Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-07

| must be so. The whole is greater than its
I parts two loves together are greater and
| stronger than each could be of itself. The
| strength of two strands close twined to-
gether is more than twice the strength of
each"
She said nothing. BY merest chance he
had said words that had walked the doubt
again. so that it grew little and took a
tirmer hold in her unwilling heart. TO
love shadow" he had said; Ito wake and
find self not self at all That was what
| might come, would come, must come, sooner
or later, said the doubt. What matter
where or when or howe The question came
again, vaguely, family, as mere memory,
but confidently, as though knowing its own
answer. Had she not rested in his arms,
| and felt his kisses, and heard his voice.
What matter how, indeed. It matters
greatly, said the growing doubt, rearing its
head and finding speech at last. 1t matters
greatly, it said, for love lies not alone in
voice and kiss and gentle touch, but in
things more enduring, which TO endure
must be sound and whole and not cankered
to the core by living lie. Then came the
old reckless reasoning again: Am not | ?
is he not he? Do | not love him with my
whole strength, Does he not love this very
self of mine, here as it is. my head upon his
shoulder, my hand within his hand? And if
he once loved another, have not her place,
to have and hold, that may be loved in her
stead! Go said the doubt, growing black
and strong; 90. for you are nothing to him
but figure in his dream, disguised in the
lines of one he really loved and loveS-go,
quickly, before it IS too late; before that
real Beatrice comes and wakes him and
drives you out of the kingdom you usurp.
But she knew it was only doubt, and
had it been the truth, and had Bedtrice's
foot been on the threshold, she would not
have been driven away by fear But the
fight had begun.
Speak to me, dear, she said. II must
hear your voice-it makes me know that it
is all real
How the minutes fy!'' he exclaimed
smoothing her hair with his hand. 1T
seems TO me that | was but Just speaking
when YOU spoke"
at seems so long" She checked her.
self, wondering whether an hour had passed
or but d second.
Though love be swifter than the fieetipg
hours doubt can outrun lifetime in one
beating of the heart
Then how divinely long it ali may
seem he answered. But can we not be-
gin to think and to make plans for to-mor-
row, and the next day. and for the years be-
fore u.s. That will make more time for US.
for with the present we shall have the
future, too. No-that is foolish again. And
yet it is so hard to say which | would have.
Shall the moment linger because it IS so
sweet. Or snail it be gone quickly because
the next is to be sweeter still. Love, where
is your father"
Unorna started. The question was sug-
gested perhaps, by his inclination 10 speak
of what was TO be done, but it fell suddenly
upon her ears, as u peal of thunder when
tine sky has no clouds. Must she lie now,
or break the spell2 One word, at least, she
could yet speak with truth.
Dead
Dead" the Wanderer repeated thought
fully and with faint surprise. rs it long
ago, Beloved he asked presently, in il
subdued tone, as though fearing to wake
some painful memory.
Yes. she answered. The great doubt
was taking her heart in its strong hands
now and tearing IL and twisting ii.
And whose house IS this in which have
found you. darling! Was it his
1t is mine" Unorna said.
How long would he ask questions to
which she could find true answers What
question would come next There were
many he might ask, and few to which she
could reply so truthtully, even in that
narrow sense of truth which found its only
meaning in within Of chance. But for
moment he asked nothing more.
Not mine. = she said. 1t is yours. You
can take me and yet call anything mine"
Ours, then, beloved. What does it mat
ter3 SO he died long ago-poor man. And
Yet, it seems but little while since some
one told me-but that was a mistake, of
comse. He did not know. How many
years may il be. dear one? | see you still
wear mourning for nim'