Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-04-16
VICTORY
by BERTHA M. CLAY.

faullne; and In that moment he felt that he
could give his whole life to win her.
LET me pray my prayer" he repeated;
'let me tell how dearly ] love you, Pauline
so dearly and so well that If you. send me
from you my life will be a burden to me, and
l shall be the most wretched of men,"
She did not look proud or angry, but mere
~ sorry. Her dark eyes dropped, her lips
even quivered.
You love me-" she rejoined--'really love
me, Captain Langton"
He Interrupted her.
II loved you the first moment that / saw
you. have admired others, but l have seen
none like you. All the deep, passionate
love of my heart has gone out to you; and, il
you throw it from you, Pauline, ! shall die.'
Il am very sorry" she murmured gently.
NAY, not sorry. Why should you be sor-
ryP You would not take O mans life, and
hold it In the hollow of your hand, only TO
fling II away. You may have richer lovers,
you may have titles and wealth offered TO
you, but you will never have a love tTuer or
deeper than mine"
There was a ring of truth about his
words, and they haunted her.
Il know / am unworthy Of you. II | were
acrowned king, and you, my peerless Pau
line, the humblcst peasant, ! should choose
you from the whole world TO be my wife.
But / am only a soldier-a poor soldier. /
have but one treasure, and that | offer to you
the deepest, truest love of my heart. l
would that / were a king, and could WOO you
more worthily."
She looked up quickly-his eyes were
drinking in the beauty of her face; but there
was something in them from which she
shrank without knowing why. She would
have spoken, but he went on, quickly:
only grant my PRAYER, P~auline-promise
~ be my ~wife-prOmiSe TO love mc-and |
will live only FOR you. | will give YOU my
heart, my thoughts, my life. | will take you
TO bright sunny lands, and will show you all
that the earth holds beautiful and fair. You
shall be my queen, and will be your hum
blest slave"
His voice died away in a great fearless sob
he loved her so dearly, and there was so
much at stake. She looked at him with in
Quite pity in her dark eyes. He had said all
that he could think Of; he had wooed her as
eloc:cntly as he was able; lie had done his
best, and now he waited for some word from
her.
There were tenderness, pity, and surprise
In her musical voice as she spoke to him. q.
~ am 50 sorry, Captain Langton. Inever
thought you loved me SO well. | never
dreamed that you had placed all your heart
In your love-
Il have" lie affirmed. IL have been reck-
less; | have thrown heart, love, manhood,
life, all at your feet together. If you trample
ruthleSsly on them, Pauline, you will drive
me 10 desperation and despair"
II do not trample on them" she said, gen.
tly; ~ would not wrong you so. ! take
them up in my hands and restore them 10
you, thanking you for the gift"
What do you mean, PuulineY' he asked,
while the flush died from his face.
II mean," she replied, softly, that ] thank
you for the gift you have offered me, but that
! cannot accept II. ! cannot be your wife,
FOR do not love YOU"
lie stood for some minutes dazed by the
heavy blow; he had taken hope from her
gentle manner, and the disappointment was
almost greater than he could bear.
1T gives me much pain TO say this" she
continued, "as it gives you to hear It; pray
believe that"
II cannot bear i'll" he cried. Il will not
bear it! ] will not believe it! 1t is my life
! ask from you, Pauline-my life! You cam
not send me from you to die in despair
His anguish was real, not feigned. Love,
life, liberty, all were at stake. He knelt at
her feet; he covered her white, jeweled
hands with kisses and with lot, passionate
tears. Her keen womanly instinct told her
there was no feigning in the deep, broken
sob that rose to his lips.
1T is my lifer he repeated. "If you send
me from you, Pauline, I snail be a desperate,
wicked man.
You should not be So she remarked,
ooptlx,. 80 urnot ln,.o nyo, iT ~ hn upfprtnp.
ate, should cnnobie a man, not mako him
wicked.'
Pauline" he cntreated, you must unsay
those words. Think that you might learn to
love me in time. | will be patient-l will
wait long years for you'll will do anything
10 win you; only give NO some hope that in
time to come you will |, mine"
II cannot" she said; lit would be so false.
could never love you, Captain Langton."
lie raised his face to hers.
will you tell me whyp You do not reject
me because | am poor-you are too noble to
care for wealth. 1t is not because ! am q
soldier, with nothing to offer you but q low
ing heart. 1t is not for these things. Why
do you reject me, Pauline?'
No, you arc right; II Is not for any OF
those reasons; they would never prevent my
being your wife II loved YOU"
Then why can you not love me?" be per-
sisted.
For many reasons. You are not at all the
style of man I'could love. How can you
doubt me? Here you are wOoing me-, asking
me to be your wife, Offering me your love,
and my hand does not tremble, my heart
does not beat; your words give me no pleas
IRE, only pain; | am conscious OF nothing
but a wish to end the interview. This is not
love, is il, Captain Langton?"
But in time" he pleaded could you not
learn to care for me in timer
mo, / I'm quite sure. You must not think
speak to pain you, but indeed you are the
last man living with whom | could fall in
love, or whom | could marry. If you were,
as you say, q king, and came to me with a
crown to offer, it would make no difference.
1t Is better, as ] am sure you will agree, to
speak plainly"
Even in the moonlight she saw how white
his face had grown, and what a sudden shad-
Ow of despair had come into his eyes. lie
stood silent for some minutes.
You have unnamed me-" he said, slow
", 'but, Pauline, there is something else for
you to hear. You must listen TO me for your
own sake he added; and then Aubrey
Langton's face flushed, his lips grew dry and
hot, his breath came in short quick gasps-
he had played a manly part, but now he felt
that what he had to say would sound like q
threat.
lie did not know how to begin, and she
was looking at him with those dark, calm
eyes of hers, with that new light of pity on
her face.
Pauline" lie said, hoarsely, "Sir Oswald
wishes for this marriage. Oh, spare me-
love me-be mine, because of the great love
/ bear your
Il cannot" she returned; ''in my eyes 1t is
a crime to marry without love. What you
have to say of Sir Oswald say quickly"
but you will hate me for it," he said.