The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1897-07-21

lieve me. this is no hasty decision"
'.But it il one you will Aeter cease to
regret"
"Regret? hardly think thsa-un-
iess I should find myself Incapable"
'Nonsense! Pardon me for sneak-
ing SO plainly. but that isnt ths point
ut issue. The question you have = de-
eide is this: Do You wish to devoeD your
best years 70 Iabors aFduOus, exaeting.
often rewarded poorly in mosey and
even less in gratitude, only to flnd your
self ut the end of them broken in health
and spirit? tell you plainly you we're
not sent into this world to lead sueh an
existence"
"Please don't discourage me-" she
said, almost entreatingly. "You don't
understand. / want to do some gool
seems to me the best. ] cannot teach.
l am not n musician. should stasve as
q seamstress. But Us a nur.e-"
YOU'RE the best girl in the world.
and the hest place for you is right here." :"
My vehemence seemed to startle her,
and she shrank little from me.
Dorothy, you must not Co." I blum
dered on. "You speak of making your
life useful. Can you not make mine
happy? You are more to me than all
the rest Of the world. Without you l.
L"
Then words failed me. tried to take
her hand, but she drew IL from my
clasp.
"Dr. Morris, you are very kind, but
but"
1t wus her turn to lose command Of
her voice. but she regained II quickly.
please forget what you have said"
she went on. 1T will he better so."
But 1 don't want to forget Il. l
want to repeat it. Dorothy, can't you
give me hope?"
"PIease don't ask me-. Why should
you?"
"You may consider me ungenerous,
hut I must have an answer. What
shall it be?"
"No."
The word was spoken low, but too
distinctly to be mistaken. hooked at
her in the vain hope of finding some en-
courae~ment In her face. Her eyes
were averted. and she was very pale.
but she was clearly mistress of herself.
In desperation pulled the horse down
to o walk. / was determined to tell
my tale through to the bitter end, now
that it had been begun. and desired
plenty Of time for the recital.
dorothy" said /, finding my only
grain of comfort in the fact that she
suffered me to address her thus. "Dor-
othy. I-I-lovc you. I should have
revealed my secret long ago, had felt
free to do 30. But so many obstacles
were in the way. In the first place, I
believed you to be rich. Had come
to you then and made my pIea, II would
have been with the feeling that was
playing the fortune hunter. asw you
daily, and daily the longing 70 speak
grew, but could not yield to IL. Not
only was poor. but my prospect were
uncertain. wss held-by . contract
which might oahupDn me ~ Ieave yos.
tDy0ixnew not whithes. I4rake
that contract, should cut Of tAe
greater part Of the income from which
! WINS trying TO save something. with
faint chance that eventually might
bo able to seek your hand with jess
suspicion of mercenary motives. Then
Tanks asked me TO take his praetice;
but how could I either accept o. re-
fuse his propositionf Will you for
give Inc, Dorothy, II confess that re-
joiced at the news that you were poos7"
"Was that generous ?'' she asked. but
IL seemed TO me that thcre was no re-
proach in her tone.
''It was selfish, purely selfish, all
through. won't try 10 make excuses.
II would be hypocrisy 70 attempt them.
When n mans In love, he's sclfisAness
itself. After I hnd learned that one
stumbling block was out of the way, I
determined to end my suspense -
quickly ss possible Yet I waited day
after day-you know why. But when
you said that you were going away.
IL was too much. Hampcrcd a I am,
knowing how unworthy OF you I am,
Dorothy, could not resist the temple
tion. have had my answer. What
happens to me after this won't matter,
for I've told you that I love YOU"
This lucid statement finished, I stased
at the trunk Of dead tree on the sun-
init Of little hill fur al,ead Of ~, on
which my eyes had rested uhro~ghout
the explanation.
To this day have q vivid Asatal
photograph Of that gaunt trunk cd
e u