Morris tribune., 1902-06-21

/
voice rose to cry, Il am not stronl
by myself. You have made me strong
came here foolish girl. foolish ant
selfish and narrow. God sent me grief
! Three years ago my heart died. Nov
am living again. am woman now
no longer a girl. You have done thi
for me. Your life, your words, your
self-you have shown me better,
higher, life than l had ever known be
fore, and now you send me away"
| She paused abruptly.
"Blind, stupid fool!' said to myself
He held himself resolutely in hand
answering carefully. but his voice haG
lost it's GOODNESS and was sweet anC
kind.
"Have done this for you? Their
surely God has been good to me. AND
you have helped me more than any
words could tell you"
"Helped!'' she repeated scornfully.
eyes, helped" he answered, wonder.
ing at her scorn.
"You can do without my help" she
went on. "You make people help you.
You will get many to help you. But 1
need help too"
She was standing before him with
her hands tightly clasped. Her face
was pale, and her eyes were deeper
than ever. He sat looking up at her
in a kind Of maze as she poured out
her words hot and fast.
81 am not thinking of you. His cold
ness had hurt her deeply. II am self
ish. I am thinking Of myself. How
shall do? have grown to depend on
you, to look to you. 1t is nothing to
you that go, but to me-
She did not dare to finish.
BY this time Craig was standing be-
fore her, his face deathly pale. When
she came TO the end of her words, he
said in a voice low, sweet and thrilling
With emotion:
"Ab, if 4 Ou only knew! Do not make
me forget myself. You do not guess
what you are doing"
What am doing? What is there to
know but that you tell me easily to
go?"
She was struggling with the tears
she was too proud to let him see.
He put his hands resolutely behind
him, looking at her as if studying her
face for the first time. Under his
searching look she dropped her eyes,
and the warm color came slowly up in
to her neck and face. Then, as if with
sudden resolve, she lifted her eyes to
his and looked back at him unfinch-
ingly.
He started, surprised, drew slowly
near, put his hands upon her Shout
ders, surprise giving place to wild joy.
She never moved her eyes. They drew
him toward her. He took her face be-
tween his hands, smiled into her eyes,
kissed her lips. She did not move
He stood back from her, threw up his
head and laughed aloud. She came to |
him, put her head upon his breast and,
lifting up her face, said, kiss me-"
He put his arms about her, bent down i
Dnd kissed her lips again and then rev
erently her brow. Then, putting her |
back from him, but still holding both |
her hands, he cried:
"No, you shah not go! shall never
let you gow
She gave a little sigh of content and.
smiling at him, said:
II can go now" But even as she
spoke the flush died from her face, and
she shuddered.
"Neverw he almost shouted. "Noth-
ing shall take you away. We shall
work here together"
"Ah, if we could, If we only couldw
she said piteously.
"Why not?" he demanded f1ercely.
"You will send me away. You will
say it is right for me to co." she re-
olied sadly.
"Do we not love each otherT' was
lis impatient answer.
"Ah, yes, my love-" she said, 'but
owe is not all"
"Nov cried Craig. "But love is the
,est.''
Yes" she said sadly; Glove is the
oest, and it is for loves sake we will
10 the BEST"
There is no better work than here
Surely this is BEST" And he pictured
lis plans before her.
She listened eagerly.
"Oh. if it should be right" she cried
I will do what you say! You are
'ood; you are wise. You shall tell
ne"
She could not have recalled him bet
er. He stood silent some moments,
hen burst out passionately:
"Why, then, has love come to us?
We did not seek it. Surely love is Of
Tod. Does God mock us?'
He threw himself into his chair,
curing out his words of passionate
rotestation. She listened, smiling,
hen came to him and, touching his
air as a mother might her child's,
aid:
"Oh, am very happy! I was afraid
on would not care, and could not
ear to go that way"
you shall not go!' he cried aloud, as
in pain. Nothing can make that
ght"
But she only said: you shall tell me