Arizona republican., 1899-02-01

ended in a smile. You're going to throw me over-you're going to reject r1e-to (vvhat is the right phrase?) send
 me about my business!'
 s1No. no!" she exclaimed. Inme- 1iatelv then she rose and stretched out her right hand. II will be your wife, she said, 'aad I thank you for the great honor you do me-
 He also rose at this and wrapped her with his er1-brace. But something in her lips, her eyes, hcr look Che could not fer his life have told jast wlot) made him put her away at arms length, intently sean her features and then re- coil several steps, touching her no longer. .,,.
 claimed. ''You're giving yourself to me only because of your nothcr!''
 Her eyes diIated frightcncdly. 'Oh, nc; dent think tkat!' she cried.
 But I do think it-I must! Why not, when I read it, when I zee it? Your heart IS elsewhere, and you're willing to let Ire possess if 1 will-thc void that marks " here it once beat. AmI not right? Answer me, Kathleen; am not right?'
 She burst into a passion of tears. "Yesl yes! I dare not lie to you. If you were not so good and fine IT m2GHt lie, but you tear the truth from ne. You saw my pain, my undying memory; you taxed me with them; you insisted tl-at they haunted me, and I-I confesscc. that you were not wrong. But 1 am wiling to be yOUr wife-7vill- ing. Oh, hear me, monsieur! am not absurd to phrase it like that. Only it is best to be truthful. You, who are SO sincere yourself, will understand, will pardon. If I had never known him it would have been so different! l could have loved you then with all my soul! I can imagine some good woman loving you tl2at way. Perhaps 1t will come to me in time. You spoke of my mother. No, it is not she-nCt wholly she. Of course she wants such marriage; what mother would not? myself am proud to be your wife: only there is that other love which will not die! Am 1 not wiser to let you know this? You can't blame ne. l see now in your eyes that you do not blame me. I've never asked you if he has spoken of mo; I've never wanted to know. It's quite over be- tween us. There, that is all. l go to you without q guilty conscience. You know mo just as I am. I've tried to crush it but it would not be crushed. Suppose had never said q word about it and let you take nc with q falschoOd in my soul. Many woman would have done that. Almost every other woman in the world would have done it. But I'm not wanting my virtues. Tn simply making q clean breast of thing3-d0n't ycu sec? You do sec; you must! Thcre-I dare say I'll be 2 wOr- thy wifc to you, monsieur. and Tn ccr- tain that I'll be very faithful and de- voted one. As for queen (and she laughed wildly through her tears), I may fail at that. It is such an ur- drcarned-of part for me to play! But I'll try. I'll try hard, strengthened by your helpr',
 Tho t2ars were glistcning on her checks Gs shc put forth both hands to lli.a He took thcrn, kissing them both, and then, still holding them, he said:
 Kathleen, you arc 9 very noble and bravo girl. I thank you sincerely for what you have told mo. Ono easily rnultiplies words You will understand just how. grateful I feel. The evening of the ball is 50 near that q press of af- fairs may keep ne from seeing you till then. But (as I said to you yesterday, if l mistake not, Ey carriage will be here at the hour named to conduct your mother and yourself to the palace. Au reeo5r. Let everything rest pndeter- mined. please, until we meet again . She felt his lips touch her hand, and then in the tvvinllling of an eye. before she could even be sure that he meant to leave her, he had vanished from the room.
 She sank into a chair. Her heart was throbbinp and her head s7vala q little as she leaned it backward. Tn 2 few more seconds her mother s4,ot ;C,to he1 presence by another dooS
 ''Kathlccnr'
 'Wcll. manma.''
 You've been crying! You're in tears yet. Ws.at has happened? Is it ar ranged?"
 No; nothing is arranged. That is, if you mean
 ''Good gracious! I hope you haven't quarrolcd!'
 We haven't quarreled."
 "Thank heavcn!' Mrs. Kennaird dropped at her daughters feet, in col lapse oddly picturesque, considering her size and weight. But after all she was woman who never dealt awlzward1y with her avoirdupois, though just now carried away by an emotion which might well have imperiled gracefulness. 1 Kathleen Kathleen! Tell me, my darling. You can't be unk;nd enough not to tell me! Did he mention it? Did he say one single word about it? Now, my child consider how I suffer. Don't l torture me. Let me know GccrytAingI" |
 Kathleen regarded her mother for moment, and then slipped both arms round her neck Mamma" she said, 1 with deceit horn of pity. and also of that love which all the icy ambition. all the worldly striving, all the hard, harsh, American push of her parent 1 had never served to annul, ''there is really nothing fer you to know except | 1 hat thn l-incc WAS EorN kind tn me un,.E l