Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-10-01

ME ,rdrcrCd.
can. Are you still resolved to throw
away a mans love for that Of boy,
which may change many times yet,
leaving you lonely, miserable woman?
He cannot love you. No earthly creature
can love you as do with every fiber of
my body and soul-as l shall love no
other woman to the day of my death.
Oh, you soon and f1out me, Mamie,
but let mo tell you it is no mean thing,
such inveterato love as mine, and so
you may some day come to know and
wish it back" he added in his rich,
deep voice.
II belong to Willie,' she cried out
wildly. "You dishonor him by saying
such words to me. have tried to keep
the peace between you l have borne
with your presence here, but now
At that moment Hagar passed outside,
walking slowly and reading, but chanc-
ing to look up and seeing them through
the window she stood STILL grasping the
situation and directing her eyes full up
on Mamie kept them there for some
seconds, then passed on. In the very act
of calling ont to her Mamie wavered,
trembled, her head sank, and in another
moment, heckOned by those passionate,
imperious eyes, she would have been in
Trclawny's arms, when, with a supreme
effort, she pulled herself together, and
falling back before him shrieked out:
my God If you touch me, will kill
myself!'
And tho man who could have crushed
with one hand this slender girl through
whose veins quivering thrills OF horror
leapcd knew that she would do it, and
for one mad moment had almost snatch
ed her, taken his fill of kisses, staid
the hunger OF his soul, then left her to
carry out her threat, and SO be neither
his nor Willic's nor any other mans
wife at all, when with sudden revul-
sion of feeling he threw himself into
broken chair and casting his head down
Oh table signed tiercely to her to 90.
Noiselessly she stepped past him. the
door closed, and cursing himself for his
scruples he lcaped up and dashed in
pursuit, but she had escaped, and lock-
ing herself into her room sat trembling
in every limb.
How was it to end this sinister in
fluence that Trelawny exercised over
her, an influence backed and strength
ened in some intangible way by Hagar,
for it was only when the latter was
close at hand that all power Of self pro-
lection seemed to desert her? She could
not, she dared not, tell Willie of this
mornings scene, and yet how many
more might there not be before he took
her absolutely under his protectionl
Might she not indeed be coerced into
deeds against which her soul revolted,
even into being Blake Trelawny's wife!
She shuddered as she sat OH her little
bed and tried to think what she would
do. She had no woman friend to 80 to,
for she mo- longer implicitly trusted
Hagar, and her nearest female relative,
Lady Lirriper, would laugh i'll her face
and bid her marry Trelawny and think
herself lucky, so there was no help
there Her father-he would not un-
dcrstand, for there is ever great gulf
between father and daughter in matters
of love.
There was only Willie; and she could
not beg him to marry her out OF hand
and take her away as she would have
liked to do, and now Willie himself
was knocking at the door and whisper
ing superlatives through the keyhole
and entreating her to come out.
Darling, where are you?' he was
saying. Il have been searching the
whole place over for you, and it is just
luncheon time.
"1'm coming she cried out, then
smoothed her hair, put OH fresh rib
bon and tried to look just as usual But
before they had reached the end OF, the
corridor Willie, whose brows were knit
ted, had during his search for her come
to momentous decision, and under
cover Of friendly recess stopped to tell
her so.
Il don't know what that brute IRE
lawny says or does to upset you, little
one" he said. "but thouQh can't Kick
him ont 0 your fathers house and La
DIV Lirriper can't bear him ont of her
sight can kick him out OF mine, and
don't choose you to be subjected to
at least three weeks more Of his polite
bullying and being chivied round by
him, SO give you fair notice that I'm
going up to town tomorrow to buy
wedding license, and / mean to run
away with you the night OF the ball
next Thursday nieht-so there "
Mamie did not faint or weep on blush