The Portland daily press., 1898-10-28
PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT


l
| inc Princess d'Auzac place you In posi-
ton of independence such as thousands OF
women would envy?" he bazarded, again
stroking her silky hair with tenderness
"You know Zer6ho well. He's good
fellow and would make you an exccllent
husband no doubt"
at can never marry him." she AN
"You will refuse his offer?" he observed
hoarsely. Her hrmness was causing him
some anxiety.
az have already refused" she replied.
Slowly he grasped her hand. and after
q brief pause looked her steadily in the
face, saying,
"Liane, you must become his wife"
! 81 love but one man. dad, and cannot
love another" she sobbed passionately,
! her arms still about his neck.
Forget him. "
She remained silent few moments;
then. OF last looking up with calm, in
| curing gaze, asked:
why are you so earnestly persuading
me to marry the man who is neither your
true friend nor mine, dads What object
| can you have in urging me to do what
can only bring Inc grief and dire unhap-
| pipess?"
He made no reply. His face, she noticed
had grown hard and GOLD; he was entire
ly unlike himself.
| 81 love George" she went on. II Will
only marry him."
"Surely 3you will not ruin all your
future, and mine, for his sake" he blurt-
| ed forth at last.
"Your futurel" she gaspsd, drawing
away from him and regarding him. with
sudden surprise as the truth dawned upon
her. 81 see it all nowl With me as
Princess d'Auzaa the wife Of q wealthy
man, you would never want
His teeth were set. He held her small,
L hon ffryhf To- hot hVrrk ha
tried to speak, but bis lips refused to ut
ter sound. He was psrsuading his dauRh-
ter to wreck her young life in order to
secure his own safety. The thought was
revolving, yet he was forced to act thus;
to stand calmly by and witness her self
sacrifice. or bear the consequences OF ex-
posture.
i He bowed his head in agony Of mind.
A lump rose in his throat, SO that his
words were again stified.
my marriage would, know, relieve
you OF q serious responsibility, she went
ON, calmly. without any trace Of reproaoh:.
ST am not unmindful of the fact that II
II married Zertho should gain wealth
and position; yet do not love him. l.
hats him."
HE has been kind to us, and believe
he is extremely fond OF you," he said,
wincing beneath the lie that fear alone
forced to his lips. "Is it not but natural
social position and such wealth as will
place you beyond all anxiety in futurei
Heaven knows that the past has been full
enough of care and poverty"
"Ahi know shat, poor dad" Liane
answered caressingly. in tone of sym
lin the lays gone by, because you played
fairly. and was never an interruptions
sharper like Zertho, luck forsook you They
laughed at you because you cared SO
much for me; because you hold Nelly and
aloof from the dregs OF society into
which you had fallen. You were cour-
ageous always, and never when the days
wers darkest did you relinquish hope, on
did your love for me wane. Yet" and
she paused, "yet 1t you still cared for me
as once you did, I cnnnot but feel that
you would hesitate era you urged me to
q hateful alliance with man can never
love-"
" am but endeavoring to secure your
future happiness, Lame" he answered,
his voice sounding deep and hollow.
i A silence fell deep and impressive,
broken only by the low. monotonous roar
OF the waves beating upon the shore out
side, and the musical Jingle Of the bells
passing. Lame started as she recognised
the sound. They were Zertho's. Erie
Brooker would have rather died by his
own hand ere he had persuaded her to
marry this man; yet for the hundredth
time he proved to himself that by suicide
he would merely leave her unprotected.
while she would most probably afterwards
learn from Zertho the terrible secret which
he was determined should at all hazards
remain locked within his own troubled
heart. 3
ITO persuade me to marry the Prince
IL but to urge me to doom worse than
DEATH" she exclaimed passionately at
last. "No, dad, am sure you would
never wish me to do this when I am SO
contented to live as ! am with you. II
we are penniless-well, shall never COM
plain. 1t will not be the first time that
i've wanted q meal, and gone early to bed
because I've been hungry promise I'll
not complain. only do not cndeavour to
force me to marry Zertho. Let me remain
with you"
/ "Alasl you cannot, my child! r. he an
swered in hard, dry, agonised tone, his
hand trembling nervously.
"Whyp''
"You must forget young Stratfeld, and
become Princess d Auzac,' he said firmly,
intense anxiety betrayed upon his bag
gard countenance.
"Never!'
"But you must" he cried brokenly,
with emphasis. SIT Is imperative for
my sake, Liane-you must marry him for
Ito be continued
|