Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-01-02
CHAPTER x.

| 4Nc1 nO ElOOu MlhuAh uOukt
AS he paused, his heart beating quickly
it seemed to Hugh that all the chances
Of his future life were concentrated il
that one burning moment. Marian wal
there alone, and he loved her. Every
thing else he had valued was lost sav,
this, the greatest of all, and should ht
let that go, too, for conscience's sake?
The music seemed to answer him now
like sigh, now like a soft, reiterated
"Come," and he obeyed it.
By the open window of Mrs. Vent.
ror's deserted boudoir Marian was
standing, voicing her heart in fare.
well to the love that though forbidden,
had helped to LIT her near to heaven.
She was in the first glow that comes
from the ecstasy of repentance and the
remuneration even OF her hearts desire
seemed little thing for the sake OF
right.
"Ah, Hugh, dare I be- glad / met
you," she was thinking; "that felt
your power and truth lift me from the
slough I was in? Dare I be glad since
it made you sufferf All, you love me,
you will know the black reaction of de-
spair when have gone, but the pure
memory you will keep of me / would
not renounce for all the pitiable human
joy on earth. You are so strong, so true,
you will conquer where other men
might fail The thought of me will be
a blessing-the woman you saved, dear
mo, the woman you helped to save
for unless the longing comes from with
in as well there is no hope"
The bow slipped from her wearied
fingers, and with sigh she looked up.
Hugh stood in the doorway gazing at
her, and his face was marked by a
white and desperate look it had never
worn before
A terrible fear leaped to full life in
Marian's heart. This was not the pa
tient, gentle hero of whom she had been
dreaming. She tried to speak, but even
when he had crossed to her side, his
eyes aflame with reckless passion in
which there was neither hope nor joy,
her dry lips made no sound.
Marian" he whispered, his yearn-
ing arms encircling her, "you must not
go. need you. love you l care for
nothing else nowhere is bothing else.
You-you are everything. God, beauty,
truth-all--you mean this to me. Oh,
my lover
The words were spoken 1t seemed to
Marian that she had fallen from great
height; that the hallowed voices which
had whispered of joy to her had one by
one been stilled, She was alone in the
chill of the night, the old WEAKNESS and
pain intensified hundred times tug
ging at her heart. She felt cheated,
helpless. Her estimate of Hugh had not
been true, then? Oh, was there any
thing true? Or was this that faced her
now the only reality, and that other
heavenly peace a chimera
which had fled forever?
"Why are you here?" she cried pas
and her beautiful face was
as she tore herself from his
arms. IT had rather you had killed
me-"
But Hugh had cast away self control,
and he did not fully understand the look
on Marian g face. It was an expression
q woman might have worn who, help
less, watched loved one drifting sure
ly to the black whirlpool which would
suck him down into eternal night.
"Listen to me-" Hugh pleaded, and
his words came fast. "I have struggled
against myself, but what does it mat
ter? We are innocent, but we are con-
My wife will not return. I am
glad of it now-glad. The past is past
forever. Let it CO. 1t is you love- All,
lear, know your heart is mine! There |
are no words needed to tell me that.
Let us be happy" he said bitterly, |
fiercely. "Who can avow, after all, that |
here is anything greater in the world |
han the happiness of the individual? |
Each for himself tell you, the con-
Ventional society for which we would |
sacrifice ourselves would not understand |
t, even if it believed in our sincerity. |
Let's fling the glove in its face and live
only for each other"
She was still gazing at him with
hose deep, pain darkened eyes, and
Hugh, laying his hands appealingly on
Ter shoulders, could feel her whole body
remble.
What thoughts crucified Marian
Hugh was making this prayer to her
le stood ready to draw her into the