Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-17
Lie, or lose all. said a voice within.

|
1t was true and seemed very simple. She
wondered that she had not thought of that.
Yet she felt that the man she loved, in all
his nobility and honesty, was playing the
tempter to her, though he could not know
| it. Deeper and deeper she sank, yet ever
more conscious that she was sinking. Be.
| fore him she felt no longer as loving woman
to loving man-she was beginning to feel as
guilty prisoner before his judge.
He thought to turn the subject to lighter
strain. By chance he glanced at his own
hand.
''Do YOU know this ring?" he asked,
holding it before her, with a smile.
'Indeed 1 know it." she answered, tremb-
ling again.
"You gave it to me, love, do you remem-
ber? And 1 gave you likeness of myself,
because you asked for it, though 1 would
rather have given you something better.
Have you it still?"
She was silent. Something was rising in
her throat. Then she choke6 it down.
81 had it in my hand last night" she said
in breaking voice. True, once more.
''What is it, darling? Are you crying?
This is no day for tears"
81 little thought I should have yourself
today" she tried to say.
Then the tears came; tears of shame, big,
hot, slow. They fell upon his hand. She
was weeping for joy, he thought. What
else could any man think in such a case?
He drew her to him, and pressed her cheek
with his hand as her head nestled on his
shoulder.
'when you put this ring on my finger,
dear-so long ago
She sobbed aloud.
''No, darling-no, dear heart" he said
comforting her, "you must not cry-that
long ago is over now and gone forever. Do
you remember that day, sweetheart, in the
the lemon trees? No, dear-your tears
hurt me always, even when they are shed
for happiness-no, dear, no. Rest there
let ME dry your dear eyes-so and so.
Again? Forever, if you will. While you
have tears, have kisses to dry them-it
was so then, on that very day. 1 can re-
member 1 can see it all-and you. You
have not changed, love, in all those years,
more than blossom changes in one hour of
a summers day! You took this ring and
put it on my finger. Do you remember
what 1 said? 1 know the very words. 1
promised you-it needed no promise either
that it should never leave it6 place until you
took it back-and you-how well remember
your face-you said that you would take it
from my hand some day, when all was well;
when you should be free to give me another
in its stead, and to take one in return. /
have kept my word, beloved. Keep yours-I
have brought you back the e, ring ing lake Take it
lonely years. Take it and give me that other
which claim.'f
She did not speak, for she was fighting
down the choking sobs, struggling to keep
back the burning drops that scalded her
cheeks, striving to gather strength for the
weight of a greater shame. Lie, or lose all,
the voice said.
Very slowly she raised her head. She
knew that his hand was close to hers, held
there that she might fulfill Beatrice's
promise. Was she not free? Could she not
give him what he asked? No matter how
she tried to say it to herself and could not.
She felt his breath upon her hair. He was
waiting. If she did not act soon or speak he
would wonder what held her back-wonder
suspicion neXt-and then? She put out
her hand to touch his fingers, half blinded,
cropping as though she could not see. He
made it easy for her. He fancied she was
trembling, as she was weeping, with the joy
of it all.
She felt the ring, though'she dared not look
at it; She drew it a little, and felt that it
she loved so well, straight, strong and
nervous, and she touched them lovingly. The
ring was not tight, it would pass easily over
the joint that alone kept it in its place.
''Talle it, beloved" he said sit has waited
long enough"
He was beginning to wonder at her hesita-
tion, as She knew he would; After After, wonder
slowly-it was just upon the joint of his fin
ger now. Should she do it? What would
happen? He would have broken his vow un-
would have taken it. What would she say,
if they lived and met-why should they not
meet? Would the spell endure that shock
who had given him this ring? Or another,
whom he would no longer know. But she
must be quick. He was waiting, and Beatrice
would not have made him wait.
Her hand was like stone, numb, motion
less, immovable, as though some unseen |
being had taken it in an iron grasp and held |
it there, in mid-air, just touching his. Yes
could not move-a hand was |
clasped upon her wrist, hand smaller than |
his, but strong as fate, liked in its grip as an |
iron vice.
Unorna felt a cold breath, that was not his, |
upon her forehead, and she felt as though |
her heavy hair were raising of itself upon |
her head. She knew that horror, for she |
was not afraid, but she knew what it was. |
There was a shadow, too, and a dark woman, |
tall, Queenly, with deep flashing eyes, stand
ing beside her. She knew, before she looked;
she looked, and it was there. Her own face |
was whittier than that other woman'S.
"Have you come already?" she asked of
the shadow, in low despairing tone.
"Beatrice-what has happened?" cried the
wanderer. To him, She seemed to be speak
ing to the empty air and her white face
startled him.
YES" she said staring still in the be- same
come for you"
"Beatrice-beloved-d not speak like
that? For Gods sake-what do you see?
There is nothing there"
Beatrice is there. am Unorna"
"Unorna, Beatrice-have we not said it
should be all the same! Sweetheart-look at
ne! Rest here-shut those dear eyes of
yours. 1t is gone now whatever it was-you
Ire tired dear-you must rest.''
Her eyes closed and her head sank 1t was
gone, as he said, and she knew what it had
0een-a mere vision called up by her own
brain. Keyork Arabian had
name for it.
frightened by your own nerves" laughed
he voice, "when if you had not been a cow
lrd, you might have faced it down and lied
gain, and all would have been well. But
Tou shall have another chance, and lying is
yery easy, even when the nerves are over,
The voice was like keyork Arabian's.
Jnstrung, almost forgetting all, she won
Tered vaguely at the sound, for it was real
ound and q real voice to her. Was her soul
lis, indeed. and was he drawing it on slowly,
urely to tie end? Had he been behind her
asst night? Had he left an hours liberty
nly to come back and take at last what
vas his?
There is time yet, you have not lost him,
or he thinks you mad" The voice spoke
nee more.
And at the same moment the strong dear
rms were again around her, again her head
ras on that restful shoulder of his, again
er pale face was turned up to his, and kisses
rere raining on her tired eyes, while broken
through the tempest.
Again the vast temptation rose. How |
ould he ever know? Vino was to undeceive
i'm, if he was not yet undeceived? Who
hould ever make him understand the truth,
o long as the spell lasted? Why not then
axe what was given her, and when the
nd came, if it came, then tell all boldly? |
wen then he would not understand. Had
e understood last night, when she had con-
essed all that she had done before? He
ad not believed one word of it, except that
q COnld Ia m lya m hQI |