El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-12


open.
"Amabel" His voice was strangely
husky. and the Involuntary opening
and shutting of his hands revealed the
emotion under which he was laboring
do you love me? You have acknowl-
edged it now and then, but always as
II you did not mean it. Now you ac-
knowledge that you may some day and
this time as If you did mean it. What
is the truth? Tell me without coquet-
ry or assembling. for am in dead ear
nest. and He paused. choked and
turned toward the window. where but
few minutes before he had taken
that solemn oath. The remembrance
of it seemed to come back with the
movement Flushing with n new agi-
tation, he wheeled upon her sharply.
mo, no." he prayed; Say nothing. II
you swore you did not love me,
should not believe it, and If you swore
that you did I should only find it hard
er to repeat what must again be said,
that union between us can never take
place. l have given my solemn prom
Use to-
well. WE'LL Why do you stop? Am
1 so hard to talk to that the words will
not leave your lips"
81 have promised my father l will
never marry you. He feels that he has
grounds of complaint against you. and
as ! owe him everything
He stopped, amazed. She was look
ing at him intently, that same low
laugh still on her lips.
"Tell the truth" she whispered. 81
know to what extent you consider your
not to marry after what took place last
night. Frederick, l like you for this
evidence of consideration on your part
but do not struggle too relentlessly
with your conscience l can forgive
much more in you than you think, and
IL you really love me-
"Stop! Let us understand each 9TH
err" He had turned MORALLY pale and
met her eyes with something akin to
alarm. what do you allude to In
speaking Of last night? l did not know
there was anything said by us in our
talk together
81 do not allude to our talk"
"Or-or in the one dance we had
Frederick. a dance is innocent
The word seemed to strike him with
the force of a blow.
"Innocent" he repeated. innocent"
becoming paler still as the full weight
of her meaning broke gradually upon
him.
81 followed you into town. she whis
pered. coming closer and breathing the
words into his ear. But what / saw
you do there will not keep me from
Obeying you If you say: Follow me
wherever l go. Amabel. Henceforth
our lives are one"
"My Cod
1t was all he said. but it seemed to
create a gulf between them. In the ST.
lence that followed the evil spirit Ia
tent beneath her beauty began to make
itself evident even in the smile which
no longer called into view the dimples
which belong to guileless mirth, while
upon his face after the first paralyZing
effect Of her words had passed there
appeared an expression of manly re-
sistance that betrayed a virtue which
as yet had never appeared I'm his selfish
and altogether reckless life.
That this was more than n passing
impulse he presently made evident by
lifting his hand and pushing her slow
ly back.
II do not know what you saw me
do" said he. but whatever it was 1t
can make no difference in our rela-
tons"
Her whisper, which had been but a
breath before. became scarcely audi
BILE
II did not pause at the gate you en-
tered" she said. 81 went in after you"
A gasp OF Irresistible feeling escaped
him. but he did not take his eyes from
her face.
1T was a Icing time before you came
out" she went on. but before that
time the shade of a certain window
was thrust aside and
Hush" he commanded. in uncon-
trollable passion. pressing his hand
with impulsive energy against her
mouth. Not another word Of that or
l shall forget you are a woman or that
i have ever loved you"
Her eyes, which were all she had re-
manning to plead with, took on a pecul- |
lar look Of quiet satisfaction and pow |
err. Seeing it. he let his hand fall and |
for the first time began to regard her |
with anything but a lovers eyes
Il was the only person in sight at |
that time" she continued. "You have
nothing to fear from the world at
large"
Fear"
The word made it's own echo. She l
had no need to emphasize 1t even by a |
smile. But she watched him as 1t /
sunk into his consciousness with AMI
intentness it took all his strength to (
sustain. Suddenly her bearing and ex-l
preston changed. The few remains of |
sweetness in her face vanished, and
even the allurement which often lasts
when the sweetness Is gone disappear