Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-04-12

that the girls heart had overlooked
with delight. The music Of that fall
ing water, the breath Of that warm,
sweet wind, helped TO fill her mind
with fancies melodiOus and sweet as
themselves.
"Leonie, repeated Sir Bertram, 81
thought to-day would never come. /
have counted the minutes and the
hours. yet have had hope. You have
not been trihing with me?"
She stood before him, her, colorless
face dropping from his sight, her hands
trembling in his strong grasp.
''l want your answer" he said, bend
ing his handsome Saxon head over the
white hands and kissing them. 81
asked you to be my wife, and you told
me to come to-day for the reply"
LET us go out, she SAID, with u
strange stihed gasp; Il cannot speak
! cannot breathe here.
A sense of horrible pain had almost
mastered her. How was she to tell him
they must part when she loved him so
dearly that she would have given her
life for him? How could she inilict
this anguish upon him when she knew
that his life was wrapped up in hers?
Silently she passed through the long
open window, over the green lawn,
where great clusters of scarlet verbena
shone in the sunshine, past the great
sheaves of white lilies and the fragrant
roses, past the tall chestnuts, until she
came to the grove of blossoming lines.
Their tall branches met overhead and
formed deep shade. The sunshine
came through the dense green foliage
with melowed light such as is seen
in the dim cathedral aisles. The turf
was thick and velvety: the banks were
covered with wild thyme; the whole
place was lovely as II fairies glade. A
fal en- tree, over which scarlet creepers
had grown, lay half across the path,
and on it Leonie sat down, raising her
beautiful face to the ripping foliage
above her head, then suddenly hiding
it in her hands. She had no right even
to look at the smiling summer heavens
she who had stolen an inheritance,
and was about to barter her love for it.
81 could not breathe in those warm
rooms" she said. "How quiet and
beautiful it is here.
"l.eonie," said Sir Bertram, earn
estly, 81 am sure that you are no CO.
quette and you cannot help having
many loyers-all fair women are so
much admired. You are no hirt-you
would not lead man on by kind words
and kind smiles until his heart lay UNI
der your feet, and then trample upon it.
NO | would not do that, she
answered, with white set lips.
And yet, darling, do you know that
am growing frightened? fancied
your little probation was but to try
me. | have never looked at it seri-
ously. | believed that when | came to
you to-day you would be all smiles, all
sweetness, all gladness. Yet, Leonie,
your face is turned from me-you have
no word for me. What does it mean?
Remember, darling, though | ask the
question do not doubt YOU"
His generous trust, his devoted love,
smote her as no pain could have done.
She had to take this noble heart in her
hands and break it; no wonder that her
strength failed her, and that, with a
long, shuddering sigh, she turned
away, burying her face in her hands.
The next moment he was kneellng by
her side, his noble face full of deepest
anxiety.
"Leonie, what is the matter? What
has changed you 50 utterly My dar-
ling, where have all yodr brightness,
all your gay spirits gomez Letme look
at that dear face"
He raised it in his hands, and cried
out in surprise, when he saw it,
Where is your color? Your lips are
white as these wild strawberry bios
SONS. Years, sorrow, and pain have
passed over yOu-what is it, Leonie?
Have no fear-tell me all"
Il hate to infict pain" she said
hoar ely, and know that must pain
you.
Why, my darling? I do not see the
need"
Her courage and self-command broke
down all at once.
Il can not marry you, Bertram-I can
never be your wife, and it hurts me to
tell you so.
His face grew very white, and a
stern, angry light came into his eyes
Repeat those words, Leonie My
senses must surely have played me
false not your
IL can never be your wife, Bertram;
do not be angry with me. If you turn
from me in anger | shall die"
You can never marry me, Leonie!
Am | dreaming or are you? Do you
know That you had almost given your
promise? Do you know, although you
have not said the word yet, that you
pledged yourself over and over again
with the pledges which a true and loyal
woman considers as sacred and as bind
ing as an oath?"
81 know, she said, raising her white,
despairing face to his; but l cannot
marry you-I cannot be your wife.
Will you tell me why?" he asked,
and a CLEAN of hope came to hint
might only be some girlish fancy,
after all
a cannot tell you that, she repeat
ed, with the same quiet despair.
do you know what you are doing to
me, Leonie? You are killing me! You
would be ten thousand times more
merciful II you stabbed me and let me
die at once. Do you know that | can
not live without you? Heaven help
me, cannot My love and my life are
so twined together that if one goes the
other gees"
She made him no answer, but sat as
though her white face was turned to
stone.
"You are only trying me, Leonie-
you cannot mean it. You want to see
how dearly love you. Oh, my love,
my love, it is a cruel Jest"