Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-03-16

off a-foot in an opposite direction, and
| Randall Fastening after her, walked
along by her side. For some moments not
a word was spoken, for both felt that
crisis was approaching. At length Ca
milla uplifted that lovely face of hers
and said in tone almost of Defiance
Have you determined upon your Len
ten sacrifice, Mr.. Wye? Would you
mind telling me what it is to be?'
He did not look at her, but straight
ahead when he replied: Il have deter
mined upon it; yes. Perhaps you will be
surprised when [ tell you that L intend to
give up-you."
A soft little laugh followed this an
| nouncement. Then Miss Camilla re-
turned Indignantly: you can hardly
| give up what you have never had-and
| you have never had me-"
True, but the longing for you has left
me only a half-hearted interest in my
work. which should be the first thing in
my life. l have had that, Camilla, and
you have allowed me to hope against
! up your world and come to live in mine?
We have discussed this question many
| times before, and, as you know, without
| arriving at any conclusion"
1T will be easy to forget me-" muir
INJURED Camilla, with a sudden trembling
| in her voice. For one little moment the
pomps and vanities she loved became poor
tinsel things in comparison with the rich
| ness of an existence with this grave,
strong nature to prop up her own, but
she was born a butterfly of fashion, and
the stir of society was as the very breath
! of her nOStrils.
He strobe on, too deeply agitated to
speak. The white moonlight made the
| night as bright as day; the air was clear
and cool, and the frozen ruts cracked
under their feet. Camilla's skirts rustled
softly, the great plumes nodded on her
4 IL. c
! vIOlets shed upon the air as she walked.
| She was the very essence of WOrldliness
| in its most enchanting guiSe, and the
poor young fellow realized anew how
slight the chance was of her fOrsaking
the false gods she followed to take up
the career of devoted toll and self-ab-
negation which was all he had to offer.
Yet his fate had been sealed from the
| first Sunday, six months past, when he
looked down and saw her, sitting where
| the light from a painted window fell
| upon her. turning the bright hair to Il
nimbrIs about her head. He knew in a
moment who she must be. for the fame
of the beautiful and willful creature who
had turned q prince away from her door
had reached even his careless ears, and
| he was aware that hers was one of the
| few wealthy families in the parish Of
st. Polycarp. Mad it was; hopeless it
was, but he gave himself up to q love of
| her that was like an inspiration. y new
! tenderness for the poor and suffering
swept over him: a larger charity for the
| sinful. All that was noble III his char
acter sought and found Il fuller express
sion: and the plain people to whom he
| mlnlStered began to catch the cOntagion
OF his upward yearning.
Camilla alone seemed to escape his in
| fiuence: she felt herself drawn to him
| irreslStibly, and managed to make OppOr-
tunities for seeing him constantly in spite
of the gayeties in which she was aD-
sOrbed. And, when he poured out to her
! his affection. his dreams. his ambitions,
she thrilled responsively, but she was not
sure of herself. Sudden changes of mood,
whims, caprices and cynicisms and scott
| ings bewildered and discouraged the
young man, and with a sort of terror he
! found himself thinking of her TO the en-
| barrassment of his work. Hence his de
| termination to put her reSOlutely out Of his
mind during the Lenten season. and so,
perhaps, forever. 1t was an ordeal to be
gone through with prayer and fasting.
| Her mOmentary sOftness touched him to
the quick.
1T will be easy for you to forget me-"
she repeated presently, finding that he
made no reply.
Camilla" ne said at last. and his head
| was tossed back in the characteristic way,
you have a profound respect for your I'M
cle's opinion, [ know, because his has had
| just the sort of worldly success that APP
L
| said to me tonight: The outside in
tiUences are what we have 70 fight
against; they come between us and our
| ideals until we gradually fall back and
| accept something lower as 4 Standard
| Would you do that for me, consciously or
! uncOnSclOuSly! 1t seems to have come to
this, that | must either give UP those
! ideals or you"
And it seems simpler to renounce me-"
Not simpler; no. Better"
She gazed up at him. There was no
mistaking the mist in his eyes. They
were under the becehes now, and all the
sharp, speary tWigs were outlined eX-
| Guisitely against the winter night; but
neither of them noticed either trees Or
sky.
Randall she sighed, laying her fin
| ger upon his arm IN rare impulse of
| gentleness. "let it be as you said at first.
/ Put me out of your mind for Lent, but
| rot forever. Give me the forty days to
| think my position over. and see clearly
where | stand. There are moments
when feel that | could yield up all my
idols for you, and, perhaps, if [ do not
see you during those long weeks, | may
realize how little life would mean to me
without you, even though l sit in the
midst of my craven images
IF you loved me" began he visit
fully, but she stopped him then and
| there.
Love is not blind nowadays, dear,
simple SOUL" she observed. II am so
much older than you in experience, and
so much wiser. His eyes are open, and
he looks carefully to see where he is 60
ing when he spreads his wings. If l love
you. | shall know that it means [ am
willing to adapt my whole nature meekly
to yours, and what that implies to the
new woman, no man can guess. Uncle
has assured you that | am q new w0m-
an, capable of puzzling him. After that
admission, poor little innocent like you
could hardly expect to understand me-
Camilla spoke lightly, but an undercur-
rent of emotion could be perceived be-
meath the words. And so, after another
long interval of silence, they reached the
entrance Of her fathers house, vast
pile of building, even outwardly luxurious
and eloquent of wealth. She paused on
the doorstep, offering him her hand, the
hand the Austrian prince had more than
once carried to his lips. Randall took it
firmly, but not too tenderly.
Good night he whispered, dearly
BELOVED; good night, and not goodby.'
No, no. and in the moonlight he saw
her smile. A moment later the great door
| SUOno ODpD radiance Of ,-o1lox,, I;c.l,+