Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-05-02
CHAPTER XIII-Continued.

neither hurt nor offended. "l'aithful In
one thing, faithful in all, she murmureu'
Clnsping both her hands around his arm,
she crept still closer to his heart; all the
truer and dcnrer because oven It's love lor
herself had failed to dcaden any other
lawful tenderness
"Forgive mo, my wife, You must not
think that"
81 only think Of you and Of your pain"
at must be conquered, and shall by
and by"
"Or else the tide may turn; who
knows?"
"No; | have little hope of that, My
mother has strong prcjudices. In one
sense she u.s. as they called her, Il thorough
Scotch woman, warm friend, bitter
enemy, No. no, do not give me hope of
things changing, Better let us submit to
the inevitable. 1t is inevitable now"
They walked little way in sad silence,
then Roderick broke out again.
"Dd you hear what they said about
Bella's husband? Poor Bella! l knew
II would come to that; told her so, but
she would not believe me. She was daz-
zled blinded, overpersuNded Girls often
are, / suppose Perhaps ought to have
spoken out more thoroughly; but l hated
speaking-thcy never would understand
me. And then they worried me 50. Still
should have done my duty to them,
whether or no. have not liked to veX
you, my darling; but sometimes | have
vexed myself for days together with the
doubt If | had really done my duty to
them all. ] cannot forget them My
dearest-my very dearest always-you
would not wish me to forget them?
mo"
"Thank you'll" And then with another
half sob, he recovered himself. "Now we
understand one another quite, so let us
put it all aside. What is done we can
not undo; we would not if we could.
Blood Is thicker than water-especiall
with us Scotcll--but love is beyond all
and stronger than ALL
"When it is n righteous love. Ours
would not have been such If it had made
us do wrong. We did not do wrong We
had right to marry If we chose. 1t
made us happy and harmed no human
being"
Firm and fearless, holding the balance
even, and MS Just to herself as she would
have been to any other woman, Silence
smoke out. Her voice soothed and
strengthened him as If it had been the
voice of his own conscience.
"You are right, as l think you always
are. After all, If it comes to the point
man must leave his father and mother
and cling unto his wife, and she will
Oleave to him-even though he may try
her little Do II
Man-lile, he might have wished this
fact denied; but Silence was too honest.
eyes, dear" and just then, as they
came out of the dark wood into the moon
light, her pale face seemed to gain sort
of Abdiel-lke look, angelic sternness min
Rled with its sweetness. eyes, dear, yon
DO try me very much sometimes, rs no
doubt do you-as all married people
must more or less, try one another; but l
love you'll love your
"Do you? / often wonder why" Rod
erick answered, with that almost child
like humility and doubt of himself which
was SO pathetic, so winning.
II love because honor, and therefore
i am. afraid of nothing; because nothing
could make me cease to love, except
eeasing to honor. Me, myself, you might
forsake, wound, torture, and If it were
for conscences sake, should accept 1t
1In But il | ever came to despise YOU
as some women haveto despise their hus-
bands-pity might last, and duty; but
love would go dead out, and no power
on earth would light it up again. but
now-but now"
She turned to him, her eyes shining
with perfect trust-the very heart OF
love. love rooted in righteousness. He
Aurned. too and clasped her in his arms,
with n passion such as even his lover days
had never felt Then it was the restless
craving after uncertain bliss. Now it
was the deep content Of satisfied union,
each finding in the other more and more
every day perpetual refuge and rest.
"My mother told me l would soon get
ever my love for you-and marry some
other woman, who would do just as well.
If It had been, and | had lost you, and
had to live all my life without you! But
now-Oh, Silencel what in the world
should do without you nowf'
Without answering, she looked up at
him, q sudden strangely earnest look.
Roderick, who had begun with laugh,
rs IL anxious to get back into the light
commonplace of life once more, put his
arm round her.
"Are you tired? Let me help you. 1
think could almost carry you. Lean on
me, darling"
Eyes. / always do"
And so, half led, half carried-for she
was evidently very weary-they came to
their own door.
"What pleasant door it seemsw Rod
erick said as they watched the long CLEAN
from the parlor window across the dark
lawn. II enjoyed Symington. like
lnxuries, as like all pleasant things, but
I! can do without them. Now, there are
certain things could not do without"
"What are they"
"a peaceful, sunshiny, orderly home,
and a wife to love me-
She laughed merrily. eyes, 1t is q
dear home, if we could only get into it."
For they had found the door fastened-a
rare fact-and had been ringing and ring
ing, till at last Janet appeared, scared
and furried.
Shave you been asleep, Janet2 Moth
ing wrong? No ghosts frightened your
said Roderick kindly.
INA, ma, but the Teddy, she bode me
steek the door,"
''What lady?"