Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-06-25
Proved His Courage.

ssThen this is your final decision
Marion? said Hugh Curtis, pauslng
suddenly in his rapid walk up and
down the room.
cit most certainly ISL replied the
naughty girl, flashing disdalnful
look at the white, agitated face be-
fore her.
ssYou do really wish me to go away
from you forever"
ssThat is what I said. Is it not
enough"
eyes, he answered bitterly, 81 I'M
derstand." And yet he looked at her
Iongingly, his dark eyes pleading elo-
quently for OBTAINING word.
Marion WINGED under his critical
gaze, her cheeks flushed deeply, and
her eyes grew very bright with anger.
"Why don't you go?" she demanded
passionately.
e'I am going, Marion, but before |
leave let me warn you against admit
ting that scoundrel, Thane Lenox into
your heart and home," exclaimed
Hugh, trying to steady his voice.
''Save yourself the trouble, sir.
Scoundrel or not, Thane LenoX is no
coward. He said all the haunting,
mean things he could think of right to
your face, but even when he struck
you, you refused to resent the insult"
"He was drunk, Marion, and could
not suffer my name to be mixed up in
such brawl."
t'You were too cowardly to defend
yourself and afterward sent back the
challenge he was brave enough to
make. Had I been insulted in public
as you were nothing but blood would
have satisfied me-"
ct am not tired of living, Marion;
neither do wish to go through life
with the brand of Cain upon my brow"
answered Hugh.
'sThen you do not intend to recon-
slider your decision? You will not
fight him?'
"Most certainly will not, Marion"
''Not even if I demand it?''
"Not even if you demand it," was
the firm reply.
"Hugh Curtis, you are too cowardly
to merit the regard of high spirited
woman. The whole village is sheer
ing at you. Hugh Curtis; coward.
That is what you have won by your
lack of bravery"
''You do not understand everything,
Marion, 1 may be coward, but ]
have always been true to YOU"
"Stop that silly sentiment. Go,
say, before you drive me mad!"
Without another word Hugh turned
away, and from the window she saw
him going with rapid strides down the
path which led to the public highway.
Once she rose to her feet, determined
to call him back, but he turned his
head neither to the right nor left, and
she sat down again muttering: "Let
him go. He will be back soon. can
stand it as long as he can"
In spite of her determination to be
brave, the warm tears crept up to her
eyes, dimming her vision and thus
shutting out the loved one from view.
The two had been lifelong friends,
and though their lips had never ex-
changed formal VOWS she had worn
his ring for many happy months, and
all the neighbors understood that
some day Hugh Curtis would make
Marion Jewell his wife.
At his mothers knee Hugh had i'm
bibed his peculiar ideas of keeping
the peace, and in his boyhood days
he had often been numerically twit-
ted for allowing his companions to
impose upon him. This was not the
first time he had been called COW
ard, and as he walked slowly along
the dusty road that bright May morn
ing he began to wonder if, after all,
his conscientious scruples might not
be merely convenient cloak under
which to hide his cowardly nature.
1t was the first time Marion had |
ever accused him of being a coward,
and she would not have done it now
had she not loved him too we'll to !