousness which filled her with anger
against herself She was fired with a
constant wish to tell him how very
poor was the opinion she had of him.
Now, as he stood regarding her with
folded arms. these indefinite feelings
rolled up within her with complex
force that broke at last in articulate
words. If only he would not stare SO
how thankful she would be!
Il don't know quite what you mean, ;"
she rejoined. tersely and coldly. upon
his last speech. No one could make
this predicament itself anything but
unwelcome. 1t is not question OF
personal taste or distaste."
He laughed little. shortly.
'Ah! you are begging the question,
Miss Redwood"
She flushed haughtily.
II never do that. If you must know
will know-the truth. have no re-
spect for your views of life-no. And
l Judge man by his life" announced
this uncompronising young medical
student.
You are severe!"
II don't think | am unjustly so."
Her large eyes flashed upon him in the
deepening darkness with indignant
fearlessness. II simply have no re-
spect for men who live in luxurious
Incidence on this toiling, writhing
earth. where countless millions work
and suffer! Still less for men who cul-
tivate the reputation of Don Juans and
Lovelaces."
A silence fell between them. Ham
mond could no longer distinguish
clearly the features of her face. The
rain had cooled the air. and with the
advent of night certain chilliness had
crept into the bare, e,high-perched tower
room. Now and again soughing
gust of wind circled the massive stone
walls about them and died away in a
'murmur of trees. At the foot of the
tower Virginia's mastiff barked shortly
and insistently.
Poor Donm murmured the girl,
softly.
She had seemingly almost forgotten
the man across the room. But she
started a little. imperceptibly, when
he spoke again. His face was quite
shrouded from her now, and she could
but Just discern the outlines of his
figure; but she was conscious of tone
in his voice that had never been there
before.
However scant your own respect
may be for a man whom you think of
as glorying in the final two epithets
you have used. l can prove to you that
such man is capable of greater re-
spect for good woman. on his side.
than you seem willing to credit. l had
not intended saying anything to you
now. But before we were liberated
from this niouse-trap Tomorrow it was
my determination to offer you my
name and hand-to ask you to be my
wife"
And 1 would have refused both gift
and request" answered the girl, slowly
and distinctly. II refuse now. | am
not SO afraid of what the world may
say. My life lines are to lie so far
from the scandalous gossips of so-called
society that can afford to be very in
different to any unjust blight that may
be cast upon my name by reason of
this miserable accident As man of
honor you might offer to marry me
such are the artificial codes of the thing
we call social life. But |. as Il woman
of honor, can marry no man in what
ever unfortunate position l may have
been placed who does not love me and
whom | do not love in return" Her
voice trembled.
And who tells you that l do not
love you?" asked Hammond. in COM
pressed accents. She felt him draw a
step nearer in the darkness. That l
should speak now is what / never
thought, never desired. But since one
word has been uttered the entire truth
may as we'll follow. l love you.
have loved you exclusively, devotedly,
passionately-since the first day l saw
you. You have avoided me, heaped
contempt upon me. l have but loved
you the more. You are the one love of
my life. l have wanted no other
woman for my wife. | want you.
You may treat me as you will now.
The day will come when you will
when you must-love me. l tell you
that-here-this moment. And there
will come time when you will re-
member my words. | am man who
is not afraid of the truth. When that
door crashed to. and | realised the posi-
ton in which you were unavoidably
placed. said to myself that this might
be my opportunity-that you might
now be shown what was in my heart,
and might consent to marry me. Was
this wrong? Will you judge me as
harshly for this as for all my other sup
POSITIONS misdemeanors? Love such
as mine for you makes its own law.
Do YOU not realise that? | may have
tasted too many of the bitter-s, cot
fruits of life, but | have never been d
base man nor dissipated one. And
now / want to be a better one than /
have been; to lead more useful. a
worther existence. 1t is you who
have inspired this wish. Aud if you vii,
in time love me. you can make of me
what you will"
She had heard him through to the
final word. but now her voice broke
upon the last passionate vibration of
his with vibration as passionate.
.And YOU call yourself an honorable
man and take such an occasion as this
to drive me to bay? You say such
words to me now-now-when | am
constrained to listen to ANYTHING you
may choose to utter? Is this time to
force love You have justly OWNED
would be distasteful on girl SO de-
fenceless against intrusion rs | am at
this instant? But YOU have already
declared that you thought this II
strangely happy opportunity! At least
you are candid in unmasking your soul
and your views, Mr. Hammond! Let
me be equally candid and assure you
that even had l some feeling of
possible liking for you-which is never
the case-this scene, the unmanly and
ungentlemanly advantage you have
taken OF my position. would be more
than sufficient to kill outright not only
such feeling. but the last lingering
spark of respect might have enter-
tanned for you in the bargain!"
Che r,a ,apd an che now for tho irSt