Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-04-27
make love to. but whom zone caro- to

make love to. but whom none care to
make wives Of"
And Maurice was n coward, and spoke
no word in her defense; he did not dare;
but young Denis Wilde drew himself I'm
proudly.
Mrs. Kynaston," he said, sternly, II
must ask you not to speak slightingly Of
Miss Ncvill."
why not? I suppose we are all free
to use our tongues and our eyes in this
world! Why should you become the
woman's chalnpiony" "
Because" answered Denis, gravely,
II hope to make her my wife,"
Maurice was man enough to hold out
his hand to him i'll the darkness.
Il am glad of it," he said, rather
honrscly; make her happy, Denis, ii you
can
"Thanks. l shall so on to seq her
now
Helen m,rmurcd IN unintelligible apol.
osy, and Denis Wilde passed onward to-
ward the vicaragc.
He had taken her good name into his
Keeping. he had shielded her from that
other woman's slandcring tongue; hut he
had done so in his despair. He had spok.
cn 10 lie in saying that he hoped To make
he; his wife: hui it was no doubt Il fact
that Helen and her husband would now
ilc!irvc him 4" he engaged to her. Would
Vera he induced to verify his words:
Denis could not tell.
Ten minutcs later lc stood alone with
her in the vicarage dining room: he had
sent ill his card with Il prncilrd line upon
ii to ask for IL few minutes conversation
with her.
Denis made it plain To her how it was
hr had come. and what he had said of
her. Her name. liz old her. had been
lightly spoken of: to have defended it
without authority would have been to do
her more harm Than good: to take it UNI
der his lawful protection had been in
stinctlvciy suggested To him by his long
ing to shield her. Would she forgive
him:
My darling. give me the right to de-
fcud you now and always" he pleaded;
do moi refuse me TIL. happiness OF pro.
tect;ng sonr dear name from such Won.
en-. | know you don't love mo. dear. not
as l love you. hut / will not mind that;
] will ask You for nothing thai YOU will
not give ne freely: only Try mel think
| could make you happy. love-"
"Oh. am very tired WAS all she said,
moaninyly and wcarily. passing her hand
across her aching brow like II WORKOUT
child.
1t WAS life or death to him. To her il
was such IL little matter. What were all
his words and his prayers beside that
hrnrt,chc that was driving her into her
grave. He could do her 10 good. Why
could he not leave her in peace?
There EToSr n Snutin,nnt nf ,,it,. In ho,
heart. aud II vague wonder as to his
grief. Did lie suffer, she asked herself,
as she herself suffered:
Vera. Vera. l only ask you to be my
wife. ] do not ask YOU for your heart;
only give me Your lear self. Only let me
he always with You to brighten your life
and to take care of YOU"
How WAS she To resist sucl, absolute
unscltishncss:
"Oh, Denis. how good you are to mev!'
burst from her lips. How can take
You at our word? Do you not know
that my heart is gone from me-. | have
no love TO give you."
Yes. yes, darling" he said. quickly,
pressing her hand to his lips. do not
pain yourself by speaking of it. have
guessed it. j have always seemed to
know it. But it is hopeless. is it not:
And IL would so gladly take YOU AWAY
and comfort you il l could"
And so. in the end. she half welded to
him. What else was she to do? She
gave him IL sort of promise,
"lf i can it shall be as Won wish, she
said. but give mo till tomorrow night.
l will think of it all day, and il Won will
come hero again tomorrow cvenin. 1 will
answer you. Give me one more dry
only one" she repeated. with a duh reit-
Grafton. out of her utter WEAKNESS.
"Onr day will soon be gone" hc said
j%oNfuily as he babe her good-niyht.
Alas. how little he knew what thot
day was to bring forth.
&c be c%ontinucd.1