Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1894-10-05

SHE FELL UPON HER KNEES
far too sensible for That ii a over all
this week. their first together for
eighteen months. And tonight he
had exposed his whole weak soul tn
her-in u sermon. But did he cues
that she had translated him? Would
he do hi, duty YETI: Did he know his
duty she rom mbered-she would
never f~orgct-how he had said under
the trees the other morning. Il will
give my lite to you, Caroline" She
did II t want his life she wanted his
love. Next to tine knowledge t ut he
loved her she would have had his own
brave, voluntary confession that he
dill rot love her. She would have
given everything that night-cvery-
thing still to ha e admired as she had
admire | him. the man she had loved
tho soul she must love forever.
In the deal of night and in the sill
Yer Of the summer neutrality-suspicious.
less on her knees and rocking to and
flo in her chair-Carolinc league
wrestled with her grief as best she
might. p acing her humble spirit in
the hands of Him t. whom she walked
so nea". And the following forenoon
she accompanied Noel Pennyman
UIlEOuS u tllc StlIlN lCluS W Ull0 SLdU on.
and came back i'll haste.
She found the rector in his study, al
his desk.
ii ather." she murmured, a have
seen him OF"
The rector did not raise his eyes.
We'll my dear. he'll he back in q
couple of days" he remarked cheer.
fully. his nose in his papers.
No: he Is mover coming back at all"
The rector raised his head. pushed
up his s%,,ectaclcs. and aaZed at his
daughter in dire amaZcment.
What" he gasped; has there beer
a QUARREL"
"No-no quarrel"
what then, Caroline, in Heaven's
name"
II have given him up" said Caro-.
line, firmly.
Mi. league sprang up.
You have Tilted him-Noel Penny
man-the man you have been engaged
TO all these years."
Il have Tilted him."
The rector made her repeat it more
than once: May 1 ask Why" he in.
qui.ed at length.
"Because-yo can't marry without
love on both sides. This has been a
cruel. q wicked mistake, from the very
beginning. Thank God, | have discov.
cred it in time"
"Iou a for your discovery that
you do not care for him" cried the
rector s~harply-more sharply than he
had spoken to her in all her life.
Caroline bowed her head. "Yes-l
meant that"
MIR. league sat down Mt his desk.
and leant heavily on his hand. II am
ashamed of you, Caroline" said he, in
q broken voice. 81 am ashamed of my
daughter"
But now Miss league could hear no
more: she fell up-n her knees at his
knee. and burst into passionate tears.
All that she now said was reiterated
many times: and much of it was in.
coherent.
oh, do not be hard on me. l have
not.one left but you. will help you as
it has been my delight and pride always
to help you. 81 will | help you to the
end. My happiness made no difference
TO my work, did it. My unhappines:
Father, it is bette than if he had given
me up, isn't it: The world is more
lenient, | am sure-in this one thing
to the woman than to the man. And
you will be less hard on me, won't YOU,
than you would have been on him:
Forgive me, father: | have only you.T
The rector laid his trembling hand
uIon her hair.
judge. May he forgive you-and NAV
God. Yet, Caroline, Caroline. l had
rather 1t Q the young man who had
done this thing-not my daughter"
Miss league arose. and went away
dropping: for now, indeed, her hear,
Sc med broken. She went to that lit.
tie place, her favorite place, where
Noel had pro. oseu to her-whcre Noel
had seemed veXed at being reminded
OF that proposal-where she h d
opened his letters. Here, also, she
buried all that; and set her spirit to.
war. what was to be.
Now. the Reverend Noel Pennyman,
saved by this strong soul from IL hu.
initiating ~duty-which ii is still but
fair to believe he might have per-
TO. med, in the -end-has never u pre-
ciated Miss leagues magnanimity.
For she vowed she did NOT love him.
and though. in doing SO she snatched
similar words from his mouth, and re.
lieved his soul. his vanity carries the
scar to this day. She loved him, in
fine. SO we'll that she managed in that
walk to the station to convince him
that she did not love him at all. Sc
his friends in the North, and even
I, Miss leagues friends, consider that
/ poor Mr.. Pennym an was treated abom,
tnably. Why are women SO stanch?
1.-THE ENp