Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-22

| Sons. NecQ Tell you CnAt reason!
He reached his hand forward and took hel
cold-piteously cold, and the kisses that he
gave it were somehow bestowed with the
compassionate tenderness which implied
that he sought to reawaken its natural
warmth.
''Your queen-your queen" she said, and
withdrew her hand, not rudely, and yet with
frmness. The color came back to hel
cheeks. As he watched her face it seemed
like tea-rose in some delightful process Of
revivifcation, faint yet dis III
"That is what I said" hs'aaswered, land
that is what meant"
He watched her struggle with her agita.
tion. 1t seemed to him cruel that he should
do this, and yet it gave him curious pleas.
ure, just as if she were some oddly beautiful
bird that revealed some touch of iridescent
splendor beneath its wings every time they
were fluttered
But at length Kathleen, SO to speak, dut-
tered her wings more. Monsieur" she
said, with kind of pathetic tranquility,
''there is-your mother"
'My mother will be no obstacle. can
and will prevent her from being one"
She hesitated moment. 'Then there arc
there are-(how shall I put it?) your tradi-
tions."
1--WE trampled on good many of them,
as it is. Come now mademoiselle," he
pursued, with gruffness that would have
frightened her if it had not ended in a
smile. you're going to throw me over
you're going to reject me-to (what is the
right phrase?) send me about my business!'
'tNo, no!' she exclaimed. Immediately,
then, she rose, and stretched out her right
hand. 'T will be your wife," she said.
''and thankI you for the great honor you do
me-"
He also rose, at this, and wrapped her
with his embrace But something in her
lips, her eyes, her look Che could not for
his life have told just what) made him put
her away at arms length, intently scan her
features, and then recoil several steps,
touching her no longer.
'Your heart isn't in iti'' he exclaimed.
"You're giving yourself to me only because
of your mother!''
Her eyes dilated frightenedly. "Oh, no
don't think that" she cried
''But I do think i'll must! WHY not,
when read it, when see it? Your heart
is elsewhere and you're willing to let me
possess, if will, the void that marks where
it once beat. Am not right? Answer
me, Kathleen, am not right?"
She burst into passion of tears. eyes!
yesl dare not lie to you! If you were
not so good and fine II might lie, but you
tear the truth from me! You saw my pain,
my undying memory! You taxed me with
them; you insisted that they haunted me
and II confessed that you were not wrong.
But am willing to be your wife. Willing?
Oh, hear me, monsieur! Am 1 not absurd
to phrase it like that? Only it is best to be
truthful You, who are so sincere yourself
will understand, will pardon. If had
never known him it would have been so
different! I could have loved you then,
with all my soul! I can imagine some good
woman loving you that way. Perhaps it
will come to me in time You spoke of my
mother. No, it is not she-not wholly she.
Of course she wants such a marriage
what mother would not? I,myself AM proud
to be your wife. Only, there is that other
love, which will not diel Am I not wiser
to let you know this? You can't blame me-
I see now in your eyes that you do not blame
me. I've never asked you if he has spoken
of me; I've never wanted to know; it's quite
over between u.s.
''There that is all. I 60 to you, not with
out guilty conscience. You know me just
as am. I've tried to crush it, and let you
take me with falsehood in my soul Many
woman would have done that-almost
every other woman in the world would have
done it. But I'm not Wanting my virtues;
I'm simply making clean breast Of things
don't you see? You do see; you must!-
There; dare say I'll be worthy wife to
you, monsieur, and I'm certain that will
be very faithful and devoted one. AS for
a queen (and she laughed wildly through
her tears), / may fail at that. It's such
an undreamed of part for me to playi But
I'll tryl I'll try hard, strengthened by
your help!"
The tears were glistening on her cheeks as
she put forth both hands to him. He took
them, kissing them both; and then, still
holding them, he said:
''Kathleen, you are very noble and
brave girl thank you sincerely for what
you have told me. One easily multiplies
words; you will understand just how CRATE
full feel The evening of the ball is so
near that press of affairs may keep me
from seeing you till then. But, as I said
to you Yesterday, if I mistake not, my car
duct your mother and yourself to the palace.
Au revoir, let everything rest undeter-
mined, please, until we meet again"
She felt his lips touch her hand, and then,
in the twinkling Of an eye, before she could
even be sure that he meant to leave her, he
had vanished from the room.
She sank into a chair. Her heart was
throbbing. and her head swan little as she
leaned it backward. In few more seconds
her mother shot into her presence by another
door.
''Kathleen!'
''Well, mammal"
'You've been crying! You're in tears
yet! What has happened? Is it arranged?"
'No; nothing Is arranged. That is, if
you mean"
''Good graciousi I hope you haven't
quarreled."
"we haven't quarreled."
t'Thank heavenv' Mrs. Kennaird dropped
at her daughters feet, in collapse oddly
picturesque, considering her size and weight.
But after all she was q woman who never
dealt awkwardly with her avoirdupois,
though just now carried away by an emotion
which might we'll have imperiled graceful
ness. Kathleen! Kathleen!' Tell me,
nv darling! You can't be unkind enough
not to tell me! Did he mention it? Did
he say one single word about it? Now, my
child, consider how I suffer! Don't torture
mel Let me know eyerythingv
Kathleen regarded her mother for mo-
ment, and then slipped both arms round her
neck. Mamma" she said, with deceit
born of pity, and also of that love which all
the icy ambition, all the worldly striving,
all tne naIu, harsh AmeIlcan push OF ner
parent had never served to annul, "there is
nothing for you to know except that the
King was very kind to me, very kind, and
I-well, I became little nervous It
seems like such great ordeal, mamma, for
me to open the ball with him. And yet he's
good enough to insist that will get through
all right. He"
Cali rightp cried Mrs. Kennaird, regain
ing her feet with phenomenal alacrity.
"There won't be woman in the ball room
who can hold a candle to vour'
(1o be Concluded Neat Sundax1