Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-09-01

1 eyes grow set and troubled-did his heart begin to sink. Then, the gallant, knightly soul forbore importantly that might be persecution. If his suit dis ! tressed her for any cause whatsoever, he would await her disposition to hearken to the rest.
 Releasing her, he arose and stood a little space away, respectfully attending upon her pleasure.
 "I did not mean to impose all this upon reluctant ears," he said, when she did not speak. Her face was averted, her hands pressed hard together. The rust-brown bandeaux, rufied by the pressure of her head upon the pillow, gleamed in the dying sunlight like a nimbus. The slight, girlish figure was not Madonna's. It might be Mary at the tomb in Bethany before the ''Come forthr' was spoken. "A word from you will send me away" ! continued March, with manly dignity, eff you wish to dismiss me and the sub ject forever. l can not stop loving you, but can promise not to annoy you by telling you of love you can not re- ceive."
 Annoy mel" repeated the poor, stiff lips. Annoy me! You must surely know, MT. Gilchrist, that that is not a word to be used by you to meI'
 ''No?" coming a step nearer, eye kindling and voice softening.
 "You will let me try to overcome in- dl1ersnce, then-wil you not?"
 In the depth of her distress she appre- ciated the adroit twist he gave her an- swer. The corners of the pale mouth GtirrnA cfrnnrfh ell from her. She must be brief and de- cisive.
 If that were all" looking cour- ageously into the glowing eyes-"l would give a very different answer from the one you must accept without ques- tioning. know that can never give any other, unprepared though I was for what you have said. There are req sons not immediately connected with myself why I ought not to think for a moment of-the matter you were speak ing of You have paid me the greatest compliment man can offer woman. But while my sister and the children need me as they do now I must not think of leaving them, and I see no prospect of their needing me less for years and years to come. My sister opened her house to me when I was orphaned and homeless. l owe her more than l could make you under stand. She is peculiarly dependent upon me. Hester could not do without me. You have seen that. can not bear to think how she would suffer if | were to go away"
 In her desire to deal gently and fairly with him she had made a concession fatal to the integrity of her cause. He laid hold of it at once.
 Mrs. Wayt has husband; the chil- dren have a father. He is a man in the prime of life, whose talents are approved by the church. He is popular, and in the receipt of a good salary. Fairhill will probably remain Hester's home for many years to come. If this is all that separates us-Why, my darling!-'
 The strangest expression flashed over her face-a wild ecstacy of joy that gave place, the next second to anguish as wild. She put her hands over the tell tale face, and bent her forehead upon her knees.
 Don't! oh, don't!" she moaned. This is too hard! too cruell If you could only know all, you would not urge mel I did not think you could be so unkindv"
 "Unkind? To you, Hetty?"
 "No! no!' moved to tears by the hurt None, and hurrying over the words. "You could never be that to anybody much less-I can not say what wouldi"
 March knelt down by her, and raised h,r head with tender authority she could not resist. He wiped the tears from her face with his own handkerchief, smiled down into the wet eyes. Loving intimacy with his mother and sister had taught him wondrously winsome ways.
 "Listen to me, dear!" as he would ad- dress a grieving child. ''Some time, when you are quite willing to talk free ly to me of this awful 'all will prove to you how chimerical it is. Until then, nothing you can say or do can shake my purpose of making you my wife, in Cops own good time. We were made for one another, Hetty! have known that this great while. am positive I could convince you of it, if you would give me a chance"
 She arose nervously, her hands chafing one another in an action that was like wrlnging them in impatience or an- guish.
 'I must go, MT. Gilchristl It is wrong to allow you to say all this. Then, too, Hester will be uneasy and need me-"
 "Let me go with you and explain why you have outstayed your time," March suggested, demurely.
 "Wo could not have a more sympa- thetic confidante than Hester. And I must tell somebody"
 She looked frightened.
 "There is nothing to tell! There never can be. Can not you see?-haven't convinced you of this?"
 Mot in the least. Until you can lay your hand upon your heart-the heart you and know to be so true to itself and to others-and say, with tho lips that can not frame a lle-'March Gil christ, can never love you in any cir cumstances! shall not see this other never you articulate so fiercely. If you want to get rid of me instantly, and for all time, look at me and say it now Hetttyr"
 His lingering enunciation of the name she had never thought beautiful before.