The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-07-27


visional engagement mean7 I wanted
to warn you-and I must do It now,
Miss Marvel. whether you desire 1t or
not-against man who could sug-
gest such an arrangement. Please hear
me out, for I had better tell you all
now.l said that you had not flirted
with me. A nature like yours 10 In
capable Of Irritation; but you have
allowed me to love you. though heaven
knows whether could have helped my
self II had felt your engagement to
be real binding one! Perhaps I could
but. when believed you were being
played with by villain whom you
trust too implicitly, how could help
trying to save you from him, and
make my whole life happy at the same
time? I do not expect you to value
my love now. or to accept my view Of
your provisional engagement. but some
day you will. Remember that there IL
one heart that loves you truly and UNI
changeably for yourself alone-one who
is waiting patiently for you to see that
his warnig was justified!'
Mark spoke with uncomfortable pas,
sion. and Lilac was glad Of the music
which helped to prevent the nearest
group Of passengers from hearing the
sound OF his voice. In vain she had
tried to interrupt him. There was no
stemming the torrent Of his declaration
now that the girls own words had
forced it from him. Her face Redeemed
with shame, and all the anger that she
she might have felt at the accusation
he was ignorantly dwelling against Roy
was absorbed in an Overwhelming self
reproach. Against Mark Mowbray she
felt no resentment. It was only her
own foolish action that made him mis-
Judge her lover and warn her against
him. She felt great pity for the
young man. and her face grew pale as
she remembered the majors words. and
wondered whether his life would be
ruined by her thoughtlessness.
II am so sorry" she said. when he
paused at last. IT have acted very
blindly and foolishly in not giving you
the full facts about my engagement to
man whom love and trust with my
whole heart. 1t is only who insists
upon the engagement not being final.
am afraid that am too ignorant
and unpublished to make him q suita-
BILE wife. That Is why do not wish
our marriage to be spoken Of az set
%1nd %xax.~ ,,u<sV = ho1,> haor 1n Env.
land and seen for myself what the
women-are like among whom Sir Roy
don Garth would naturally md q
Wife"
Mark Mowbray caught eagerly. at a
slight straw Of hope.
"And II you feel that you cannot
marry him" he asked.
II shall go back to California, I
suppose, unless can keep myself by
some sort Of work in England. It
would not matter much what did"
ut would matter to me!' he said
passionately. Tell me. II you do not
marry this man to whom you are en-
gagged. you will come and be my wife?
You will always find me waiting to
marry you. You might promise me that
at least
Lilac shook her head.
whether I marry Sir Roydon Garth
or not" she said slowly and with ef-
fort. my heart will always be his.
You see that it would be dissertation.
therefore. to talk OF any other mar
rage"
mo. nor he cried II do not ask
you to love me-for years. at any rate
I only ask the right to care for you
to have the opportunity. which mar
riage alone could give. Of gradually
winning your heart for myself. But it
is useless speaking Of that now: you
still believe in your hero. Only remem-
Der that. when you want me. you will
find me waiting to serve you, without
asking for your love in return. I sup
pose we shall not have much more OPP
portunity of chatting with each other Il
Major Emmott misjudges you go much
on account of our talks. 80 had better
give you this at once. put 1t into my
pocket with the intention Of giving it
to you tonight" He drew from his pock-
ct small book as he spoke. 1T Is a
copy Of some of my short stories" he
explained as he handed it to her. and
II you Keep IL, you Will always nave
the address of my publisher. through
whom you will at all times be able to
find me. And. II you discover that
things are different in England from
what you hoped. remember that there
is one friend ever thinking Of you.
every ready to help you. Good by. Mss
Marvel!"
He seized her hand impulsively and
raised it reverently to his lips as they
stood leaning over the vessels side.
Most Of the passengers were at the
other side Of the deck, nearer to the
music, which still came floating sweet
ly and plaintively towards them. and
no one had passed to disturb their
tete-a-tete; but now. as Mark Now
bray raised the girls slender hand to
his lips, solitary form came round
the corner Of the deck house strolling
noiselessly towards them. It was Sa-
bina Emmott.
Lilac waited until she had passed
she appeared not to notice the couple
leaning over the bulwarks-then hur-
ried away to her cabin. angry with
the novelist for having kissed her
hand, but hundred times more angry
with herself for having allowed him
to love her without warning him that
her heart belonged entirely to Roy. Her
anger toward him passed very quickly
and was succeeded by great pity for
the man whom she felt that she had all