The Irish standard., 1892-10-15
She drew her breath hard.
Il can tell you nothing, Mr.. Gains

bOrough '--------- }]
.You shall not call mo Mr.. Gains
borough # you cant call me Tom,
call.me nothing; but will never be Mr..
Gainsborough' to you again." H
Il thought we were to have no more
never agains?' she rejoined, with q
passing sparkle Of the old playfulness in
her air.
tsNone of yours, meant.
81 will call you 'Tom,' if you please,
on one condition"
'sWhat condition.
's1hat you let it be just this once.'"
'.Kate, do you love me?'
'sOh, you are cruelv' she cried with
passionate emphasis, slipping her hand
from my arm and facing me with glow
ing looks. II wish could say hate
you! You are man of the world and
a poor girl from a convent, who knows
nothing. | am trying to do right, and
you oppose me-you make it hard and
bitter to me. If you loved me as las
would love if | were a man, you would
not press me so. tell you it must not
be-.
what is, shall be, Kate! Dear Kate,
we love, each other, and who in the world
shall prevent it or forbid our being mar
ried?'
'.Hush! hush!'' She came step nearer
to me and caught my sleeve with her
little hand as timorous child might do,
glancing nervously over her shoulder as
if something fearful were hidden among
the trees. "Did you hear nothing'?" she
whispered. did not some one call mel?
Only | nave called you, dear. |
called YOU Kate, and now want to
cali you wife:
She continued to stand motionless,
with that frightened, listening express
sion still on her face; and yet my words
had apparently passed unheard. What
was it, then, that her ears were strained
to catch? To my sense the forest was
by faint whispering IF leaves, and now
and then bird note high overhead.
Gradually the strange preoccupation
left her. Her breathing. which had
been irregular and labored now came
evenly and gently once more. She
glanced sidelong at me for moment.
then with swift, tender movement she
came yet triae closer and laid her
other hand upon my arm.
"Tom-Tom, dear! [ will say it. for
we shall be parted soon: and then, If l
am alive, shall be comforted a little to
think that I did say it. ListenTo1n,
dear, / love you! Never forget that !
said it-Tom. love You"
l was taken .deliciously by surprise.
You must not expect me to tell how
felt or what said can only remen-
Der that took her in my arms and
kissed her. The bird that warbled over
our heads seemed to utter the ecstasy
that felt.
Presently we began to move on again.
don't know why didn't speak. Per-
haps thought that our Kiss had been
the seal of her surrender, and that there
fore words We're for the moment imperti-
nent. By and by the converse would be
renewed from fresh basis. Besides.
my thoughts were flying too fast just
then for speech toovertake them. was
thinking how singular had been the
manner and progress Of our acquaint-
ance. 1t was scarcely in accordance
with what / believed to be my normal
temperament and disposition to plunge so
abruptly and almost recklessly into a
new order and responsibility Of life. |
had fancied myself too cautious, too
But it was done, and the fact that Kate's
feelings had responded to my own
seemed to justify the apparent risk.
We were meant for each other and had
come together in sheer despite of all
combinations of circumstances to keep
us apart.
Knowing, as we did, scarcely anything
Of each other as worldly knowledge goes,
we had yet felt that inward instinct and
obligation to union which made the
most thoroughly worldly knowledge
look like folly. What would my mother
say to it? How would the news he
relished by her father? cared not.
foresaw difficulties enough in store, but
none that appalled, me- After all, an
honorable man and woman, honestly III
love with each other. are a match
against the world or superior to 1t
Union is strength. and the union Of low
ing hearts is the strongest strength of
all.
"And do you want to marry me,
really. Toni
We had gained the summit Of the
steep hill and were now pacing along
the ridge. The narrow, winding valley
lay sheer beneath us on the right, with
the white road and the dark stream ly
ing side by side at the bottom Of it. The
crest of the opposing hillside seemed but
short stones throw distant: the aroma
OF Our privacy was the sweeter for the
pygmy drosky, with it's nanikin inmate,
which was crawling along through the
dust SO far below We commanded the
world, while we were ourselves hidden
from it.
II should rather think did, Kate
IL thought Englishmen only married
as matter Of business; that they mar
ried settlements and dowries, and rank
and influence, and added women merely
IS matter Of custom and politeness.
Il am satisfied to marry for love; if