Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-01-02
,ieRT. iss7.sr THs UNITED STATES BOOK COMPANY
mnr are you saying, Mariang J

mnat me you saying, Mariang Yo
do believe l love your"
"Oh, yes, ! believe thatr she sal,
fiercely, o sound that was like the ech
of a bitter laugh breaking upon her lips
"Yes, " she said again, rising and fac
ing him, 81 believe you give me sucl
love as women like me are capable O
arousing. And l had thought-but new
er mind-that dream of heaven is gon,
gone forever" "
II am offering you my life. revere
you as | love you. Don't smile in thai
way, Marianl Don't-don'tl l cannot
bear it. "
But she paid no attention. She smote
her hands together childishly, and hel
head dropped upon her bosom
"Do you think / do not understand
You quickened my torpid heart with
the fever of repentance, but you have
hardened it again. Had been q good
woman you would not have come to me
tonight. How bitterly ] know that
But IL was not fit for the unvoiced,
unselfish love of an honorable man IS
life. I was not worthy, she said, with
dreary bitterness
Hugh became silent, a coldness, a
shadowy horror settling upon him as he
watched her altered face.
"Oh, what have you done?" she cried,
seizing his arm. "Oh, how could you
take my happy dream from me? You
don't know what you have robbed me
Of"
There was silence for a moment, and
tear gushed from Marian's eyes, fall
ing heavily upon her clasped hands. To
what did she say farewell in that mo-
ment? What better life did she re-
Sounce as impossible? What angel van
'ished from her side? What devil took
its place?
A murmured laugh fioated through
the room that seemed to come from the
lips of lost soul whirling through a
wild Walpurgis night. She moved to
the curtained doorway, paused there a
moment and looked back.
Good night, Hugh" and all the
coldness and mockery that had chilled
him in the first days of their acquaint-
ance were shining in her eyes, "Come
to me tomorrow. I shall not waste the
night in prayer-be sure of that. You
have shown me the folly of it. But
want to think. 1t is not easy to come
from heaven to black, familiar valley
in one little moment, is it? Oh, un
derstand all SO plainly now, but I must
grow accustomed to it," she said mus
ingly, with dreary calm that chilled
the awed and troubled man who lis
tened as if death had breathed upon
him-for there is another death than
that of the body
"You thought I was cheating myself,
perhaps trying to cheat you when
sought you with my miserable story"
said Marian. "Ah, yes, l know it now
You had no faith in the new strength,
the new hope, the new life / was look
ing forward to-"
ooh, yes-yes" And in dumb an
guish Hugh tried to take her hand. She
drew away, still with that strange, wan
smile
$50 away now, Hugh. cannot bear
to see you-not yet," Ard she laughed
as he once heard suicide laugh when
told that he had but few moments to
live. "Not yet, but since you tear down
the idol of yourself, since you, who
made me hate my sins, have glorifed
them, I'll live down to your estimate.
What am I, that should strive to be
better than you? I'll go away with you
You shall order my life as you will I'll
be worthy of you, never fear. /"
Marian, do believe in you. Oh,
you cannot think"-- and he moved i'm
pulsively toward her, his heart in his
eyes.
She raised her hand in a mute COM
mand not to approach or touch her. Her
lids dropped heavily.
Repentance is impossible. You have
taught me this. I love you. I accept |
your conditions. There is no turning
back after all Men can find forgiveness
women, never.
The curtain fell behind her, and he |
was alone.