The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-04-25

tN.VKN on silently, as peo
&cSN9 pie do whose hearts
! Wv beat as one-walk
ed on, her hand In
his, unheeding that the sweet night ha(
changed, and that the cold wind wa'
glooming the sky with black clouds.
They sat down together on a broker
fragment of rock that seemed to lear
out, listening to the murmur OF the sea
Trenholme put his arm around Marina
My child" he said, you have known
me long time. Do you trust me?"
She looked up into his face with the
conf ience OF a child.
"Yes. Ralph, as l trust no other"
81 am glad. Because want you for
my wife. love you. have loved you,
| think, ever since the sea cast you up
at my feet. and now want you wholly
my own"
She did not reply. only booked at him,
in little tremulous fiutter of wonder,
her innocent heart shining through
her eyes
Marina, am waiting for you to
speak"
"But. Ralph. l have no name" she
sighed
Il have given you mine once. now
| offer it to you for all your life!
But your mother?"
My mother is proud. but she loves
me. And she will love my wife. Ma
rina, answer me. DEAR"
What shall | say?"
Tell me IL you love me-if you trust
me enough to give yourself into my
keeping?"
His face was bent to hers. She put
her arm timidly around his neck.
IL do love you, Ralph" she said softly,
more than all the world! And l have
been so wretched, thinking you cared
for Miss Ireton"
MY little Mari a, Miss Ireton Is
magnificent but do not love her. You
are my light. Nothing shall divide us"
He took her in his arms, and pressed
his lips to hers.
Just then the storm burst over them.
The thunder crashed, the lightning
cleaned bloodred athwart the heav-
ems. Trenholme caught Marina up. and
bounded lightly from rock to rock I'D
the circuitous path to the house. Just
across the end OF the piazza lay the
fallen form of the old sycamore tree
that had for years waved over the east
ern gables, rent and riven into splint-
ers by fiery thunderbolt. Marina
grew pale as death and shivered when
she saw Il.
20 Ralph! Ralph she cried, cling
ing to him, at is an omenr
He kissed her. to sootne her fears.
MY darling! 1t is nothing. The light
ming likes an old tree, and this has kept
guard here for ages. Do not give it
thought. Tonight shall speak to my
mother. Sleep well. dear; remember
you belong to me-"
He left her at the door of her cham
Der, which was in the east wing, on the
second floor. and whose bay windows
had always been shaded by the great
tree now fallen.
Neither Ralph nor Marina had seen,
crouching under the fallen trunk. the
weird form that looked at them out OF
great, revengeful eyes, that clutched
Its white hand through the gloom, NUT
terlng hoarsely:
My hour will comet and then be-
warer
Marina crept into bed, trembling at
the fierce raging of the storm, yet filled
with a strange delight. Her lips yet
thrilled with his kisses: she held her
hands tenderly to her heart. because
his fingers had pressed them.
Ralph went into his mothers little
private boudoir He found her sitting
there alone, as he had expected. He
went at the subject at once:
Mother. Marina is to be my wife"
She stared and grey pale as death.
What she had so long dreaded had
come.
Well?" she said. little haughtily.
L ask you to accept her as a daugh
ter. and to love her. IL not for her own
sake, at least for mine And she de-
serves even your love, in justice to her
merits"
Partially may influence your opin-
ion In regard to Marina's virtues; but
] have nothing to urge against her
character. | helped to form 1t myself.
Ralph. have feared this for a long
time, but hoped for a different result.
! am frank with you. I had set my
heart on seeing you the husband OF
lmogene Ireton. She Is beautiful. she
Is your equal in wealth and rank--and
more. she loves your
Mother
Il know you think. my son. that one
woman should never betray another's
secrets. And perhaps she should not.
But ! hoped this fact might have an
influence with you"
And IL has not. love only Marina
none other And she loves me.
Mother. will you accept her as I ask
your"
Ralph. how can I? an OF proud
racc believe In blood. And this girl
has no, even a namer
she VIII have mine. It is al honor