Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-12-03

But your cactus'-he looked at the bios
SONS she wore in her BELTS so entire
Inv your own that ! fear you would no
,are to give it to il stranger.
..Oh." she glanced down. smiling ant
blushing little. lit is the cactus yor
mean? Well. frankly. think the hello
trope suits you better. This. as you say
is especially for Mexicans.
And may not be adopted, IN a de-
gree at least. as Mexican? ne asked
"Do YOU know that am going to make
Mexico my home for an indefinite length
of time to conner And. more than that
am to be your neighbor at Mirafiores.
Don Maurice and | are TO take the
Buena Esperanza With Senior Barrera.
and snail personally direct the work
This. you see. will bring me within COM
Portable distance of Miraflores.
.Do you call sixteen lragues COM
Portable distance.
compared TO Il Thousand nj yes,
very comfortable can see you once or
twice month at least only hope
shall not become dreadful nuisance.
"You could not possibly become that,
she said, with the gentle gravity and
sincerity he had learned by this time to
know well. 4 am very glad that you
are to be near us. and that you are to
have the Buena Esperanza after all.
Il owe il altogether TO yon. he said
gratefully Don Maurzio did not tell
me SO. but am sure that had you NOT
interested nm in my behalf he would
never have thought of Offering me TINS
opportunity
II told him SIMPLY what you told me
that you had debt of honor which 1t
was important that you should pay. she
replied He is very kind. my father,
and always ready TO help every one. so !
felt certain that If he knew Of anything
which would enable you TO accomplish
your purpose he would tell you Of IT,
He is more than kind. said Derwent.
earnestly II can never forget his good
ness And as for yours-well, language
fails me when try to speak of that
can only repeat what told you at Mira
fores-that my life belongs to you And
when say this. remember that am not
using the fiowery language of colnpi-
ment to which you are accustomed |.
mean the words with our Anglo-Saxon
literalness 1t is yours by every posi-
BILE claim-yours because you saved
tt
She lifted her hand with a quick, de-
terring gesture. and he saw her cheek
grow pale DO not speak of that. she
said. Il try--I am trying hard--to for
get it.
But / do not try he said impetu-
ously, 'sInd could not forget it if
would It is as ! told you. my life was
given TO me over again by your hand
So it is yours. whether you ever have
use for it or whether you have not And
then there is another claim. He paused
a moment. conscious that be was on the
brink Of betraying all he felt. filled with
a sense of the utter hoplessness of any
avowal. yet impelled by a power stronger
than himself to speak Not only my
life. but my whole heart is yours. he
said. and when the words were spoken
a sense of wonderful calinness took pos
session of him suddenly. He grasped
as il were. more than his ordinary self
possession II was done At least she
now knew the truth, and he need no
longer strive to tutor himself to play the
part of a friend while the passion OF
lover burned within him
Il know that il is useless for me to
tell you this. he went on. after minute |
that seemed strangely long 10 both-a
minute IN which he heard the murmur |
Of voices. Sibyfs laugh, his mothers |
tones, and that would always be asso-
riated to the end of his life with the |
vision Of lovely downbent head and |
the haunting fragrance of heliotrope /
II know that ! may even forfeit the
privilege Of seeing and being with you in
the intimacy which mas taught me to
know you. cannot help it if this Is 80
separation from you will be like death.
but it Is better than the effort to restrain
ny lips and eyes from telling you that
Owe You with an alteration which over
vhelms me. 1t has come upon me like
! madness, and | fear that II will not
ike a madness pass away. for il is
ounded on the knowledge Of what you
ire, and what that is have no words to
ell You.
Perhaps TO the girl who had been sur
cited all her life with words of adula.
ion this very reticence had an attrac.
ion and power. II was certainly not
uch a declaration as one Of her own
would have made. but the
imple sentences seemed TO go to her
leart more directly for their very sim
'licity She looked up. and something
n the beautiful eyes sent thrill Of hope
trough Derwents whole being. he
rev nearer TO her
My princess" he said. low and eager.
Y. Il am hot worthy to utter such words
Q you. much less to hope that you could
ave me one thought of favor. But If
ny presumption does not make you ban
sh me from your presence am content.
70 be near you Is enough-for the pres
mt. promise You that will speak of
his no more until am a free inan-free
rom all claims against my honor, free
o try and win your heart. il Won permit
ne, as your father won another gentle
1exifan heart in the v...,,.. er.,,,s Ia.