The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-01-20

I earrn.~
Would she have said so much an hour
ago?" asked Harlan 10 himself. Perhaps
the same question crossed her mind at
| that moment, for she flushed slightly as he
| glanced at her with smile on his hand
some, clean-cut face.
"Wfll you be here long" he quered In a
ceremonious way.
"No We go TO Paris at once"
Indeed? / am very glad. | am bound
| there myself. hope we may be fellow
| travellers"
His voice trembled slightly and his
hands twftched nervously. He longed to
throw his arms around this fair girl and
| tell her Of his love. But in her manner
| there was something that restrained him.
something that made him feel his un-
worthiness, that touched his conscience as
| though spirit voice had whispered Of his
past
Your stay In London, then, will be very
short" remarked Alice, not re-echoing the
wish he had just expressed. You have
been here before2"
mo This is my first trip abroad"
Then | advise you not to snub London
for Paris. Perhaps / shall like France,
but, l assure you, this city has been an un-
ending source of delight to me. 1 hate to
leave 1t. AS q poet you will find here .
thousand things to inspire you. 1 almost
feel as though / could write something
worth reading myself"
She said all this gently, quietly. coldly.
! The egotist before her realized that her
words meant more than was shown upon
the surface They formed a delicate but
| nrret raiactinp ~ his r,ponocad pocart Wby
| had she thus declined the overtures he had
made toward q re-estabishment Of the
| stdt,ts quo ante? "She does not love you"
said Humility. She cannot trust herself"
remarked Vanity. Harlan Otis had cher
| ished for years q strong admiration for
| the Observation-Disclosures of Vanity. He
| therefore, chose to follow the lead Of that
alluring guide and closed his ears peremp-
torily to the whisper of Vanity's great an
| tagonist. Braced by this decision he re-
marked boldly:
"Then you don't wish me to accompany
you to PARISH"
| This brusque, almost rude demand
brought the blood to Alices cheeks.
81 did not say So" she answered in allow,
broken voice.
mo, but you implied it."
The distress expressed by her face en-
boldened him.
"See here, Alice" he continued, drawing
his chair toward her. / can not stand
your cruelty"
| Cruelty
| "Yes. 1t may sound harsh, but man
In my present state of mind can not choose
his words. You have been unjust to me.
asked you to be my wife. You refused me.
| What have suffered since then can not
tell you. At times 1 have longed for death.
I love you. Hove you, love you. 1 have
come three thousand miles to tell you SO
again, to tell you that you must promise
to be my wife, to prove by my presence
here that the influence that once made me
unworthy in your sight has forever left my
life"
He had seized her hand. 1t was cold as
Ice, but was not withdrawn.
speak to me-" he cried, unconscious
that he had once been deaf to those same
words. :" Can not man repent? And, il
he does, shall the light that should lead
him upward be refused? Oh, Alice answer
me. know that am not worthy of you,
that | never have been. But my love for
you shall make me better man. Tell me,
at least, that may hope"
The tears were pouring down the girls
face. The pent up emotions Of many weeks
had at length found vent.
Leave me-" she sobbed, removing her
hand from his.
But, Alice, / can not. must not go. Your
very tears tell me that l may win you yet"
he bent his head toward hers. The odor
Of her hair. the rpeness of her lips made
MS senses swim.
Come to me-my wife" he cried pas
| Sionately, striving to clasp her in his
arms.
She sprang up in dismav.
Go" she said. " You are unkind."
He stood before her, gazing ardently into
her eyes.
Forgive me, Alice" he pleaded. :"
have been very harsh" Again he had cap
tured her hand, But yol will let me see
You again-to-morrow"
There was silence for a moment. TaeA
a sOb-laden voice whispered:
Yes"