The Springfield herald., 1900-05-04

had bean traught with such bitterness
10 both She loved him for the perils
he had passed through. and he loved
her that she did pity them"
My dearest" said Don st last.
there is only one thing I can ask
you to do now to insure your happi-
ness and-and your safety Give me
The right al once to shield you from
harm. and 10 care for you as only your
husband can
You mean" She falteree. while
faint color iuttered to her wan
cAeek
= mean let us be married without
DELAY. darling" Don finished the SEN
Isnee for her. i cannot bear TO think
Ct your going home to England when
Mrs Franklin goes. nor yet OF your be-
.ng left here alone: and I may have
orders to leave Pindi at any moment"
oh. Don. could not marry you
Just yet" she said, her voice breaking
IN tremulous sob. 1t would be too
cruel to my poor father"
Would it not be more cruel to ne
han to the dead. to live in constant
fear of-of someone annoying you. OF
something happening to you. when
s-as not at hand to protect you?' he
asked And his voice quiyered.
Yes. yes she sighed. And inyol-
untsEily a memory OF Prince Clement
sing flashed through her overWrought
brain. How might not he take oppOT-
tuuity OF harassing her now her father
vas gone. especially as h. claimed to
n
dress her. And impulsively she told
Don of the Princes visit.
But he went away in quite a
friendly mood. saying if ever want
ed help l might count on him 1t was
a great relief was terribly afraid
be 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 dug"
Dear Dom" she said. putting her
little hand tenderly in his, perhaps
you cannot understand my feeling: but
I seem to feel his presence still. as II
his spirit stood quite near me now. and
think it would hurt him to know I
wanted to be happy without him so
soon
The hand she touched trembled.
No; l don't understand that" he
said. almost roughly. 4 am afraid
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
10 reward US for all our grief and part
ing? Dear Don. how else could We say.
o. death. where is thy sting? o. grave,
where is thy victory'?'
He arose and paced the length Of the
room twice before he came bac!; ami
stood once more by her side.
Lille" he said. and she knew by
the tone of his voice he had been strug-
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, II went home TO Eng
I land with Mrs. Franklin for a few
months. wouldn't you come and fetch
me there? But to marry you now
4 oh, Don, l cannot"
Then heaven help met" he an
swered bitterly.
I Again he rose, and she saw by the
workings OF his face how the indomi-
table viii of the strong man which
/ had never before brooked rebuff. strug-
/ gled for supremacy, even over his
love.
He came back to her. and when he
/ spoke his voice was low and tense.
Then its all been in vain. Lille
You love me. you say; but you can
not love me SO much as love you. for
if you had asked me to do what have
asked you | would not have forsaken
you"
She rose and flung herself in his
arms.
oh, Don. my love, why do you
speak so? What makes you so wild and
strange? Don, Don, l have not for
saken you! You are all now nave II
the whole world.'
His jealousy could not be but stayed
by her passionate feryor; and sud
denly. at touch CT those clinging arms
some of the old calm imperiousness oi
the Don of old came to his aid.
My darling" he answered. drawing
her nearer, II want you. need you
you do not know how much, Why
would you defraud me of what is mine
If we part now. God knows how mex
We may ever meet"
Ea.nf.,l ,,.nrhs 10 hamrt Ea- IN II.