Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-02-06

w, ilpt IItAdIICNoIl.
Her voice trembled. Agitation, which it
was not pain but a luxury to feel, was
gently taking possession Of her Where an
other man might have seen that her tender
ness was getting the better of her discretion,
and might have presumed on the discovery,
this man. innocent!y blind to his own inter-
eStS, never even attempted 10 take advantage
OF her. No more certain way could have
been devised BY the most artful lover Of
touching the heart of a generous woman and
making 1t his own. The influence exerted
over Catherine by the virtues OF Bennydeck's
charactcr-his unaffected kindness. his man
" sympathy, his religious convictions so
deeply felt, 80 mOdcstly restrained from
Claiming notice-had been steadily increas-
nS IN the intimacy of daily intercourse
Catherine had never felt his ascendancy over
her as strongly a she felt it now. By fine
degrees the warning remembrances which
had hitherto made her hesitate lost their hold
on her memory. Hardly conscious herself
OF what she was doing, she began TO search
his feelings in his own presence. Such love
as his had been unknown in her experience; ;
the luxury Of looking into it and sounding it
to its inmost depths was more than the wo-
mans nature could resist.
Nou Wv JuSlICt,
she said Surely you don't regret having
felt for me so truly when | told you yester-
day that my old friend had deserted me?'
mo, indeed.'
DO you like to remember that you show
ell no jealous curiosity to know who my
friend waS?'
81 should have been ashamed of myself if
had asked the question"
I "A nd did Won bpliaya tbot bo1 ronI
motiye-a motive which you might yourself
have approximation not telling you the
name of that friend?'
rs he some one whom know?'
Ought you to ask me that after what
! have just said?'
Pray forgive me! spoke without think.
ing"
Il can hardly believe 1t when | remember
how you spoke TO Inc yesterday. / could
never have supposed, before we became ac-
quainted with each other, that 1t was in the
nature Of n man to understand me so per-
fectly, to be so gentle and so considerate in
feeling for my distress. You confused me
/ little, must own, by what You said after
ward. But am not sure that ought to be
severe in blaming you. Sympathy-I mean
such sympathy as yourS-sometimes says
more than discretion can always approve.
Have you not found it so yourselfY'
! II have found it so with YOU"
"And perhaps | have shown little too
| plainly how dependent l am on you-how
dreadful it would be to NE Ii lost YOU too,
as fricnd?'
! She blushed as she said it. When the
words had escaped her, she felt that they
might bear another meaning than the simple
meaning which she had attached to them.
He took her hand; his doubts of himself, his
needless fear of offending her, restrained him
no longer.
You can never lose me-" he said. ''if you
will only let me be the nearest friend that a
woman can have. Bear with me, dearest!
ask for so much; l have SO little to offer In
return; dream of life with you which Is
perhaps too perfectly happy to be enjoyed
on earth. And vet | cannot resign my de.
fusion. Must my poor heart always long for
happiness which is beyond my reach? If an
Overruling Providence guides our course
through this world. may we not sometimes
hope for happier ends than our mortal eyes
can See?"
He waited moment and sighed and drop
ped her hand. She hid her face; she knew
what it would tell him; she was ashamed to
let him see it.
Il didn't mean to distress you." he said,
sadly
She let him see her face. For a moment
only she looked at him, and then let silence
tell him the rest
| His arms closed round her Slowly the
! glory of the sun faded from the heavens, and
the soft summer twilight fell over the earth.
81 can't speak," he whispered; my happi-
ness is too much for me-"
a. NJ -
asked.
Gould think as am thinking now" he
said, 'if were not sure of it?'
Are You thinking of me"'
"Of yOu-and of all that you will be to me
in the future. Oh, my angel, II God grants
us many years to come, what perfect life
seev'
"Tell mc-what do you see?'
"a see husband and wife who are all In
all to each other. Ii friends come TO us, We
are glad to bid them welcome, but We arc al
ways heppiest by ourselves"
do we live III retirement?'
I'VE live where you best like to live
Shall 1t be in the country"
YES! yes! You have spoken of the sea
as you might have spoken of your best friend
we will be near the sea. But l must not
keep you selfishy all to myself. must re-
member how good you have been to poor
creatures who don't feel our happiness and
who need your kindness. Perhaps l might
help you. Do you doubt itr'
II only doubt whether ought to let you
see what have seen; | am only afraid OF
the risk Of making you unhappy. You tempt
me to run the risk. The help of woman
and Of such woman as you are-is the one
kI,tw 4 .A.l
succeed where my influence has often failed.
How good, how thoughtful, you would be!'
Il only want to be worthy Of you," she
said, humbly. when may l see your
homer
lie drew her closer to him; tenderly and
timidly he kissed her for the first time. ut
rests with you." he answered. "when will
you be my wifeY'
She hesitated; he felt her trembling. as
there any obstacleT' he said.
Before she could reply Kitty's voice was
heard calling to her mOther-Kitty ran up to
them.
Catherine turned cold as the child touched
her, eagerly claiming her attention.
The father, the living father, who had
such terrible reason Gf he ever knew it) to
call her to account, the false position which
1t was her first duty to have revealed TO the
true lover who trusted her. who had her
promise to be his wife-all that she should
have remembered, all that she had forgotten
In few bright minutes Of illusiOn-rose in
Judgment against her and struck her mind
PROSTATE In an instant when she felt the
touch of her child.
Bennydeck saw the change in her. Was
1t possible that Kitty's sudden appearance
had startled her? Kitty had something to
say, and said 1t before he could speak.
Mamma, want to 20 where the other
children are going. Susan's gone to her sup
per. You take me-"
Her mother was not even listening. The
child turned impatientIy to Bennydeck.
why won't mamma speak TO me?" she ask
ed. He quieted her by word. "You shall
go with me-" His anxiety about Catherine
was more than he could endure. pray let
me take you back to the house," he said. IL
am afraid you are not WELL"
Il shall be better directly. Do ME kind
ness-take the child"
She spoke family and vacantly. Benny
deck hestated. She lifted her trembling
hands In entreaty. II beg you will leave
me-! Her voice, her manner, made it i'm.
possible to disObey. lie turned resignedly
to Kitty and asked which way she wanted to
go. The child pointed down the path to one
of the towers of the Crystal palace, visible in
the distance. 1.-THE governess has taken the
others to see the company go away" she
said; II want to go, too"
Bennydeck looked back before he lost
sight of Catherine.
She remained seated In the attitude in
which he had left her At the farther end