Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1901-03-01

IT, she said that the love I gave her
uas Hui eomplpie lsrause she lid not
Uriurn ID. She brought forth ih. sub
i,si II aniuiIirs and v.niurcd io say
tIat ~ume dly I might meot uHne.
>uuGe'l inUapily. I have now found
what >lie said o. ~ true. The love
! gave her was the bud The rus,.-
Gretchen" said l. rising. Il low. You.
! am uot hyliocrite. cannot parade
my re=ard fur Sou under the filmsy
guisc ~ friendship
Go and give the rose 10 her 20
whom you gave the bud" said Grei-
chen. The half smile struck me as
disdainfuL You are strange wOoer."
Il am an honest one" began
pluckins at the bark Of the tree. NO
| shall let the rose wither aud die ON
the stem. shall leave tomorrow.
Gretchen. shall feel ms Adam did
when he went forth from Eden. What.
ever your place in this world Is. IL is
lar above mine. | am. in truth. a pen
nileSs adycnturer. The gulf between
us cannot Ice bridged."
No" said Gretchen. the smile leav-
ing her lips. the gulf cannot be
hrldgcd. You are a penniless adven.
turer and | am n fugitive from-the
law, Ihe king or what you will. You
are man. Man forgcts. You have
Just illustrated the fact. His memory
and his promises are like the smoke
they fade away hut soon. | shall he
sorry to have you go, but IL is best
So"
DO you love any one clSeT'
Il do not. love no one in the sense
you mean. II was not written that |
should love any man."
Gretchen, who are you, and what
have you doncT'
What have | done? Nothing! Who
am |? Nobody
lis that the only answer you can
glvcE"
1t is the only answer | will give"
There was something in Gretchen's
face which awcd me. II was power
and resolution. two things man seldom
sees in Il wOman'S face.
"Supposing, Gretchen, that | should
take you in my arms and kiss you?"
| was growing reckless because | felt
awcd, which seems rather n remark
able statement. Il know you only as
a harmaid Why notT'
She never moved TO 90 away. There
was no alarm in her eyes. though they
narrowed.
You would never forgive yourself.
would you:'
| thought for moment. mo, Gret-
chen, should never forgive myself
But | know that if ask you to let me
kiss your hand before | go you will
grant so small Il favor"
There" and her hand stretched to-
ward me. "And what will your kiss
meanT
THAT | love You. but also respect
YOU and that | shall GO"
Il am sorry"
1t was dismal packing. | swore a
good deal softly. Gretchen was not in
the dining room when came down to
supper. 1t was just as we'll | wanted
To he cool and collected when | made
my final adicu. After supper lit my
pipe Il shall be buried with IT. and
went for iaunt up the road. There
was train AT q the next morning.
would leave on that Why hadn't |
taken Gretchen in my arms and kissed
herr II would have been something TO
remember in the days to come, | was
| man aud stronger; she would have
been powerlcss Perhaps ii was the
| color of her eyes.
I | had not gone up the highway more
! than 100 yards when | saw the lonely
/ figure of n man tramping indirectly to-
/ ward me and directly toward the inn.
/ Even in the dusk of twilight there was
/ something familiar about that stride.
/ Presently the man lifted up his voice
| in song. The second lead" as they
say back of the scenes. was about 10
appear before the audience.
Evidently IIillars had found ''Jeri
| cho" distasteful and had returned t
protest.
| tTo BE Continued