Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-05-13
Their word, and leaned her soft cheek
against his own.
[ stole out of the room.
The child, perhaps, might comfort him.
| could not.
CHAPTER X.

|
utter despair. For once put my Inflated
love aside, and looked life and it's attend
ant circumstances fully in the face.
When l rose from my knees that day
said in my heart: Il will marry Sir Ralph
| Ferrers tomorrow if only he will ask me
again l meant it.
The events Of the day had unsettled and
disturbed me, and every time thought OF
the generosity and kindness l had so III
requited grew hot with shame and dis
may. Sir Ralph was just the same as
ever, to all neutrality-suspicious., frank,
genial-so true a gentleman, so kind a
friend. I said this to myself again and
again as the meal went on; as | watched
the looks, OF heard the tones | knew SO
well, and had valued SO little. Some stu
| pid constraint had fallen upon me, and
was very taciturn; but Sir Ralph and
father did not appear to notice it.
When dinner was over left them, and
went out into the grounds. The night was
dark with shadows here in the quiet walks
| paced; the stars glittered in myriads over
| the violet waters, and everywhere came
| the scents of roses and orange blossoms,
sleeping the air with languid, dreamy
odors.
1t seemed to me as if had never been
so keenly conscious of the beauty of the
scene before. The very breath of the
wind, the sway of the leaves, and murmur
of the sea, touched me in a way altogether
new and strange. / felt as if they were
parts of dream, not actual realities.
| Presently figure stole out from among
| the shadows, paused, then came toward
| me.
lis the child asleep?" he said abruptly.
81 wished to bid her goodbye, for l must
| be off early in the morning"
| I turned my face to his. | saw how
pale he was, and what harassed look
| the kind gray eyes held in their depths.
"You are going-to-morrow? 1 echoed
stupidity. "Why?"
at is better l should be- he answered
slowly. ''Your fathers affairs-1 must
see to them. They-they can't be as bad
as he says, and he must not be allowed to
sell Moorlands-he must not!'
My lips began to culver. looked up
at him.
ooh, Sir Ralph" cried, chow good you
have been! How much you have done for
us! Father only told me to-day about
about Darby
81 did nothing nothing" he said impa-
tiently. what is the use of money if
one can't help friend who's in scrape
And what's the use of my money to me
1t can't buy me the affection of a single
creature-it can't give me home
His voice ceased abruptly, then grew gen.
tier. ''Forgive me, JOAN" he said; Il
did not mean to reproach YOU"
''But I am fond of you," burst forth
with sudden courage-"and grateful. Oh,
you don't know how grateful am! Your
generosity shames me. 1 seem to have
been so selfish, so exacting-"
''Hushv' he said. eff 1 have been of
any use or comfort to you, that is all I
want. l am lonely man. 1 wanted
something to occupy my thoughts and af-
! lection. I found it. If there is little
pain behind, that is only my fault; you
are not to blame-or-or the child"
'"The child?' 1 faltered. eyes, I know
it was for her sake And she loves you
so. Don't say there is no one"
'Did say that?" he asked gently. 'It
was wrong and ungrateful, was it not ?
Perhaps 1 should have said"
mo, do not say it," cried eagerly. Il
know what you mean. Oh, if l had only
known it before!'
'Do you think l wanted to buy your
love?' he said sternly. "Oh, Joan, how
little you know me! You would make any
sacrifice for their sakes. [ am sure of it,
child; but don't want a sacrifice. Since
YOU have learnt the truth, l must leave
you; for-for my own sake, perhaps, as
we'll as yours. I know it is hopeless to
expect you to love me-even a little-and
I am foolish enough to care only for your
love-"
'.But don't know that it is-hopeless,'
I cried suddenly, with a courage born of
desperation, l fear, for l could not bear
the idea of losing him out of my life now.
He seized my hands and drew me out
of the shadows into the pale, sweet glow
of moonlight. and ,l licked down at my face
with earnsasf, searching eyes.
Chhlfd,' he said, ''if l know you at ALL
RI know you would not trihe with any
mans honest love. Do you know what
your words imply? If it is not folly to
you. is it-anything else?'
"Yes.'' / said. gravely, ga great and
noble gift. of which l am not worthy
'.But which you will accept; is that it,
Jean?"
Yes" I answered, lifting my eyes to
his and wondering not little at the rap
ture and the joy that lit his face, and
swept away every line of age by the
magic of happiness. land value as have
never valued anything in all my life be-
FORE
MAY heaven bless you for those
words,'' he said. and bent and kissed my
brow with reverent and most tender
touch. ''And the love-will that come,
too:"
eff I were not sure of that I would
never be your wife" l answered.
81 believe you," he said. "And remem-
ber, JOAN" he added, solemnly, Il trust
you with all my heart-with all my soul. .
II will remember" | said.
And afar off, like sob, the waters
seemed to echo my words, as they rose
| and fell in the quiet night, against the
quiet shore.
| A month later we were married.