The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1892-02-04
CHAPTER vi.
NIL DESPERANDUM.

"No! Stay!" exclaimed Helen Lyle,
in tone so empathatic, and with a
gesture so commanding, as suddenly
to arrest the steps of Joseph Morriss,
who stood like q statue where she
stopped him.
She was still very much agitated;
her bosom was heaving and setting;
her cheeks flushing and paling; her
eyes flashing and smoldering with the
passion she could not entirely sub
due.
at is very bitter-very hard to
swallow-but it is the-truth!" she
cried, with an effort that seemed to
choke her, as she sank down into cor
ner of the sofa and bowed her headup-
on her hand for a few moments. Then
ing, she beckoned him to take the
chair at her right hand, saying
"Sit down, Joseph Morriss. l have
no right to be offended with your
straightforward honesty; nor must
you think of leaving my house for
such cause. For the just rebuke
you have given me, Joseph, I esteem
and honor you the more"
"Helen! oh, ifyou did but know
the exquisite pain it caused me to tell
you that truth, you would almost
forgive mel" said the young man, in a
broken voice, as he stood humbly be-
fore her.
ri know! know! and I do not for
give but thank you! WITNESSED the
great effort that it cost you to speak
that humillatingt truth, and l feel that
it was all the more noble in you to do
so. Great Heaven! what thing the
truth is! 1t shook you like storm
to utter it! it convulsed my whole
nature to receive it'll The passage of
electricity from one tempest-cloud to
another was nothing to it! But sit
down; sit down; and promise me now
that henceforth you will always do
as you have done to. day;-always tell
me the truth of myself, however bitter,
humiliating, Or wounding to my self
love it may be-"
eyes, Helen, l promise you"
Notwithstanding that I may fly
into o. passion with my Mentor as l
have done this afternoon"
notwithstanding even that"
"Ah, Joseph, you were right in an
other thing you said to me! have
not the everlasting seIf-possession
that marks the highest breeding.
have proved that by entirely losing
my temper this afternoon. No, have
the passion of my class, and my man.
ners have not
1.-THE repose
That stamps the caste of We're de We're"
said Helen, smiling
"And yet, dear Helen, I doubt
whether the most statuesque Of all os-
SIZED peeresses could have borne what
you have this morning without
some disturbance of their stolidity.
And you, Helen, could not have been
blamed if you had ordered me from
your presence that instant; the act
would have been natural and prop
er."
II could not have done that, for
your words, though they wounded me
to the quick, were those of truth
truth painfully but nobly spoken!"
said Helen, with vivid blush. "Yet
do not think of me worse than | de-
serve! If was betrayed to-day into
'toadying' this marchioness, believe
me, oh, believe me, such is not my hab-
It'll"
'"That such is not consistent with
your character | know, Helen; and
therefore, that such is not your habit
| believe"
"You are but just to me in saying
this. / do not, indeed, court the up
per classes with whom I am some
times brought to associate. But this
Lady NJ, with her overpowering
display of affection, seems to bewllder
me and compel from me an excess of
courtesy in return that must indeed
seem to an honest observer very like
'toadying.' But it is the influence of
this lady's presence over me, Joseph.
Nothing more serious, assure YOU"
II understand it all now, Helen; and
yet do wonder that you should have
been SO carried away. But then
knew that Lady M is said to be
the most attractive and fascinating
woman to women, as well as to men,
in all London"
"Yet do not think, Joseph, that,
with all her entertainments. she could
bewitch me into marrying Lord
George"
81 should hope not, indeed"
"And as for the lady, shall break
her spell by breaking off the acquaint-
ance."
"You will do well Helen"