The Monmouth inquirer., 1898-12-22

/
Yes; in a letter, when you were
out West"
We wrote a series OF letters about
II / remember. and you said ! didn't
love you-said / was creating a love.
and congeniality was all / felt. got
obstinate-my chin is to blame for that,
little girl--and swore I'd tell no woman
loved her until married her. Real
ly, did you mean all that, or was It
only to get rid OF me?''
Possibly both, " she answers lightly.
but stilI avoiding the earnest eyes. Il
meant what I said, and / also had my
ambition and didn't want to be bound.
Then"
She pauses suddenly, as il just re-
membering herself and starting up, she
moves away from him to the very edge
Of the bluff, fame of color in her
white face. He follows and draws ner
back little.
Il am afraid you might fall. Now 60
on with what you wanted to say. You
know long ago we promised to speak
the whole truth and nothing but the
truth to one another | don't absolve
! you now"
She turns ner body to face him, and
puts one thin white hand on his shoul-
der. Her face still wears the flush, her
eyes are blazing, and her voice is
strained.
| 'sTell me Gods truth, Ralph; did you
really love me? Was 1t heart need.
or because you wanted sympathy after
your disappointment? Or was it
mind need 2"
.'I have tried to decide it, he says
honestly, the earnest eyes never fall
! tering. "Your questions at the time
made me think about it as hadn't
4 thought before As to our congeniaIity.
there is no question You have been
my confidante, my counsellor, my in
spiration almost my salvation, dear.
| Your confidence and interest in me has
done more to keep me straight than
anything in the world except my love
/ and respect for my mother Whether
could give to you that great, unselfish
love you spoke of then, do not know.
/ have not seen you sufficiently to tell
yet. I've thought it out but I don't
know, What do know is that | could
not bear then, nor can / now, the
thought of your belonging to some 9TH
er man. / know I wanted your love
and sympathy to help make man out
of the material you declared was in me.
AS you are aware, / thought loved
twice. I am sure now / did not
! Whether I love you do not know. /
his breath, I wish / did, and that you
cared for me. We'd snap our fingers
at fate, my girl, and be happy. But l
may never know that I suppose am
a poor sort of man, dear; but it is no
use pretending something I'm MOTTO
1 you, anyway, for you'd know better"
She has not moved a muscle. except
to drop the white lids over the eyes. to
! which the sadness has crept back She
is tall woman, but her forehead comes
below mis- lips, and bending a little for
ward he drops a kiss upon the little
curl on one temple She moves back
step at this, and takes her hand from
his shoulder. He takes both her hands
in one of his, and with the other lifts
her chin so she will look at him. He
has crushed the passion out of his
face, and smiles down into her eyes.
Tell me, Madge. do you find the hap
piness you looked for in satisfying your
ambition?' p
The woman moves restlessly under
his gaze, and her hands futter an in
slant, then she says evasively:
'sIt has been a hard fight and long,
Ralph. / have grown very weary and
very disgusted sometimes; but there is
satisfaction in knowing that have won
at last-even at the sacrifice Of some
things"
which are?" he inquiries, the curl
GUS look coming back into his eyes
Loss of rest from long writing. loss
Of pleasure, of faith in human nature,
ideals dead; loss of my roses, with a
little tremulous laugh, as she draws
one hand across snowy cheek, my
old time strength and spirit, and-oh,
many things!"
And no love has Gomez hesitasing-
ly.
Her eyes wander away to the dark
line of pines.
s'No, none"
"Then I may claim the first place
STILL he says. smiling. wave OF tri-
umph in his voice adding hurriedly.
TITS curious how jealous a CHAP can
be OF his friends, isn't it? If we were in
love 1t would be natural"
Eyes. it would be natural, she re-
| piled quietly, drawing her hands away,
and turning from the bluff she con-
tinues:
1T is dark. and | must go in You
are going away in the morning and
shall not see YOU again, so I'll say good
by here"
She puts out her nand, and the next
moment she has stepped away from
him towards her gate. But he catches
her and bends down to see her face