Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-07-19
CHAPTER VII.

The only brightness i'll Ellen
Warde's sad thoughts sprung from he"
friendship with the Severns. Intui
lively aware of the colonels interest
in her. though to herself she called it
only kindly feeling, she could not but
like him in return, and by some subtle
instinct guessed that if she ever
needed help he would risk anything
to serve her. His dark eyes, grave al
times even to severity, had somehow
! impressed her with the belief that he
would be pitiful indeed and tender.
but that the mere fact of a wOman's
! needing such tenderness would rob
her of his esteem. From what he had
said she had not failed to discover
: that his ideal Of womanhOod was a
high one She would not like him
even to know that she had been on the
stage; but she felt that she would
well-nigh sink into the ground with
shame were he to discover what had
driven her away from her own coun-
i try.
Charlie she feared less. He liked
her for herself unquestioningly; and,
if she elected to accept his love, she
thought he would not alter
Could she afford to thrust this hap
piness from her? Love was a turmoil
and a pain-having loved once, she
knew the sorrow of it; but to be loved
-ah. that would be indeed heaven,
she thought.
All day long she hesitated, but in the
afternoon. when Charlie came to try
his fate. full of happy boyish enthus-
iasm tempered with a little boyish shy
Eess. she knew at once that only one
| answer was possible. 1t would be
crime to give him less than he offered
her, a whole undivided love; nor could
! she ease the burden she bore by lay
| ing it across his shoulders too. She
| could not doubly wreck his life.
I'll am so glad you are alone; l
want to speak to you. Will you walk
a little way with me?" he begged
earnestly, anxious to get beyond sight
Of the windows and possible lockers on.
She had come into the garden to
! meet him. Her hat was in her hand,
! and in answer to his request she put
! it on.
(Which way shall we gor' she asked
amy way-anywhere so that it be
! togethern' was what the boy thought;
! but he managed to stammer something
more conventional instead, and went
! on talking till they stood alone and
unobserved in a shady lane not far
from the house. Then he turned and
! faced her recklessly, feeling the sus-
pense too horrible to bear-that he
! must know his fate at once.
ELLEN. love you! VIII you be my
! wife," said Charlie.
A crimson flush rose to her cheeks.
All, it was sweet, Sweeter than she
had thought, to hear such words! She
did so thirst for love-love end sym
pathy Must she dash the cup away
untasted Some women are so rich in
love and happiness that they could
listen unmOyed to such a story: some
are so constituted that it could cause
only a feeling Of repulsion; but to Ell
len this love which she did not, could
never return, came as a great tempta-
ton.
Cant you love me, dear? Won't
you be my wife,?
Slowly she raised her eyes to his
hers so sad and full of unutterable
longing for love. happiness and a
home; his so passionate and love-com-
polling His tightly compressed lips
| gave evidence Of determination, his
whole face was aglow with love and
hope
l IT am very sorry" she began.