Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-03-30

ness DoCn nad risen, and they stood fac-
ing each other on the hearth rug, their
eyes nearly on level. The mans hand
rested on the mantel and quivered with
the intensity of his excitement. The
womans hung straight before her, mo-
tionless, but wrung together until the
knuckles showed hard through the tense
skin. She would not give way.
| Thorne was startled and perplexed.
Opposition he was prepared for, argu-
ment he could meet and possibly refute,
tears and reproaches he could subdue-
but dumb, quiet resistance baff1ed him.
Suddenly he abandoned reason, cast self
control to the winds and gave the reins
to feeling. If he could not convince
her through the head, he would try a
surer road-the heart. Though proof
against argument, would she be proof
against lover He knew she loved him.
He felt it in every fiber Of his being,
every pulse of his heart-and he was de-
termined to win her at all hazards. His
she must be. His she should be.
my lover he murmured, extending
his arms with an appealing tenderness of
look and gesture. "Come to me. Law
your sweet face on my breast, your dear
arms around my neck. / need you,
Princess; my heart cries out for you and
will not be denied. 1 cannot live with
out you. You are mine-mine alone,
and claim your love; claim your life.
What is that woman? What is any
woman to me save you, my darling-you
Onlyp Ny lovel My lovel 1t is my very
life for which am pleading. Have you
no pity-no love for the man whose heart
is calling you to Gomez"
Pocahontas shivered and bent slightly
forward; her face was white as death,
her eyes strange and troubled. The
strength and fire of his passion drew her
toward him as magnet draws steel.
Was she yielding2 Would she give way?
Suddenly she started erect again and
drew back again. All the emotions,
prejudices, thoughts of her past life; all
the principles, scruples, influences amid
which she had been reared crowded
back on her and asserted their power.
She could not do this thing. A chasm
black as the grave, hopeless as death,
yawned at her feet; barrier as high as
heaven erected itself before her.
s"1 cannot come" she walled in an
guish. "Have you no mercy, no pity
for me? There is a barrier between us
that dare not level; a chasm that can
not cross"
"There is no barrier responded
Thorne vehemently, ''and I will &C
knowledge none. am a free man; you
are free woman, and there is no law,
human or divine, to keep us asunder,
save the law of your own will. If there
be chasm-which do not see; which
l swear does not exist will cross it. If
you cannot come to me, / can come to
you, and I will. You are mine and l
will hold you-here in my arms, on my
breast, in my heart. Have you and hold
you, SO help me God!"
With a quick stride he crossed the
small space between them and stood
close, but still not touching her.
'Have you no pity?' she moaned.
"None," he answered hoarsely. "Have
you any for me-for us both? love you
how well, God knows, was not aware
until tonight-and you love me hope
and believe. There is nothing between
us save an idle scruple, which even the
censorious world does not share. 1 ask
you to commit no sin; to share no dis
grace. 1 ask you to be my wife before
the face of day; before the eyes of men;
III Lu0 slBuG VI uedNeu!
Could she be his wife in the sight of
heaven? 1t was all SO strange to her, she
could not understand. Words, carelessly
heard and scarcely needed, came back to
her and rung their changes in her brain
with ceaseless iteration. 1t was like
knell.
"Nesbit," she said YEARLY, using his
name unconsciously, "listen and under
stand me. In the eyes of the law and
of men you are free; but cannot see it
SO. In my eyes you are still bound"
~ am not bound" denied Thorne
fercely, bringing his hand down heavily
on the mantel; "whoever tells you that
am lies, and the truth is not in him.
I've told you all-and yet not all. Ethel
Ross, the woman who was my wife
whom you say is my wife stills about
to marry again. To join her life-as
free and separate from mine as though
we had never met-to the life of another
man. Isn't that enough? Can't you see
how completely every tie between US is
severed?'
Pocahontas shook her head. 81 can
not understand you and you will not
understand me-" she said mournfully;
unholy marriage make ours pure and
righteous"
Thorne stamped his foot. 'Do you
wish to madden me?" he exclaimed;
''there is no sin, tell you, nor would
our marriage be unholy. You are tor
turing US both for nothing on Gods
earth but a scruple. I've argued, rea-
soned and pleaded with you, and you re-
fuse to weigh the argument, to listen to
the reason, to yield to the persuasion.
You are hard and opinionated and OBJ
stinate. You set up your individual
judgment against the verdict of the
world and deem it infallible. You are
hard to yourself and cruelty hard to me,
for, as there is a God in heaven, be-
Geve you love me, even as love you.
Oh, my love! my lover His voice melt
ed, his arms closed around her. "Why
do you try me beyond my strength? Why