The silver star., 1900-05-04

to both. She loved him for the periis
he had passed through. and he loved
her that she did pity them"
My dearest" said Don at last
there is only one thing l can ask
you to do now to insure your happi-
/. ness and-and your safety. Give me
the right at once TO shield you from
harm. and to care for you as only yoar
husband can"
You mean" She faltered. while
( I faint color futtered to her wan
check
Il mean let us be married without
/ delay. darling" Don finished the SEN
tence for her 81 cannot bear TO think
( q your going home to England when
I Mrs. Franklin goes. nor yet of your be-
/ ing left here alone: and may have
( orders to leave Pindi at any moment"
oh. Don. could not marry you
Just yet she said. her voice breaking
in a tremulous sob. n; would be too
cruel to my poor fatheri"
Would it not be more cruel to ne
han TO the dead. to live in constant
fear ot-of someone annoying you. or
something happening to you. when !
as not at hand to protect you?" he
asked And his voice quiyered.
Yes. yes" she Sighed And inyol-
un:arily memory OF Prince Clement
sing flashed through her overwrought
brain How might not he take oppor-
unity Of harassing her now her father
vas gone. especially as he claimed to
have the dead mans sanction to ad-
4ress her. and impulsively she told
Don Of the Princes visit.
But he went away in quite a
friendly mood saying II ever want
ed help ! might count on him. 1t was
! great relief was terribly afraid
10 might go away angry. He is so
passionate and so powerful. imagined
All sorts Of harm he might do
Yet her tender heart recoiled from
thinking of her own welfare, whilst
her fathers grave lay so freshly aug"
Dear DON" she said, putting her
little hand tenderly in his, perhaps
you cannot understand my feeling: but
seem to feel his presence still. as IL
his spirit stood quite near me now, and
think it would hurt him to know
wanted to be happy without him so
soon."
The hand she touched trembled.
No: don't understand that" he
said. Utmost roughly. Il am afraid I
can only think of the dead as dead and
buried in their graves"
No, no. don't say that" she said.
and she drew his hand to her lips and
her hot tears fell upon it. You who
have proved SO strong and true through
all your trials. won't you take the So
lace of my belief that there is eternity
to reward us for all our grief and par.-
Ing? Dear Don. how else could We say,
%. death, where is thy sting? o. grave
whore Is thy vlctory'?'
He arose and paced the length Of the
room twice before he came bac,, anl
stood once more by her side.
Lille" he said. and she knew by
Z the tone Of his voice he had been strug.
I Cling with some strong emotion. come
to me now. and teach me how to be-
{ lieve these things. while my heart Is
still fresh to your sorrow. Promise
me. Lillie!"
He resumed his seat by her side and
put out his hand to her appealingly.
She met his eyes. her own all shin.
Ing with unshed tears.
Don, dearest. IL went home to Eng.
land with Mrs. Franklin for a few
months. wouldn't you come and fetcf
me there? But to marry you now
oh. Don, cannot"
Then heaven help met he an
swered bitterly.
Again he rose. and she saw by tn,
workings OF his face how the lndoml
table viii OF the strong man. which
had never before brooked rebun. strug
gled for supremacy. even over hll
love.
lie came back to her. and when h.
spoke his voice was low and tense.
Then It's all been In vain. Lille
You love me. you say; but you can
not love me 30 much as love you. TO
II you had asked me to do what | hay,
asked you ! would not have forsake,
you"
She rose and flung herself In hi
arms.
VIZ hS'Hs my lbFts Why 40 Vol
speak soY What makes you so Wild an.
strange? Don. Don. have not for
saken you! You are all now have 1,
the whole world"
His Jealousy could not be but staye,
by her passionate fervor; and. sud
denly. Mt touch Of those clinging arms
some Of the old calm imperiousness q
the Don Of old came to his aid.
My darling" he answered. drawIn
hcr nearer. II want you. I need you
you do not know how much! VIII
would you defraud me Of what Is mine
II we part now. God knows how mex
we may ever meet"
Fateful words to haunt her In IN
long. long days to come.
But now. overcome by his master
md pleading. she resisted no longer
and as she spoke the words Of yleldin
he sought. he kissed the lips which hn
uttered them with fierce. consumn u
Joy.
CHAPTER VII.
The wedding WAS over. II had bee