The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-23

never! It will xii, father."
There is doubt he will feel it badly"
Goodwin said. thoughtfully; but you see
you make me suffer myself, and how can |
spare pity for others when I'm in burning
torment-in purgatory!" with wild out
break. Nov, it depends on you,' he said
after moments pause, during which he re-
covered himself Marry me, and Woodside
shall be your marriage settlement; reject me,
and your father dies a broken-hearted beg
gar
She moaned aloud
'Ill give you week to make up your
mind he said, seeing that she made no
answer. Man, my hearts darling do try to
love me! I can't help being hard with you.
I would do anything to compel you to marry
me-the fear shall lose you fills me with a
despair that's worse than death! You must,
you shall be my wife!' and he ground his
teeth savagely.
Leave me. leave me-" she mplored,
family.
Il will, dear; you are unset: but I had to
tell you all that was in my heart. Think it
over, darling, and try to love me. There! I'll
kiss you once-no more, since it frightens
you; but you'll try to learn to love me, won't
you, Nan? There there; don't cry | am
going. You'll tell me in week-Tn try to be
patient till Them and then with sudden
return of gentle tenderness in his manner he
left the room quietly, leaving Nan behind in
state of wild panic, that was almost mad
ness, and from which she saw no relief, for
there was no one to whom she dare confide
her misery, since to tell her mother would
only be to make her equally unhappy.
The next few days dragged heavily along,
and Nan sank slowly under the burden of her
secret.
With view to stunning her anguish of
mind, she occupied herself with feverish
activity in all the little tasks she could find
to do, and tried to dismiss her thoughts but
it was in vain for her dull misery reentlessly
crushed all her efforts towards brighter
spirits
What she did in those dreary days she
scarcely knew.
Each minute, despite her restless activity,
dragged on leaden wings to her. and night
mare vision Of years and years of the same
awful gloom pressed with heavy weight
her BRAIN
She appeared to herself, more like an ami
mated corpse than living being, and she
wondered, with kind of curiosity, bod she
was able to talk and employ herself to all
appearance, as usual, when the world had
changed so terribly for her.
She wondered, also, whether, she would
be able to bear her misery without going mad
so acute grew her anguish; and, at last, on
the fourth day, after a pretence of lunch, she
rose hastily from the table, and announced
her intention of going for long walk, for
confinement indoors had suddenly grown I'M
endurable to her.
Mrs. Woodville assented quietly, for she
saw, from the gilrs face, how much she
longed for solitude and exertion to calm her
overWfought nerves.
She knew well that Nan was passing
through a mental crisis of kind and she
had wantched her tenderly, trying, by every
little maternal cal e, to make things easier
for her child, and waiting patiently for the
time when Nan would confide in her the
cause of her trouble.
She met her in the hall as she descended
from her bedroom, and, after seeing that she
was well wrapped up for it was bitterly cold
dismissed her with kiss.
Come home before dusk falls" she said,
gently. Take Gale Of yourself dear, and
don't go too far.
Nan bowed her head mutely
She could not trust herself to speak, for her
mothers tenderness touched her too deeply
She walked blindly on weeping inwardly
and glad of the loneliness, which allowed her
to feel the relief of not having to mask her
bitter pain with an attempt at cheerfulness,
until she realized. with a start, that she was
nearly five miles from home, and began
hastily to retrace her steps, taking field
path, which, had she known it, was the way
by which Adar had come on the night Of the
rick burning.
Scarcely had she gone halfway, when the
thought that she might possibly meet Good
win, come to press for her answer terrified
her, and she began to run, for she fancied
she saw him hurrying towards her.
Terror lent her strength and she fed wildly,
until, as she clambered over a stile her foot
slipped and she fell, with a frightened cry
into the arms of man, who was waiting on
the other side.
Nan! Oh! my darling. is it you? Are you
you hurt? Are you still angry with me?"
1t was Adair's voice, low and impassioned
that sounded in her ears; Adar's arms that
tenderly EMBODIED her.
For moment of weakness she remained
faint and quiescent in his hold: then she
gently pushed him away.
Eyes, it is II she said, sadly "Why-why
have you come? 1t will make it so much
harder to bear"
She was unconscious that she spoke aloud,
for she had gone through so much mental
M n M a "a he o1o CHI 1f