The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-04-16

you may nave Lltl6S ana W6alLn OnereU 10
you, but you will never have a love tr,er or
deeper than mine"
There was a ring Of truth about his
words, and they haunted her.
II know | am unworthy OF you. IfIwere
. crowned king, and you, my peerless Pau
line, the humblest peasant, l should choose
you from the whole world to be my wife.
But ] am only a s0ldier-a poor soldier. /
the deepest, truest love OF my heart. I
would that 1 were a king, and could woo you
more worthily.n
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, Pauline-promise
to be my wife-promise to love me-and I
will live only for you. I will give you my
heart. my thoughts, my life. l 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 l 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
finite pity In her dark eyes. He had said all
that he could think Of; he had wooed her as
eloQuently as he was able; he had done his
best, and now he waited for some word from
her.
There were tenderness, pity, and surprise
lii her musical voice rs she spoke to him, /.
81 am SO sorry, Captain Langton. never
thought you loved me SO well. I never
dreamed that you had placed all your heart
In your love-"
II have" he affirmed. ~ have been reck-
less; l have thrown heart, love, manhood,
life, all at Jour feet together. IL you trample
ruthlessly on thein, Pauline, you will drive
me TO desperation and despair"
II do not trample on them" she said, gen.
t'y; II would not wrong you 50. l take
them up In my hands and restore them to
you, thanking you for the gift"
What do you mean, Paulinew he asked,
while the flush died from his face.
II mean," she replied, softly, that l thank
you for the gift you have offered me, but that
I cannot accept it l cannot be your wife,
for l do not love YOU"
He 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.
ut gives me much pain to say this,'' she
continued, "as 1t gives you to hear 1t; pray
believe that"
II cannot bear itW he cried. II will not
bear 1t! l will not believe It'll 1t is my life
l ask from you, Pauline-my life! You can
not send me from you to die In despairl"
His anguish was real, not feigned. Love,
life, liberty, all were at stake. He knelt at
ler feet; he covered her white, jeweled
hands with kisses and with hot, passionate
tears. Her keen womanly instinct told her
there was no feigning In the deep, broken
eob that rose to his lips.
ut is my lifeG' he repeated. "If you send
me from you, Pauline, l shall be a desperate,
wicked man."
you should no. be So" she remarked,
gently; "a great love, even IL 1t DO unfortun-
ate, should ennoble q man, not make him
wicked"
Pauline, /" he entreated, "you must unsay
those words. Think that you might learn to
love me In time. I will be PATIENT will
wait long years for you'll will do anything
to win you; only give me some hope that in
time to come you will be mine"
u cannot" she said; ut would be so false.
l could never love you, Captain Langton."
He raised his face to hers. ~
win you tell me why? You do not reject
me because l am poor-you arc too noble to
care for wealth. 1t is not because l am q
soldier, with nothing to OFFER you but = low
ing heart. 1t is not for these things. Why
do you reject me, Pauline?
mo, you are right; 1t is not for any Of
those reasons; they would never prevent my
being your wife II l loved you"
"Then why can you not love meP'' be per
sisted.
For many reasons. Yon are not at all the
style of maj | could love. How can you
doubt meY Here you are wooing me, asking
me to be your wife, Offering nus your love,
and my hand does not tremble, my heart
does not beat; your words give me no pleas
ure, only pain; l am conscious Of nothing
but q wish to end the interview. This il not
love, sit Captain Langtonw
But in time" he pleadsd-.eould you not
learn to care for me In timer"
mo, l am quite sure. You must not think
! speak to pain you, but indeed you are the
last maj living with whom I could fall In
love, or whom l could marry. II you were,
as you say, a king, and came to me with .
crown to offer, 1t would make no difference.
1t is better, as 1 am sure you will agree, to
speak plainly"
Even in the moonlight she saw how white
his face had grown, and what . sudden snad-
ow Of despair had cone into his eyes. He
stood silent for some minutes.
You have unnamed me" he said, slow
ly, but, Pauline, there is something else for
You to hear. You must listen TO me for your
W 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 q manly part, but now he felt
that what he had to say would sound like .
threat.
He 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" he said, hoarsely, .Sir Oswald
wishes for this marriage. Oh, spare me
love me-be mine, because of the great love
l bear youln
81 cannot" she returned; .in my eyes it Is
. crime to marry without love. What you
have to say Of Sir Oswald say quickly"
but you will hate me for it, he said.
"No, I will not b 80 unjust as to biame
you for Sir Oswald's fault"
HE wishes us to marry: he IL not onlv
willing, but It would give him more pleasure
than anything on earth; and be says-do not
blanc me, Pauiine-that IL you consent he
will make you mistress Of Darrell Court and
all his rich revenues."
She laughed-the pity died from her face,
the proud, hard expression came back.
HI must do that In any case" she said,
langhtily. II am . Darrell; he would not
dare pass me by"
Let me speak frankly to you, Pauline,
for your own %sake-your own sake, dear, Is
well as mine. You crr-hc is not so bound.
Although the Darrell property has always
descended from father to son, the entail was
destroyed fifty years ago, and Sir Oswald is
free to leave his property to whom he likes,
There Is only one imperative c~ondition-who-
ever takes It must take with II the name Of
Darrell. Sir Oswald told me that much him
SELF