The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-10
le Derelict f! #! # Won sSa ,{5:5 5ss
of Manahan Inlet by Edgar Francis Jordan. =.
++++++++++*++++++t++%+

Of them. Margaret's mind had raced
through all their past and rounded up
with the present as the boat steadied
itself on the new course.
Murray, you wish my heart to an
swer you, but-dear friend-let us talk
it over carefully"
"Oh, Margaret, you do not love me
or there would be no cold arguments"
"Indeed All, pray pardon me that
sneer. Tell me, Murray. why you wish
to marry me-"
Because / love you more than tongue
can tell"
and if / love you should wish to
marry Nou?"
Yes
Regardless of anything else?"
Most certainly. Love is paramount
TO everything else in this world: at
least real deep love is. Oh, Margaret,
Margaret, don't YOU love me? thought
| saw, l thought l knew you had some
thing stronger than a friends affection
| for me-"
Listen, Murray. I am going TO hurt
YOU, and it is most painful to me. l
! do not trust you. I cannot marry n
man ! do not trust"
You do not love me, YOU do not love
me"
Hear me out. I would marry you
| If l could trust you. DO not smile in
| that sarcastic way, Murray, YOU harm
| yourself. But have no abiding faith
! in your fiXity of purpose, in the good,
working strength of your character.
! You may be all that I wish you to be,
! but it is not proven, What more terri
bic thing could happen than if l mar
! ried you, and afterwards found that
! you We're nowheres up to my opinion
of you? The death of my respect for
| you would kill my love-
"Try me, Margaret. My love is great
enough to keep me a man fit to be your
mate. If you love me, marry me.
Away with all dependency and pesst-
mistic thoughts. l have been through
the fire. | trust myself. Give me your
| faith, too"
/ Il cannot, but ! will try to. We are
I getting near the pier now, and I think
it best not to take the long sail with
! YOU that ! had planned. Steer in and
! let ne out, please. l nave thought OF
way. Maybe you will think me a
| -blooded wretch, but ! can do no
| better Listen TO what l have to say,
and remember that what seems hard to
you is trebly hard TO me. I will try to
trust you by testing the foundation of
! the trust. Do not interrupt or eXpostu-
late. and I viii show you to what length
| will SO to do what ! can for--for the
man l love,
. "Oh, Margaret--dear--'
Hush. please. Murray, l have over
$500 900, all my own. Isn't it an awful
| sum? Tomorrow l will instruct my
agents, Hardy & Co., to place half of
what l own to your credit to be drawn
on as you wish. With this money you
| can buy an interest in some business
| Perhaps you would like to start one OF
| your own. You might purchase god
| stocks and bonds, or you can bury it in
the ground as you see fit. Wait Il little
| Three years from now, on this same
J day of the month, l will row out to you
in the inlet just as did today. Don
| forget it; rain or shine, dear. If you
| will meet me then and tell me you arc
a man sure of yourself and your acts
| and that the events of the past three
| years have proved it to you beyond a
| doubt, l will take your word for it, and
| marry you within a month"
| "Margaret--what crazy scheme las
| got"
1T is all right, If l marry you the
| money will be yours any way, and il
| l do nOt-well, it will be worth IT,"
| at is generous, but absolutely alb,
| surd."
Here we are. l must leave you. Put
me off. Do not write to me. And dc
not forget, Murray, / will not see you
| for three years, but l will love Won
with all my heart then-as now, dear
| est"
| But. Margaret"
| No more, no more Prove yourself
a man. Murray. and if days get dark
or tedious, remember 1 love you, yes ]
do, and-no, you stupid. you cannot
kiss me before all those people"
The boat was at the pier. Margaret
| Hemming landed, and Murray stewart
| put to sea again