Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-08-08

| pent-up passion In him broke loose
He seized her hand roughly. fiercely
and try as she might she could not dis
engage u. He spoke rapidly and
hoaTsely:
Wait Do not say that which you
may repent and which will make my
life black. When first | saw YOU some
thing new and strong came from you to
re and entered into me and gripped
my soul You are all earth and the
| hereafter 10 me- Sun. moon stars. the
sea and winds. hope, desire. ambition.
strength Ct body and will life itself are
in you. in all past years have dream
| ed OF woman. On Asian steppes. on
African sands, in tropic forests, on the
| bose OF broad rivers. on wind beat
en- seas. in the clamor and clangor OF
huge cities, on peaceful English coun-
| trysides, in non-hours and night hours
| she has come to me and | know now
| that the woman is YOU For this | have
waited Other men have fought for
! riches. or celebrity, or for the JOY of
! fighting | have striven only that |
might win to the place where you were
standing and waiting. | have come;
you have come, Some invisible hand
has directed our steps, know not
whether this hand is benign or hate
full, but it has done its work Why else
should be here and you here? Lois
love you. You are more beautiful
than any vision that ever visited the
aching eyeballs of a dying Inner of
starved body and throbbing brain. Do
not answer me tonight, | have been
hurried should have waited; but
could not wait longer. You are sur
rounded by men younger than |; more
light hearted; more suited to you in
every way. 1t seemed to me that
must speak now or forfeit my chance
Of happiness. Give me my answer to-
morrow, or the day after tomorrow. or
a week from tomorrow. | can wait;
will be patient; will choke back fear
Lois"
His voice had died almost to sound
lessness. His stern face was softened
in his passionate pleading. He breath
ed thickly and quickly. He had drop
ped her hand and now her fingers We're
interlaced before her. To her clear
cheeks a warm blush had risen. Her
bosom rose and fell rapidly. Her limbs
were languorous. so thai she swayed
slightly. 1t was sweet to be wooed so,
sweet to know that she was all in all to
one older, wiser, stronger than she.
The tremendous force and earnestness
Of him had its effect upon her, Yet
through il all ran the constant
thought Il do not love him; can not
love him: ] am afraid that ! fear him
but | have for him no softer feeling:
| do not even want him for my friend:
| can not give him the answer he wish
es, yet he is brave, strong man and
some woman must have loved him
| well; it Is not to be: it shall not be -
! She spoke slowly, hesitatingly, her
deep voice expressing kindness. regret
| possibly, but nothing warmer.
| Il will do as YOU wish. Mr.. Maude.
| ! will give you yout answer tomorrow.
| | will consider carefully all that you
have said. do yoB the justice TO be-
lieve that you are sincrre. That weighs
with me, If. however, that answer is
not what you wish, emember that a
girls heart is not her own to give or
to take away We do not direct or
govern these things. | tell you frank
/ ly that ! nave never seen the man to
| whom ! would surrender my life. IL
\ may perhaps be your due to know that
]
other. but do rot love you. | know
! that | am far from loving you. ! wish
to return now
He said not another word but fell in
by her side and walked slowly toward
the house. His face again was steeled
against the outward showing of emo
ton. As they reached the steps he
paused, whispered Tomorrow. then"
bowed gravely and turned toward the
bachelors quarters.
Lois, feeling thoroughly unstrung
and much troubled by thought of the
task which lay before her. entered the
hall. There were lights in the draw
ing room. but no sound Of CONVEX satig.,
! Evidently the happy family had re-
tired. She was surprised therefore
| when she heard her narle called and
a moment after Allyn appeared in the
doorway She stood with the light
falling full upon her as he said.
IL have missed you and supposed
you were walking with Maude ! have
something to say to you; | have felt
that ] ought to cay it for some days. .
He looked at her curiously as he
spoke and then directed his glance
past her toward the night which show
ed through the narrow windows on
each side of the hall door. PonderinR
to herself Lois mentally asked. Can
this be another proposal? | am not
equal to two in night" and a smile
fiickered upon her lips. A look into
his frank blue eyes, however, reas-
sured her. Plainly he was earnest and
plainly he was not thinking of mar
riage. She liked this man very heart
fly. In fact there was strong element
OF comradeship between them
why. Of course, she answered cor
daily. "You can tell me anything you
wish and will be glad 10 listen"
She did not suppose for a moment
that the matter concerned herself II
she had any well formed idea it was
to the effect that he had some boyish
confidence to repose. something about
the folks at home, with whom he was
in a continual stew over remittances
or = subject Of like Importance.
1T is lat now. he returned, little
duly. 1T is time ! was getting my
beauty sleep. The unholy hours they
keep here knock me up awfnlly. I'm a
nine O'Clock man and have been since
childhood But NAV | come to YOU to-