Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-04-12

"Aye, death!" She answered, ID {
strange, unnatural voice. "Death ane
safety. Safety for you and for me
Oh, why did you stop newly did yor
stop me? 1t would have been only q
brief pang, and then all would have
been over!''
Herbert Give, gay and thoughtless as
his young life had been, shuddered a,
the girls words. He had knelt at q
| Christian mothers knee, had learned
from her loving lips those lessons that
are far more enduring than all the the
illogical teachings of after years. was
| it possible that this fair young being
lived in the darkness of utter disbellefs
"-All would have been over?" he re-
peated. "Syhil. Sybil. you know not
what you say. Have you no faith. no
hope. that YOU would so madly brave a
dreadful Hereafter?'
NO. no. No faith. no llope!" she an
severed. despairingly. Il have nothing,
nothing. either in this world or the
next. Life has given me naught but
struggle and suffering. Only i'll death
can l SEX peace and rest!'
DO you spea kto me thus. Sybil-to
me-to the man who loves YOU better
than his own life:" was H6rbert's re-
proachful question. ooh my darling.
my darling!' he continued. his tone
changing into one of infinite tender
ness; what is this dark sorrow. this
dark mystery. that is blighting. cursing
your sweet young life? What is it
that stands between us. Sybil: Show
me the barrier that my Low els power
less to level! Show me the wound my
love is powerless to healr'
Love? love:" she echoed the word
rs if it stun" her. do not speak to
me of love! Lcoll at m ehere. poised
on the YER. ybrink of a Seif-sought
death. hopeless. wretched. desperate;
and You talk to me of love. Go seek
happier women for your honeyed
phrases. They fall upon my heart like
dew upon Il parched desert. whose
sands can never flower or fruit.
II will not believe it," he answered.
Your heart is no desert. Sybil. Blight
ed and scared it may be. but love can
make it Eloom anew. You can not
brighten me. darling. You can not set
III ylove aside. 1t has risen upon your
life like the sun rises ever the sheltered
valleys. Its course is unalterable. 1t
must shine until the day is done.
There is no day for met! was the
passionate answer: mo light. no sun!
1t is all darkness and night-eternal
night
THE sun las risen." he repeated. talk
ing her by the hand. and lifting her.
with gentle force, from her shrinking
posture. Darling. the sun has risen.
and there can be no more night. Let
the past be past forever. with its dark
ness, its sorrows: I SEX not to unveil
them. whatever they may be. The fill
trre shall be all sunshine. gladnesS and
peace. Only trust me. Sybil-trust
your wounded heart to me. Let ME
love you. aid teach you how to love me
a little in return
':If you knew-if you only knew-how
you torture metz she murmured, in a
broken whisper "My life is dark
enough. dreary enough. barren enough.
already. You only mock it's bitterness
by pointing to the smiling Eden that
lies far, far beyond its reach. Why
will you not believe me when tell you
love for me is hopelessE We can never
love; or if, alas. it is our cruel, cruel
fate. that love must be our curse in
stead of blessing-our cross instead
of our crown"
cone word!" cried Herbert, OBTAINING
her, as she would have fled away-"one
word, Sybil, shall silence my pleading
voice forever. Are you free? Has any
one the right to stand between us? Are
you pledged to another"
81 am not Free" was the low reply.
"There is one who stands between us,
.L-., i L., L.
I am pledged to another-one whom I
love and honor. and must obey"
CTO be COntinuedo