The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-09-20
CHAPTER XVII.

| ing parent. even to the door of the DESC
| lated hone-all this though dates were can
| celed and the company idle. They did not
mention that salaries were not pad put
! what had that to do with it2 On, there
never was a star sc kind, so consIderate, SO
| good!
! The papers said all this and more. They
| said the season would be continued with the
| talented Miss Granite in the leading posi-
! ton. Then they sketched the talented MISS
! GRANTEES career, and gave an account OF
| her country nome which she had lett Tor
! course at the New York Lyceum OF Arts,
| her progress there, and SO on, very much
! like the other account. Poor Daisy slckeued
| at it ALL but Freda shut her teeth ana said:
"It's n good advertisement,
The last few weeks of the season dragged
! YEARLY. One-night stands were frequent,
| travel terribly hard. and Kildare saYageiy
| sullen. -,
"Snall you be with him next year, FIeda?"
| Daisy asked.
mo"
"Do YOU know what you shall do?"
"a dramatic agency has gotten me an
| offer in a stock in California"
shall YOU take it?"
think So" She covered her eyes
! moment then looking up, added steadily !;
/ - Stirknor isn't in ii.
"Oh, Fredai Shall you?"
~ shall give myself chance to be happy,
! dear though am not worth 1t.
| The last Sunday Freda sent Tor Kildare.
/ Her trunks were packed and her room bare.
I After a sharp knock he entered.
| 81 expected this before" he said.
What do you suppose waut?'
| " To close for next season..
al have already refused
| you did the same thing last season."
Freda WINGED
why not talk business on the train to-
| morrow" he added.
Il leave tonight
A A. !, a1 how
! sent to say Farewell sweet play-fellOw.'
| Dear Hernia, how touchingP
| Il have sent to know what Bird meant
| the night she died"
Kildare stroke his chin. He had paled
! little, but his eyes were cold and steady.
may as well tell you. 1t may alter
! your decisions in some directions. She
| thought herself my wife. The piece of pa
| per would have been misleading to unpre-
| JUDGED parties
EJeda stared at him. Then she said
hOarsely:
Have you no human nature in you?"
Very little, except what you can touch,
my dear.
She buried her face in her hands
Come! Give up fighting It," said Kill
| dare, his eyes cleaning. The girl who is
| dead need no longer stand between US. You
| have stood by her like your brave, loyal
| self, but she's gone. She was never any
1 thing to me, that you know. That is not
/ DEW tu Us. IIGud. QbAT Ou6, lis Lbll 10 your
| own better nature-listen to your heart"
| She rocked to and fro, but did not speak.
/ and he went Oh gently: You love me, you
always have, you always will. Some time
| you must come to me. Come now"
He stood beside her. his hand on her
! shoulder. His face was very grave.
u will no" she said through her clenched
| teeth.
BE in this the woman you are in every
| other way" he answered gently.
Il Will never marry any one"
You cannot marry, for you love me. Do
not wreck both our lives by stubborn ad-
! herence to a benigIted custom. Men and
women are not TO be tied together save by
unity of purpose and OF s0ul-Such bond is
! between US. You are mine"
| The girl moaned.
"You can do nothing; without me,b he
| said Il cannot 90 my best without you.
sap from you your strength. your life even.
| Place your hand II mine and all will be
| well, dear one"
! She beat her hands against her heart, an
! swering, mo, no"
You love me, he went on, "that should
| be your law"
She lifted her head and laughed, while
| tears wet her face.
How little you know.me after all; your
| vile or your sweetheart would be an equal
| degradation. My love shall not be my law.
| 1t is SO that every drop of red blood in me
! leaps at your touch; that at your voice the
heart in Inc crowds down to the place under
| your feet where all who love you must come,
| yet know my love is the law Of the worst
| in me. Weak as my woman heart is, l tell
1 you my soul sees you as you are. To come
| to you is to degrade my soul to your level.
| and to the level of the depths within me.
| | will not do it. | stand above you now,
and | will hold my place."
You fight against your salvation and for
| sentiment"
No, fight against curse, and l fight
! for the wnmanhood in me, which is not mine
to degrade. woman's purity of soul is
not her own; it belongs to God and to the
man who one day may claim her by right
| her whole nature will recognize"
Il am here, said Kildare, his grasp on
her shoulder Tightening.
Nor she cried, shaking herself free.
! You are not. Ii fall now il is because l
am beaten down by the storm of my own
| mad heart, not because you are he"
Low as L am, we are one, | say. The
better nature in you must lift me up"
ut is not true! Though my blood clam
| ors klnship with you, our souls are stra myers.
l could not lift you up, you would only drag
me down"
There. then, is your place, in my arms
Little girl, You beat against the cage that
surely holds you" He spoke tenderly, his
| arms about her. Freda lifted her head that
their eyes might meet.
60 from me, she said weakly, 81 ray
| you, let some good in you speak for me.
| lou do not love me. Be merciful; fOrego
the short-lived triumph of attaining the
thing you care for only to win. Robert.
Robert, let me go free! | will 60 away;
will trust my strength no longer. Let me
have my chance at life and happiness. Let
me shake off the curse that has fallen on
mew
you forget" he answered, 81 want you"
At the change in his voice Freda's lips
turned white and drew back from her teeth
as with deadly horror. She struggled fercely
till he loosed his hold
you shall have your chance at life and
happiness, but with me. | know about this
SticknOr fellow. the man who was in love
with you in the company last season, and
whom you mean to join in California. You
take your chance at life and happiness
| with me, not him."
He came toward her. his head bent for
| ward. She lifted her arms as if to shield
her eyes, and in turning stumbled and fell.
he dashed cold water in her face. AS her
breath began to come he lifted her hand
She is worth them all" he said huskily.
But the next morning Freda was gone.