The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1900-12-29

x3S = Ave. death V she N answered, In d
strange, unnatural voice. ID tl and
safety. Safety for you ana FOR me!
B Oh, why did you stop me why didsyou
stop me It would have been only a
brief pang, and then all would have
been OVERT . 81 AL 4
81 Herbert Give, gay and thoughtless as
+ his young life had been, shuddered at
( the girls words. He had. knelt at q
Christian mo- TIERS knee, had learned
from her loving lips those lessons that
are far more enduring than all the the
1 ological teac hings Of after Was
1t possible that this fair young being
lived IN the darkness Of utter disbelief9
"All would have been over?" he re-,
peated. aSybil, Sybil, you know not
what you say! Have you no faith, no
hope, that you would 50 madly brave 8
dreadful Hereafter?' 49,, s.i..}
p "No, not No, faith, no hope!' she an:
swered, .despairingly. II have nothing,
nothing, either in this world or the
next. Life has given me naught but
struggle and suffering. Only in death
can SEX peace and rest!'' az s5%4
5. do you spea kto me thus, Sybil-to
me---to the man who loves you better
than his own life"' was Herbert's re-
proachfulr question. "Oh, 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, Sybn? Show
me the barrier that my low els power
less to level! Show me the wound my
love is poWerless to heal!"
"Love? lovew she echoed the word
as if it stung her. 'sDo not speak to.
me Of love! Look at m ehere, poised
on the yer ybrink of a self-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 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 bloom anew. You can not
brighten me, darling. You can not set
m &ylove aside. It 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 me!' was the
passionate answer; "no light, no sun.
1t is all darkness and night-eternal
night!''
'The sun Las risen,' he repeated tax
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 it's dark
ness, its SORROWS; I SEX not to unveil
them, whatever they may be. The fu-
ture 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"
eff you knew-if you only knew-how
you torture mel" 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 it's reach. j Why.
will you not believe me when I tell you
love for me is hopeless% We can never
love; or if. alas. it is our cruel cruel
fate, that love must be our curse in.
sSteuC1 of a sblessing-our@ cross instead
Of our crown" ~
{ Zone word!' cried Herbert, OBTAINING
her, as she. would have fed 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,
and who will stand between us forever
I am pledged to another-one whom ]
love and honor, and must obey"
(To be Continued) .