Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-12-31
BEST and now he waited for some word from


Il am so sorry, Captain Langton. never
thought you loved me SO well. 1 never
dreamed that you had placed all your heart
! in your love-"
Il have" he affirmed. 81 have been reck
less; l have thrown heart, love, manhood
life, all at your feet together. If you tramplt
| ruthlessly on them, Pauline, you will drive
me TO desperation and despair
Il do not trample on them," she said, gen
| tly; Il would not wrong you so. l take
! them up in my hands and restore them tt
| you. thanking you for the gift
What do you mean, Pauline"' he asked
while the flush died from his face.
81 mean," she replied, softly, that thank
| you for the gift you have offered me, but thai
1 cannot accept it. l cannot be your wife
for do not love you"
He stood for some minutes dazed by the
heavy blow; he had taken hope from hel
| gentle manner, and the disappointment was
almost greater than ne could bear.
ut gives me much pain to say this" she
continued, ''as it gives you to hear it; pray
believe that"
Il cannot bear itr' he cried. Il will moi
bear it! will not believe it! 1t is my life
l ask from you, Pauline-my life! You can
not send me from you to die in despairr'
| His anguish was real, not feigned. Love
life, liberty, all were at stake. He knelt al
her feet; he covered her white, jeweled
| hands with kisses and with hot, passionate
tears. Her keen womanly instinct told her
there was no feigning in the deep, broken
| sob 4lat rose to his lips.
90. is my lifep' he repeated. 'If you send
| mo I chon ha 70
| wicked man."
You should not be So" she remarked,
| gently; "a great love, even if it be unfOrtun-
ate, should ennobie man, not make him
wicled'
Pauline" he entreated, ''you must unsay
| those words. Think that you might learn to
love me in time. L will be patient-I will
wait long years for you'll will do anything
to win you; only give me some hope that in
| time to come you will be mine"
Il cannot" she said; sit would be so false.
| could never love you, Captain Langton."
| He raised his face to hers.
''Will you tell me why? You do not reject
me because l am poor-you are too noble to
| care for wealth 1t is not because | am a
soldier, with nothing to offer you but low
ing heart. 1t is not for these things. Why
| do you reject me, Pauline?'
mo, you are right; it is not for any Of
| those reasons; they would never prevent my
being your wife if / loved YOU"
Then why can you not love me?" be per-
sisted
For many reasons. You are not at all the
style of man | could love. How can you
| doubt me? Here you are wOoing me, asking
me to be your wife, offering me your love,
and my hand does not tremble, my heart
| does not beat; your words give NE no pleas
ure, only pain; | am conscious Of nothing
but wish to end the interview. This is not
love, is it, Captain LangtOn?"
But in time" he pleaded-"c ouId you not
| learn to care for me in time?"
NO. am quite sure. You must not think
| speak to pain you, but indeed you are the
| last man living with whom [ could fall in
love, or whom | could marry. If you We're,
as you say king, and came to me with a
crown to offer, it would make no difference.
| 1t is better, as | am sure you will agree, to
| speak plainly"
| Even in the moonlight she saw how white
his face had grown, and what sudden shad-
| Ow of despair had come into his eyes. He
stood silent for some minutes.
you have unnamed me-" he said slow
| ly, ''but, Pauline, there is something else for
you to hear. You must listen to me for your
own sake" he added; and then Aubrey
Langton's face flushed, his lips grew dry and
hot his breath came in short quick gasps--
| he had played a manly part, but now he felt
| that what he had to say would sound like a
| threat.
He did not know how to begin, and she
was looking at him with those dark, calm
| eyes of hers with that new light of pity on
| her face.
Pauline" he said, hoarSely, 'Sir Oswald
wishes for this marriage. Oh, spare me
! love me-be mine, because of the great love
! | bear your
Il cannot" she returned: Sin my eyes it is
a crime to marry without love. What you
have to say of Sir Oswald say quickly"
| "But you will hate me for it." he said.
| mo, l will not be so unjust as to blame
you for Sir OSwald's fault"
! "He wishes us to marry; he is not only
| willing, but it would give him more pleasure
| than anything on earth; and he says-do not
| blame me, Pauline-that if you consent he
will make you mistress of Darrell Court and
| all his rich revenues"
| She laughed-the pity died from her face,
the proud, hard expression came back.
"He must do that in any case" she said,
| haughtly. II am a Darrell; he would not
dare pass me by"
''Let me speak frankly to you, Pauline,
| for your own Sake-yOur own sake, dear, as
| well as NINE. You err-.he is not so bound.
Although the Darrell property has always
| descended from father to son, the entail was
destroyed fifty years ago, and Sir Oswald is
| free to leave his property to whom he likes.
| There is only one imperative condt1on-who-
| ever takes it must take with it the name of
| Darrell. Sir Oswald told me that much him.
| SELF
But he would not dare pass me-a Darrell
by, and leave it to a stranger"
perhaps not; but honestly. Pauline, he
| told me that you were eccentric-l know
that you are adorable-and that he would
not dare to leave Darrell Court to you unless
| you were married to some one in whom he
| felt confidence-and that some one, Pauline,
is your humble slave here. who adoreS you.
| Listen, dear-I have not finished. He said
nothing about leaving the Court to a stran.
ger; but ne did say that unless we were mar
ried he himself should marry"
She laughed mockingly.
II do not believe it." she said. eff he ha(
intended to marry, he would have done 81
years ago. That is merely threat to fright
en- me; but am not to be frightened. NJ
Darrell was ever a cOward-l will not b.
coerced. Even if l liked you, Captain Lang
ton, L would not marry you after tina
threat"
He was growing desperate now. Grea
drops stood on his brow-hiS lips were 50 no
and tremulous that he could hardly NOV
them.
, "Be reasonable, Pauline. Sir Oswald
meant what he said. He will most certainl
, marry, and, when you see yourself deprive'