The Holly chieftain., 1900-08-03

hss been favorite with me evsr sincs.
Marraret, have loved you since then.
With lore that hAs growH stspngef
and deeper, until It seems like , paSt
Of my being which can't tear awaH
There ID NO other woman in the world
-therc never win Be any other woman
in the world-for me but yoa. Mar
saret, do you love me? Can you even
love me.
The words were poured forth 90 rap
IDLY, 70 passionately. that y Margaret
was quite unable to stem their torrent.
She stood quite still. without word or
emotion. her face very pale: only once
or twice that shadow of CULVER
passed over her lips again. When at
hast Cleland paused. and looked Into
her face eagerly. searchingly. - II for
his answer. Margaret mads,aA evident
effort to speak. Though twice she
opened her lips, NO words came.
Her voice was very low when At last
they did come.
"Dr. Cleland, you have done me .
great honor--the greatest honor ever
expected to receive: but should be
repaying you badly indeed II gave
you the answer you ask for. You for
get what am. Ny fathers name has
been dragged through the dust. There
are many people who still believe he
was guilty. though he hAsr escaped
from the punishment of the law.
"Only today l overheard NY fellow
students discussing the point What
ever he is In truth-and /. his daugh-
ter. believe him innocent Of the dis
graceful crimes with which he was
charged-in the eyes of the world he
is still looked upon az one who only
escaped public disgrace by accident or
his own ingenuity
Margaret. do you think 20 little Of
my love as to imagine am not willing
to take upon myself whatever burden
you may have to bear?" demanded
Cleland. in low voice. my darling.
II you know him to be innocent. so do
y isten to me. Margaret: you have
Da>, seard the story Of my past. My
T. = SAs in business for many years.
1t is low about ten years since he died,
and he died by his own hand
Margaret uttered an exclamation.
He was In diniculties and foresaw
nothing but ruin before him. 1t was
a fearful AFFAIR. 1t killed my mother;
she died soon after. l was left, the
eldest Of three boys. I was just start
ing my career then. and the knowl-
edge Of my fathers fearful end nearly
unnerved me for the future; but man
aged to pluck up courage for the sake
of the others. They are both on my
hands now; but sometimes 1t was a
hard struggle.
Il am not a rich man. Margaret, but
have sufficient to keep my wife in
comfort. My darling. you Will not re-
fuse now? shall not handicap you
Margaret; you can pursue yenr cali
ing after you come to me II you are
set upon 1t. love you too much. ]
respect you too much, to set any re-
strictions upon you. Only promise to
love me, to be for me only-as / Will
be for you all the days that We both
shall live-and shall be content"
Margaret stood silent, with droop-
ing head; but soft color had slowly
dawned In her cheeks. Her heart cried
out to her to yield. She loved Paul
Cleland-oh. surely never woman be-
fore had loved any man as she did
and all the womanhood In her longed
to cast itself on that strong protecting
tenderness Of his, which would guard
her against all the world. To be his,
to have him as her own-it seemed to
Margaret no earthly happiness could
be greater than this
AS he looked down at the downcast
face, and saw the soft color creeping
into 1t. Paul Cleland's heart beat high
with hope, and, bending down, be
whispered:
Margaret, answer me only one
question. and shall be satisfied mearr
time. Do you love me?'
1t seemed to both as II the west
wind blew more softly. as II the birds
ceased singing, the leaves paused in
their rustic. until her answer came.
1t came at last, low murmur, hard
ly more than breath-"Yee."
And then Margaret felt those strong,
loving arms about her. and her head
drawn down to that shelter that, II
seemed to her now-or, the pity or It.
was to be her resting place forever.
Ito be continued)