The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-06-21

(ILE..yEyg'.- . :, Ut
"Eho has bCCn hcrc?"
" to get the better of his discretion was
at its height. He began to tell her I'M
pulsively, passionately b2f,ro he fully
realized it.
She turned so white and speechless
that his heart almost ceased beating
The thought that he had at last uttered
the irreyocablc, fatal words came to
him too lat0 TO prevent, the utterancc of
his hope and his longing but not too
late to make the flow of his eloqucnco
trcmble and die on his lips He became
rs mute as she and almost as pale For
q moment they stood close together by
the window, in the fading light from
the western sky, looking into each 9TH
er's eyes with mutual terror
"I--I have frightened you" stam-
merod MaXey.
An undcniablo fact, but it was all the
artist could think to say at that mo.
ment.
Still he could not stand inactive. He
sought to take the dainty hand which
tiIidly shrank from the contact. He
grew more persistent when he encoun-
tered opposition and concentrated all his
energies on the capturing Of the trem-
bling member. In another moment it
was his. Then, with sudden boldness
which astonished oven himself, he drew
her close, close to him.
He felt her startled heart beating, as
if it would break next to his. The uu-
seen hand raped upon the window, but
1t had no longer any interest Or any ter
ror for them.
ooh, Mr.. Mayey, let me go!'
"No; we must undortand each other
first. Tell me that l am fool or a cow
ard, and I will"
She made him no reply. She strug-
gled little with her baby strength and
gave it up. She was very quiet.
But still the frightened heart beat
wildly close to his. She hadnot spoken.
Softly the artist bent down to look
into her avcrted face. There was neither
anger nor tears there-only the paleness
and the terror.
Tho two hearts were throbbing now
in unison. it was getting dark
"Annette, e." he whispered, "call me q
cowmdW
She answered him at last in u voice
that was so low and hushed that it hard.
ly sounded natural:
81 have no right to tell q lie, and l
have no right to mix my life with yours.
You are young, ambitious, rich, with a
future. | have not-nOt even name. !"
''No; am not rich, Annette. You are
mistaken, and, depend upon it, your
name will be known some day, and it
will be as good as mine. But what is
that to me? What if you really had 10
name? l love You for yourself, Annette,
for what you are. Annette, would you
place your happiness against so fimsy q
matter as that if were namoless and
you loved me?"
"Suppose-suppost some day the truth
about me should be known andit should
be-dcgrading?"
"Annettor'
"Ah, you have not thought Of that 1
have. Oh, I have Thought OF it often
when awoke at night OF when even
dared to dream Of such great happiness
as this -
Her voice died away to quite whis-
per. But those low spoken words did
not escape Maxey's willing car. They
thrilled through his whole being as
nothing had ever done before.
"Ah, then you have dreamed of this
happiness, Annette? You will not deny
it?"
She hung hcr head and became scar
let. She said not q word. Her very ST.
lence was eloquent. But the delighted
artist would not leave her modcaty this
refuge. He felt wild, delicious joy in
the knowledge that the radiant little
creature who hung upon his arm was
his, body and soul, and the knowledge,
the certainty, was not enough. He thirst
ed to hear her say it. Hc persisted:
"Tcll me, Annette you love mel Is
it not so?"
The head sank lower still, and sho
did not reply, hut the dark hair moved
slightly. A scarcely pcrcoptiblo little
nod in tho affirmative was all that she
seemed willing to vouchsafo him.
All at once she aroused herself and
sought once moro to break the tender
bonds that held her. She fought so hard
she seemed so very much in earnest, that
Maxcy, terror stricken for the result,
permitted hor to 20. When she was
free, she seemed about to leave him,
but at the very threshold of the room
she checked herself with sudden i'm
pulse and faced him. 1t was dusk, yet
Maxey, could see the dainty features.
They told him plainly onough under
what storm of emotion she was suffer-
ing. Itsoemed as if she had intended to
speak, but feared to trust her voice.
There she stood lilo timid fawn, pant
ing and trembling.
Marcy, hardly knowing what he did,