The western recorder., 1898-02-17

hide alike her anger and her tears.
David Stevenson rose also, his face
hard and set In response to the bitter
ness OF the girls tones. his hands
trembling. and his heart as heavy as
lead. A sharp reply rose to his tongue,
but 1t went no further. for all at once
the sight OF Dorothy's grief touched
and softened him.
Dorothy. Dorothyv' he said. what
can ! ever have said or done TO you
that you should treat me like this2
I have loved you all my life, just as l
love you now, but there is no crime in
that, surely? BY writing and asking
you to be my wife. | certainly never
meant to insult you. and yet you seem
TO think have done you some deadly
wrong to offer you what most men
consider the highest compliment they
can pay to any woman. The idea of
your talking of my rights here, when
your aunt is still lying in the house.
is too cruel, too unkind. / am not an
lnterloper, who cheated my friend out
Of her dues; on the contrary. 1 saved
her from all the unpleasantness and
the expense of exposure. She never
looked upon me as you do now. 1
don't think. Dorothy" he ended re-
proachfully, that have deserved this
frrom you"
Dorothy had hidden her face upon
the ,chimney-shelf ~ am very mis-
erable." she said, in a choking voice.
I'm very sorry"
David Stevenson drew his own con-
clusions from the admission; then af-
ter a minute or two of silence. he said,
There is one thing ] should like to
tell You before / go, Dorothy"
Yes very meekly.
ut is-don't think ! am trying to
force myself on you when you are in
trouble, for it is because you are alone
and in trouble that must tell you. 1t
is that think now about you as / al
happens, one pair of arms will be al
ways have thought. and as | believe
always shall think. And I want you
to remember, Dorothy. that II ever you
feel any differently toward me than
you have done lately, you have only
TO send line and say. David, | want
you Or II you choose to go away into
the world altogether. to marry. to do
anything. you know that, whatever
ways open for you, one lover always
ready to call you mistress. one man al
ways ready to lie down under your
feet That was what | came to say
to-day"
Dorothy struggled to speak, but could
not. Then she put out her hand in a
blind sort of-way toward him, and
David bent down and kissed 1t.
Neither OF them said a word more,
and after a moment or so he released
her hand. and went out of the room,
knowing as surely as II she said 1t in
plain words, that Dorothy Strobe had
given her heart away. and that she
would never send for him in this
world; that it was all over, and at an
end between them forever.
So he went home to his own hand
some. lonely house. and looked around
as condemned man may look around
the cell which is to be his while life
lasts. He was quietly and utterly
miserable, for until few months ago
Dorothy had been the life and main
spring OF his life. If he had made any
Improvement In his house. 1t had been
for Dorothy II he had planted a
shrub or young tree, 1t had been for
Dorothy. He had bought a smart lit
tie village cart. thinking that It was
Just what Dorothy would like to drive
herself about the lanes in-but 1t had
all been for nothing; and in that bit
ter hour of realization he knew that
he would live out his life alone. and
that Dorothy Strobe would never come.
except in dreams. vain. hopeless
dreams. TO be the mistress OF Holroyd.