The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-09-07

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He alternatcd between GOODNESS and
intense excitement The strain upon
his nerves was most severe. What II
Helen should come? The woman was
trembling with excitement but des-
! perately resolnte.
| II shall not 60" she said.
| "You shall, he shouted; ''you shall
gol You shall not stay here and ruin
me just because of a schoolboy prom
Use. ! was boy then, am n man
nowl Now gol''
She stood firmly and looked the young
man squarely in the face.
"Will you not go?" he begged.
Don't you understand what IL means
TO me IL you stay here another minute?
The woman am TO marry is coming
here. and she must not see you-oh,
can't you understand that, and won't
you go? Go-please go, and come back
to-morrow-any time, but leave me
now-for Gods sake"
Neither had heard \ gentle footstep
in the hallway. and for moment
neither saw the tall, fine woman who
stood In the doorway looking at them
with wondering eyes.
Then, at the same moment, the eyes
of both fell upon her. They under
stood. For the great space of quar-
ter OF n minute there was silence.
ominous and profound. broken at last
by Verdery's impetuous, appealing cry:
''HelenT'
He moved toward her, but she drew
herself up resolutely.
II did not mean TO hear" she said,
in firm tones, ''but could not help It,
and---I understand. will not intrude.
III will send the carriage back for
you--Mr. Verdery."
Helen, you cannot mean that-that
you" he began.
Heard? Yes. l heard enough; more
than enough. There's nothing more
To say" She started to go.
'Helenl Helenl" he cried ''just a
moment Listen to mel This is all a
mistake, terrible--you will not go
away like that? Wait--I will go with
you"
"You will not" she said, deter
minedly. II do not need you. That is
enough"
''Iut, Helen" he begged, what
what does this mean?"
1T means" she said. "that heard
what you said TOTO this lady. un-
derstaud. There's no explanation;
nothing that can change what heard.
1t means that you are less to me than
she is TO YOU"
You cannot mean IL, Helenl" he
said, In great alarm. think OF what
you are sayingl Think OF what it
means to mel Helenl Helenl let me
explain. / was boy then, nothing
but foolish boy. l am SO different
now; I'm a man now, and all my heart,
my soul, my life are yours yours,
Helen! Do you hear me? The past is
deadr'
''You cannot explain TO me-" she
said, turning to go. lyon have al
seady said too much. / will not In
trude further"
II will go with you'll" he declared.
II will explain. You shall not leave
me like this"
You cannot CO." she said, land you
will not insist when l tell you that /
uo not WISH you WIN me.
He saw that she meant it.
"Then l will come tomorrow" he
said. II can make you understand IT.
l will come tomorrow and explain
everything"
II viii not see you tomorrow" she
said. You need not come"
Then 1 viii come Sunday will
wait until You have thought over 1t
and are ready to listen 10 me- I'm sure
you viii change your mind then. !
will come Sunday"
1T will be unnecessary trouble, she
told him, quietly and decisively; ~
will not see YOU"
"Not see me?" he said. Think how
long it is three days--and things win
appear SO different then. When may
come? just name the day--I will do
as you say"
There viii never be any day when
you may come"
Helen
But she had gone. The room was
reeling round and round. Verdery.
like drunken man. dropped into his
chair His head fell upon his hands.
lie sat there, dumb. trying vainly to
realize what had happened and falling
to do IL.
His thoughts raced madly through
his mind, keeping pace with the mad
leaping of the blood in his almost
bursting veins and nothing save the
powerful and overwhelming sense of
calamity remained with him. The
collapse had come in moment
Nv.
At length he arose. It was dark In
the room and he was alone. He no
ticcd a batch OF letters at his feet and
picked them up The lights on the
street shone through the window
fcebly. II was not late, for the stree.
was still thronged with people. Could
1t DO that IL was just an hour ago?
Where had the woman gone? lie drew
down the cover of his desk and was
turning TO go when familiar step