Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-10-25

hurts enough In the world now he an.
swered.
"Poor fellow = she breathed softly.
Don't" hs said impatisntly; don't
do that. ! don't want 20 be pitied
Don't pity me. cant stand that"
"Oh. how you have sufYeredr shs
continued. no, heading his appeal docs
Gcorge understandr'
"Ycs. lie would not let-that-be
done again: he cares for me now"
"And do you think that no one else
cars for your
For moment the blooi tingled In his
veins. and be bent toward her with .
quick. searching look. But he was
quickly himself again-calm, composed,
expecting nothing. He would not LEI
himself 10 delu,ied again by any fancy.
lie would expect nothing. hoI- for moth.
ing. from any man OF woman. Then
there would come no more disApIoint-
ment.
"No,- he ,aid shortly. II don't expect
any one else tn That man he struck
said ! hal the prison look'-that ]
would always have II. One can't care
Tor man with the prison look
"Ye-, can; ! do. Ogden. I cant
bear 90 see you like this"
"No. you can't care for me; you pity
me. that. all" he answered modify.
lie got mp TO go. Lima placed her
hand In his.
"You will come and see me again.
will you not. tomorrow"
"Did l not tell your ! am going away
to England"
"At oncsg'
Il hal meant 20 start tomorrow
"Must your l. there any needy'
There Is no hurry. Nothing that ]
do u important"
Then you will see me again
lie promised AMI went away.
Ono. morc by himself aud there hegan
an hour of struggle a. bitter as any tha,
hal come before In the whole course of
Chalmsrs' life. When Lima Tenant
hal aid that she did care for him u had
demanded the whole strength Of his ma.
,urc 90 keep from reaching out and TAX.
ing her In his arms AMI telling her the
whole story % his love. and how the
sacrifice of those long years had been
made Tor her sake. Now he thought
over her words AMI the look In her decp
eyes. and II he could have diycs,ed him.
self u the narrowing belief that her
kindness hal b-cn only prompted 10y
pity he would have gone back then and
asked her to L. his wife.
H. walkel on and on through the
long night. should he ever To- able to
throw of tliis feeling u abasement that
was now always with him-to hold mp
his head am ong men, to believe that be
couli w ysued by them a, his real
worth. instead 10 being pitied aud
shunne.i beet sc of wha, he had t-eni
lie wished Ia might never have to s..
met any met. The star shining above
him were eL.i and congenial cOmpan.
ION Thsv askei no questions. they
let their light shine out as freely for
him n for aDy.
He stopped beside the s,ill river and
watched the reflection ~ the stars In it,
silent bosom.
~ man might go down there" BE-
thought, "and sleep with them and u.
quiet anl still and cOnt.nt forever.
wonder N that would not h. bet after
ally'
But no: that would not - right to
warl George, who had sent him on this
buslncs. and trusted him with II. lie
would attend To that first; then. MAYBE,
be might-rrst.
And then George would care, too, he
knew that now-had known iteyer since
b. struck that detective fellow.
Lima had sail shs cared too. But did
shei How could he ,elli she had done
nothing for him. Perhaps she had never
had the chance. well. he would give her
one now; h. would ask her ,o marry
him and 10 Ia England with him.
lie found hi. way back to the hotel,
AMI with this new resolve firm In his
mind slept long aud well. Then be- aru~e.
baihei and dressed with unusual delib-
GRAFTON and went to her again. keeping
hi. errand steadily before him.
She made II easy enough for him
doubtless. hat he had no longer his old
-teadfastn-ss 1t will. She saw his he,i.
fancy.
"You came "a ask me something. she
said "Is there anything you wann l.
th.r. anything can do for YOU
"Ycs. there is something want !
want you"
wo,nanlike. she could not resist play.
ing with him AZ the last.
"why. you have the now" she said.
II will stay here with you a. long a.
you like, and ! wish you would come
here often"
eyes. but ! want more. came Ia
ask You Ia marry Inc, but won't do it
now" lie spoke mcodily. and voice and
manner were without the fire Of passion
or u love. mo. I won't do II. he ~
pea,ed. "for " you should II would H.
from pity-not frum love"
lie did not look az Lima. but LET his
gaze wander res,lessly about. and spoke
again. half Ia himself.
"You won't do II, though. even from
pity" he said, 'because | am an ex-con'