Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1896-03-18

HNIAWGh&AH M$S -IIldC Lu6 1OuS
2Z% aAg& IS and short of it.
81 e captivated
me as women will sometimes captivate
men when circumstances are favorable,
and long sea voyage is a very favorable
circumstance Then, for her part, she
expected certain advantages from the
marriage which it was not in my power
to provide for her. 1t was mutual
misunderstanding After the explana-
ton, she went her way and left me to go
mine. She did not ask my consent, and
I did not enforce my authority. But
whatever have she has a right to share;
and whatever cannot be shared ] have
no right to have"
81 am sorry for you, said Pauline, in
a tone that conveyed more than many
assurances.
There's no help for it" returned
Valentine, with an assumption of indif-
ference, mot even in the law"
You mean you cannot be divorced"
''She will not consent to it.
"Why not?"
Because she happens to know that
my eldest brother is in delicate health,
and that nothing stands between me and
fortune except his life. But letus talk
of something else. I am thinking of
leaving town.
SIN the midst of the season.?
''The seasons are pretty much alike to
me. Besides, New York will not be a
pleasant residence for me any longer"
''Has New York changed, or have
your
''The change is in my relations with
you, Miss Nolen," said Valentine, leaning
forward with his elbows on his knees.
81 can't come here any more. AS long
as / could keep up my false pretenses-
as long as you did not know me to be
married mani could take advantage of
your ignorance. But | have committed
hari-kari, SO far as that is concerned, and
it's time disappeared. !"
"It is not keeping any false pretenses
to be silent about your past life.
mot in the abstract, perhaps; but in
this case it is.
''Why, Mr.. Martini
MAY / tell you? You won't be Of
fendedY But without waiting for her
answer, and as if fearing that it might
be unfavorable, he added, hurriedly: Il
have no right, being married man, to
feel towards you as do. At first didn't
care. When I first saw you knew it would
be better for myself to keep out of your
way; but then thought that it could
make no difference to you-you would
never know what | felt for you-and
that might as well endure the pain for
the sake of enjoying the pleasure. But
since then my feeling has changed. You
are not the kind of woman who ought to
be the object of the love of man in my
position, even though you were not
honestly to say would rather have
died than attempt any act of deception
towards you had never known before
what love was; there is sort of sacri-
lege in my hanging around you, as /
have been doing, not daring to show my
self to you as I am. Two weeks ago
made up my mind never to see you again.
But l couldn't stand going off without
letting you know all about it. So here
am, Miss Nolen, for the last time. can
look you in the face now and say good
by. And it won't hurt you to shake
hands with me.
The changing tones, the passion, the
restraint and simple pathos with which
all this was said touched Paulines virgin
soul more deeply than it had ever been
touched before She OWNED all that was
not spoken, and recognized the gallant
spirit of the man who loved her too well
to stay where she was; and whether or
not she had hitherto been conscious of
it, her mind now contrasted the man,
fatally encountered as he was, with the
free man that she had supposed him to
be; and involuntarily the question pre-
sented itself, Had he been free, would
she have yielded what he desired? It
was a perilous question, but she con-
templated it steadily before disnissing
it. She had an intellect capable of dis
eliminating between merely conven-
tionaI morality and the deeper distinc-
lions between good and evil. Her re-
spect was as small for the former as for
the latter it was profound
III you had not cared Tor me as you
do, you might have stayed, and we have
been friends" she said finally; "but as
it is you are right to 60 ! am only a
girl-and feel more than sorry for you;
I don't know what might feel if you
were always here. No; l do not love
you'll don't think it, Mr.. Martin. It is
only that-if | wanted to love you'll
should not send you away!'
Valentine sat silent; and whether he
were happier or unhappier than at any
previous period of his life he could not
have told. So far as the significant part
of his life was concerned, he felt that it
was over with him; he would never
henceforth be the victim of any strong
desires, hopes or fears. Only one posi-.
BILE event would give him liberty, the op-