The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-14

My Godl why am l tempted like this?"
was the cry which rose up from his stricken
heart. why does this voice whisper to
me that it was for her sake that bear q
burden at all, that-but mol not for that,
not even for PHYS sake, but for her own
sweet sake, the sake Of her love Yes,
will do it. It may be wrong but heaven
shall judge mel lido it for the best. can
not leave her like this. Neil, listen child.
there is hope, aye, and comfort. tool
mo. MOI alone, alonep she moaned, rock
ing herself to aud fro in the despairing tor
rent of her grief. But the strong arms
which had held her before now lifted her up
gently and tenderly, one firm courage-givinR
hand staying her wandering ones in quiet
ening hold, while IN her ear a low, impas-
stoned, but steady voice whispered:
"Nol Nell, dear, not alone not comfort
less while am here TO help TO care for and
TO love you"
With a cry which told how those plead
ings for him not to leave her had been but
involuntary utterancss of her heart, at his
words she half started back with that
movement almost of fear which is often
called forth by the receipt OF great good
news.
TO love meP' she repeated in tone of
whispering wonder, as If not all at once
could she comprehend the meaning of the
words.
Yes, dear, TO love you," went on the
voice, while the hold OF the arms about her
frightened more and more, and she made no
effort now TO get free. lit is a darkened
love | offer. There is that secret in my life
"a page too black even for any atonement
to blot out its record, burden Oh my heart
so great that l never dreamed to insult any
woman by offering her my loye-that any
woman would be SO poor, so sad that 1t
would be Of value to her. But, sucn as it is,
l do offer it to yOu-if it can save, can com
fort you. Let the past be only for me. In
the present trust me; and, o. dear, believe
me, II in the future / can bring if only one
ray of gladness into your life, you will
never know more than that it is a secret,
and that because | love you 50 l would
rather see you dead at my feet than ask
you to share the life 1t shadows. | am fear
full now, very fearful, but for your sake
will have courage, will be strong, that,
evil as ! am, no i'll may come to you by
trusting me-"
He did not tell her in words that only as
man and wife could he be to her what she
needed. Even TO think of evil in connection
with her seemed sacreliege to him.
He said no more, he could not: but as if
ne feared his pleading was but weak and
lisJless and might loss him Yet the gift he
had tried SO hard to gain, his arms held her
so close to his breast that she could hear the
rapid pulsation of his heart against his side 4;
as if indeed he would never let her go, but
bear her safely in that stronghold through
the wide world to shelter and safety, heed
less alike OF his own burden and the one she
too bore.
And as she did not speak he bent his head,
knowing she could not see his glance pressed
bis face close TO her, murmerlng so low in
his earnestness that the words we're scarcely
formed.
will you trust me, Nell; will you be
my wife"
"Trust you" she said. lifting her head
and spea ing in quick, ringing tone,
such as might have been the echo of his
own, trust you, Leo With all my heart
with all my soulw And once again she
lifted her face to his, her beautiful, sight
less eyes, as If she could see and read his
thoughts 10 his. And then, while he gazed
like one enchanted with the magic of her
beauty beneath the light of love which WAS
kindling it TO something Of its old glow and
color, she lifted her arms and wound them
slowly round his neck i'll an answering en-
brace to his own.
Leo, 1t scarcely seems as if it can be
true. A little while ago l was 50 sad, 80
lonelY-and now to love you SOTO have
your love IL is almost as II had my eY 8
again. as If I could see you and the sun
shine and all.
If Leo had needed encouragement in his
to pass away In the first glimmer Of the
love which was laid at her feet must have
given it him.
Into his heart crept q comfort and peace
as great as that he was imparting. He even
wondered that he had ever doubted whether
it would be best that he should speak. And
then just as the arms were almost locked
about his neck the head resting upon his
breast, the girl tore herself away again and
almost ha
fore.
"Ah, but-no! 1t cannot bel 1t cannot
bel l cannot be your wife"
Cannot? I" repeated Leo, the slight flush
which had risen, too to his face dying away,
aud leaving it paler than before, all his
courage ADD strength forsaking MIN, so that
he trembled as If he had received blow,
the cold perspration standing out In beads
upon lis brow, as he realized in his fear at
losing it how grea5 was the gift which had
been his for that one blissful moment,
Cannot be my wife, Am l then 50 evllF'
mo, no, it is not that" she cried reused
to herself by the singing tones of agony in
his voice; you must not say you are evil
l will not cannot believe 1T You are poor
stricken as 1 am, but you are a man.
You can fight your troubles down and win
your way yet to fortune and happiness,
while IL should be but drag upon you,
keeping you back, keeping you where l
must bel"
"Nelliel my dsrling for you will-you
must be mine now. l cannot give you up,
now have so nearly won you. My dar-
ling, you deceive yourself. To have you
for my wife will be no drag on me. To be
alone-alone with bat the knowledge of my
secret in my mind day after day, it Is that
that will drag me downtown into a pit,
whose depth would. ere long, chain me for
ever. But with you to work for, your love
to point me onward, upward, to where |
was before l fell, am not what | am, only
your husband, no secret, no past. only some
cody who will love you, work for you, slave
for you till l die"
The young lovers whole soul was in his
voice as well as in his face, SO that despite
the sightless eyes little Nellie must have
known how deep and true was his passion,
and recognized the sincerity of the feeling
which dictated the new change in him, as
be did not set her free but held her from
him, speaking not calmly now but with
that broken earnestness which, in a woman,
would have found relief in tears.
And yet l do not press you, God for
bid 1t would be tends bargain, that!
Take time to think; don't fear 60 hurt me if
your heart says"
~ need no timelp cried the girl, once
more starting up. and this time linking her
arms tight so that the hold almost hurt, ~
have no fear, nor need you have. l trust
you. will be your wife, and we will save
each otherln
"God bless my darling, and make me