Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-10-09

her money. Persuade the captain, If
you can. He will not believe me-"
How can persuade him? have
no knowledge. Are they all in a tale?
Are you the only person who knows
the truth? How do you know it?"
81 know 1t because love my girl,
and SO l can read the very soul of a
man. l have read your soul, Jack,
over and over again. You are true and
faithful. You would love her and
cherish her. But this mamie knows
not what love means nor fidelity nor
anything. Go, Jack. There is no help
In you or In any other-because there
is none other" She spoke the words
of the prayer book: ".None other that
fighteth for us but only thou, o God!
Only thou, o Godr" She covered her
face again with her apron and fell to
sobbing afresh.
So went into the parlor where Molly
was sitting. "Jackw She jumped up.
"oh, Jack! l want you SO badly"
81 know all, Molly except what
you yourself say and think about it."
She had piece of work in her hands,
and she began to pull 1t and pick it as
she replied. For the first time in my
life l found Molly uncertain and hesl-
tating.
1.-THE captain says that 1t is the great
est honor that was ever offered to any
woman to be raised from lowly condi.
ton to high rank, and all for love"
"All for lover" asked.
"Why, what else can 1t be that made
him fight for me with that desperate
villain? He risked his life. Whatever
happens, Jack, cannot forget that"
mo. 1t was doubtless great thing
to do. Has he told you himself that it
was all for love?"
He has not spoken about love at all.
He has never once been alone with me.
1t seems that these great people make
love by message. He sent q message
by Sam Semple"-
"a very fine messenger of Cupid,
trulyv'
offering marriage. The captain
cannot contain his satisfaction and sits
glum. My mother says that she will
never see me again and begins to cry"
well, but, Molly, to be sure it is a
great thing to become countess. Most
women would jump at the chance I'M
der any conditions. Do you, however,
think that you can love the manY
HE hasn't asked for love- oh, Jack,
to think that people should marry
each other without word of love! If
he loves me, 1 suppose he thinks that
I am bound to give him love in return"
"There again, Molly, do you love the
MANI"
Jack, nobody knows me better than
you. What reply can make?"
"He is too cold and too proud for
you, Molly. How can you love him ?
Perhaps" added, because was very
sure that she would marry him, latter
marriage you will find that his cold
ness is only u cloak to hide his natural
warmth and that his pride covers his
wife as well as himself"
"He Is good man. Everybody says
SO. Lady Anastasia declares that he is
the most honorable and high principled
of men. On that point am safe. And
think, Jack, what point it is. Why,
to marry drunkard, n sot, a profigate,
gambler-one would sooner die at
once, and SO an end. But can trust
myself with him. l have no fear of
such treatment as drives some wives to
distraction. Yet he is cold in his man
ner and proud in his speech. might
find it In my heart to love him IL was
not afraid of him." And so she went
backward and forward. He was SO
good and SO great; his wife must al
ways respect him. He was of rank SO
exalted; it was great honor to be-
come his wife. He was SO brave; she
owed her rescue to his bravery. Yet he
had spoken no word Of love, nor had she
seen any sign of love. asked her what
sign she expected, and she was con-
fused. "Of course" she said, "any girl
knows very well when u man is in love
with her." How does she know" l
asked her. "She knows because she
knows" suppose she felt that the
man was not in love with her just as
her mother felt that his character for
virtue and nobility was assumed
Corrupt Within" she said. Women
are made so. And in the next breath
Molly repeated that what his lordship
had done was done for love. "How do
you know?" asked again. Because
the captain says so," she replied, with
unconscious Inconsistency.
SIS the courtship to be conducted en-
tirely by messengers" asked.
mo. He will come tomorrow morn
ing and see me. am to give him an
answer then. But the captain has al
ready told him what the answer is to
be. oh, Jack, am 50 happyl I am SO
fortunate that ought to be happy.
Yet l am SO downhearted about it.
Going away is dreadful thing. And
when shall see any Of you, wonder
again? oh, l am SO fortunate; am SO
happy And to show her happiness
she dropped tear, and more tears fol.
lowed.
What kind Of happiness, what kind
OF good fortune, was that which could
fill the mind of the captain with gloom
and could dissolve Molly's mother in
tears and could herald its approach tc
the bride by sadness which weighed
her down? And, as for me, you may
believe that my heart was like lump
Of lead within me. partly because ]
was losing the girl l loved, but had
never hoped to marry, and partly be
cause from the outset of the whole af'
fair-yes, from the very evening when
the news of the grand discovery was
read to the Society of Lynn-I had
looked forward to coming events with
forebodings of the most dismal kind.
"Come to see me tomorrow after.
noon, Jack" she said. 81 must talk
about 1t to some one. With the cap.
tain cannot talk. because he Is all fol-
tue unoluui nhrcn, ana Win my noun
err cannot talk, because she foretells
trouble and will acknowledge no good
thing at oil in the man OF In the match.
Do not forget, Jack. Come tomorrow.
l don't know how many days are left
IN vy,hn IL 30