Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-05-01

commanded the world. while we were
ourselves hidden. from it.
II should rather think / did, Kate !"
81 thought Engiishmen only married
as matter of convenience; that they
married settlements and dowries. and
rank and influence, and added women
merely as matter Of custom and polite
ness"
81 am satisfied to marry for love; IL
that's un-English, so much the better
for me.'
"You would take me without any
thing but just myself?"
What is worth having compared
with you?"
"Oh, Tom! But then you cannot have
just myself alone. Nobody in the world
is independent of everything-not even
an American-not even an American
girl who has lived seven years in con-
VENT l may not be able to bring you
anything good-anything that would
make me more acceptable; but what II 1
were to bring you something oad-some-
thing terrible-something that would
make you shudder at nee IL were ten
tlmcS dS lOfdOlC dS 1Ou SOY -
"Why, then should have to love you
twenty times more than ever, suppose,
that's ALI" answered with laugh.
"You don't mean what you say-at
least, you don't know what you say.
You are not so brave as you think you
are, sir! What do you know OF me"'
She spoke these sentences In lower,
graver tone than the previous ones,
which had been uttered in vein OF hall
wayward, fanciful playfulness. Almost,
Immediately, however, she reused her.
self again, as though unwilling TO let
lightsome humor escape so soon.
"Well, let us pretend that you have
married me, for better or worse, and
that it is all settled. Now, where will
yoa take me frst?"
"Where do you wish to go?"
"Oh, it must be somewhere where no.
body could come after us! she ex-
claimed, with a curious, subdued laugh.
Nobody that either of us have ever
known; neither your mother, nor my
father, nor-nor-anybody! And there
we must stay always, because as soon
as we came out we should lose eacn
other and never find each other again.
And that would be sadder than never
to have met, wouldn't it?"
"But my darling Kate" interposed l,
laughing again, "where on earth In this
age of railways and steamboats, and
telegraphs and balloons are we to find
such a retired spot? Unless we took
voyage to the moon, or could find our
way down to the center of ths earth,
we shond hardly feel safe, / fear!''
"Oh, well, you must arrange about
that, only it as tell you, and you see
marrying me is not such a simple mat
ter after ALL Well, now, suppose we
have reached the place, wherever 1t Is
what would you give me for wed
ding PRESENT."
What would you like?"
mo; you are to decide that. IL
wouldn't be proper for your wife TO
choose her own wedding present, you
know"
81 believe such a thing does some
times happen, though, when the people
are very fashionable and aristocratic."
"But l am not aristocratic; am an
American. Now, what will you give
me?"
What do you say to the diamonde?"
"WeIl, l think will take the ola
monds," she said, meditatively, as
though weighing the question In her
mind. eyes, papa said l might wear
diamonds after | was married. But
might not your mother object?"
mot when she knows whom they are
for. and at any rate she is going to leave
them TO me In her will"
"Oh! and you expect that the news OF
our marriage will kill her?"
1T ought rather to give her new
lease OF life. But you shall have the
diamonds all the same. VIII you try
them on now?"
"Why, have you got them with you?"
Certainly; l always carry them In
this pocket"
How careless! You might lose
them" =,
mo: the pocket buttons up-see" and
turning back the flap OF my coat
showed her how all was made secure.
But what il robbers were to attack
yor?"
Then | should talk to them with
this" / rejoined, taking my revolver
from anotherand holding it up.
ION, that's Derringer! They have
those in America. What a pretty one!
Let ne look at it,"
mo" said /, replacing it In my pocket;
sit has hair trigger and every barrel
is loaded. You shall look at something
much prettier and not dangerous at all.
Here, sit down on this stump and take
off your hat and III put them on for
you"
The stump Of which spoke stood at
the end OF the path we had been follow
ing. and within few rods OF the brink
OF perceptions gorge, which entered
the side OF the steep mountain spur
nearly at right angles. Across this gorge
(which, though seventy TO one hundred
feet in depth, was scarcely more than
half as wide at the top wooden bridge
had formerly been thrown; but age or
accident had broken IL down until only
A single horizontal beam remained,
spanning the chasm from side TO side,
and supported by three or fonr upright
and transverse braces. The beam itself
was scarcely nine inches In width, and
the whole structure was a dizzy thing
to look at. Ny nerves were trained TO
steadiness by good deal OF gymnastic
experience, but it would have needed
strong inducement TO get me across
that beam on foot.
Kate sat down on the stump as direct
ed, but her manner had become languid
and Indifferent; the brightness and spar
kle OF her late mood was gone. As she
looked up at me her level eyebrows
were slightly contracted and the corners
of her mouth dropped. Her hands
were folded listlessly in her lap. She