New Ulm review., 1901-12-18

/ after that said Kinnaird, pursu
/ ing his subject, "I acted consistently
on the same mistaken theory. AnG
when it came to the question of giving
/ you up thought always Of you first
That was why gave you up-whicl
you naturally considered a Weakness
1t did not escape Mrs. Hugonin thai
a dormant weakness of her own was
i reviving under the continued stress OF
1 this absurd conversation. a weakness
/ for sentiment But it was checked by
her vexation with her friend for break
ing their tacit understanding, and BY
/ the feeling of half contemptuous pity
that stole over her as he spoke.
/ Were she man, she thought she
would never confess at forty to the in.
competence of twenty-five That Kin
naird did SO. but absolved her again
Also, she reflected, she had had head.
ache yesterday. and therefore it was
very lucky this conversation had not
been started yesterday OF she would
have been much more provoked than
she was now.
Il shall not stop you" she said in a
half mischievous tone "Go on-I won't
be angry. You will perhaps admit that
II there is anything ranking it is as
well for you to abuse me and have it
over. even after all these years, whose
obituaries you have written"
My dear, my darling" he said. his
strong hand clasping hers so quickly
that involuntarily her arm struggled
like birds wing to wrest itself away,
ut is well for me to tell the only won
an ever loved that love her still and
do not mean to let her go again.
| Arthur
Margaret. l love you more than
ever"
"It is impossibley'
81 love your
you cannot, cannot be in earnest"
she stammered. why. you have new
er told me-"
"Never-until now" he laughed. II
learned something when lost you the
first time-my darling"'
"This." said Mrs. Hugonin. partially
recovering herself. lis folly. Arthur.
and it is most unfair"
Unfair he said. Ito want you for
my wife? No: you mean unfair to take
you off your guard. / will not bubble
with your words" he said smiling.
MAY the hour and the scene suggest
to you all that they will; may they
bring you back tot was twenty that
you were-when it all happened! Mar
garet, when you We're twenty-six /
went away from the city of all my
hopes. but before turned my back on
it | did as many a refugee had done
before mel sealed up my treasures
and hid them. and my store is where
left it. That is why | want you to
marry me. All that had looked for
ward to telling you-when you were
tWenty-all that | had to say to you
the secret hoard that had been piling
up for our married life, is intact, and
now want you to share it with me-"
He paused moment and then went
on: MY dear. have simply had to
wait; that is all. But. please heaven,
we will begin again."
Poor Mrs. Hugonin's breath came
and went. an unwilling messenger of
passion-Or, it might be, Of. sentiment.
Perhaps was in the wrong" she
said. "But why did not you think more
of yourself?"
II am thinking Of myself now," said
Kinnaird
Suddenly, as Mrs. Hugonin hung dis
tracted and in doubt, the cliff before
them rang faint and sibylline with an
echo. 1t was the town clock of the vii
lage striking over beyond the trees.
They could not hear it, but, sent from
ledge to ledge in the still night air, it
struck silvery and remote on the gran
lite facade. AS it sounded they both
started, he at it's elfin suggestions, she
at it's material reminder.
Good gracious!' she exclaimed. "It
is II o'clock?'
"It is," said Kinnaird.
"And we must positively go back to
the hotel at once. We are a scandal,
Arthur-and you know it. for / saw
you start too" She began to smile.
do you see nothing in the augury ~
she asked.
'sThe augury?'
eve are two old FOOLS" she said.
''Think Of my boy in his bed, Arthur.
''Think of my thirty years-be quiet, if
you please. l choose to be thirty for
formality's sake. 1t is only the night
and the moonlight. When II o'clock
strikes, we recollect that we ought to
be respectfully at home 1t is only an
echo. All. my dear old friend. we have
had our past, and it is over. Yours
has been unhappy, and I am, oh, so
very sorry But you are contented
now and, what is more. you are kind
and strong-it is better as it is. Take
me back to the hotel-and we shall be-
ware Of echoes in future"
Il thought you said you had grown
old" said Kinnaird. 'Tt is only youth
that refuses the echo.''
And he took her In his arms and kiss
ed her.