The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-03-07
TRUE TO HIS VOW.

~" NO"AJ III COuIu uOG TOuS0 Gu0 HdL4
wholay upon his face under the shelter
ing rocks.
He was not asleep, for at times his
frame trembled, and now and again he
half started up and looked across the
sea, and dropped his head again.
He vas a young man and a sailor
he showed that in every line of his face
and motion of his form-yOung and
strong, with sunburned features and
blue eyes, a man framed by nature to
make the world better because he had
done his part in it
But there was a great agony now in
that brave young face as from time to
time he lifted it.
There came a light step along the
gravel, and he started up quickly a. a
girl walked down the beach-a fair
young girl, with the sunny hair and
glorious eyes which since the days of
Eve had made slaves and thraIls of the
children Of men.
And truly there was something in the
manner of MilIicent Durand which had
given her al power over the stronger
nature of man, and this young sailor,
lying there upon the sand, loved her
with an U~nutterable affectiOn-a depth
of love it was hard for her to under
stand
Richard Dean" she cried, "why
are you lying here alone7"
Richard, " she said again, what is
it2 Why do you look at ne so?'
u don't know what to say to you,
Milly," he answered slowly, because
I don't like to give you pain, but some
times it seems to me that it would
have been better, far better, if I had
gone down with the schooner last
autumn, instead of living to endure
this great anguish"
Il don't know what you mean, dear
Richard. You and I were always
friends, and you know that I would
bear almost any thing sooner than give
pain to those 1 love. What does it all
mean?"
I'm tell you, Milly, and try to tell
it in such a way that you will under
stand that, if I suffer, l have no hatred
for those who love me, although they
have broken my heart. An hour ago
I was on the point, sitting under the
trees, and l heard-L couldn't help it,
Mllly-I heard what Harry Watson
said to you"
A flush stole up into the white cheek
of the girl as she ,urned away her
head.
4 heard Harry tell you that he
loved you, and heard you say that
you loved him, and then 1 stole away,
not to hear more.
Il love you As man never loved
woman in all time. love you SO well
that for a moment it seemed to me that
I hated Harry Watson, because he
robbed me of my jewel.
But I knew him to be good and
true, a kind son., tender brother, and
he will make you happier perhaps than
poor Dick Dean ever could"
"Oh, Dick" she said softly. Il
never dreamed that you
She stopped suddenly.
q have been to blame, and while
you loved me as a sister loves a brother
[, fool that I was, thought the feeling
deeper.
There, there; I am a man, Milly;
I'll fight it down in time; give me
awhile to draw breath and understand
my loss. When are you to be mar
ried?'
after this trip" she said softly.
"When the Hesperus comes back"
And I am first mate of the Hes
perus and Harry second. And we've
been friends so long that-but it isn't
possible that I could ever hate Harry
Watson or do him any wrong, but l
wish he were in another schooner"
Dick" cried Milly suddenly, "you
are going out with the man I love in
the same ship.
There will cOne an hour OF r
temptation to you, a dreadful hour,
when you wall have to choose between
good and evil.
when that time comes and the
tempter whispers in your ears, promise
me, in the name of the love you bear
me, you will think of me-"
He drew his breath hard.
"T1l try, Milly," he said quickly.
"There's my hand on the bargain"
and take this" she said, forcing a
ru & into his hand. Take it, wear 1t
on your finger night and day, and
when you see it, remember that you
are pledged to do right by Harry
Mntaon .