The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-12-19
By CHARLES M. SHELDON.
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I IMAM was Ialr TO ner. over ner race
the color deepened, and she evidently
selt the implied reproacn In his sum-
ming up or ner hesitation.
"That is not quite the truth
| "a part of itT'
| "You have no right to force such
question upon me-"
| 81 have right to know the whole
truth
| "You would not understand
81 would understand everything II
you loved me enough to go with me
without question"
Love does not mean being unrea-
sonable"
eyes, Luella, it does, at least this
far-that love will trust where it can
not always give reasons"
She was silent again.
He took a step nearer.
"Luella, one question only: II Il de-
eide that l must go to live in Hope
House, will you go with me? Or
will you refuse on account Of the phys
ical and social loss?'
She looked at him steadily at first,
although her color deepened and her
lips trembled.
"You have no right to ask such a
question"
st have-the right of man who
loves you"
'HThen will say not go. not for the
reason you think, but
at Is not necessary to explain" John
Gordon answered sadly. "Luella. it is
plain to me that you do not love me-"
"You have no right to make any such
test" she exclaimed passionately.
She stood up and faced him proudly.
and he simply looked into her eyes a
moment and then turned and walked
out of the room. This time he did not
look back. AS he closed the door, Luel-
La Marsh fell upon her knees by the
side of the table, exclaiming:
"God pity me! God have mercyP
John Gordon went out Of the house
calmly enough, although his heart was
torn with passionate conflict. AS the
current Of the city swept him on, there
surged up in his soul hot anger that
he had ever loved this woman who
could not have the test Of faith in the
man who loved her. But 1t was at this
crisis that his real religious experience
rescued him from wreck. Had 1t not
been for that this story had never been
told. But as he went his way that day
his anger fell, and in it's place there
grew up tender memory that left no
room for harsh judgment.
But for the present he was over
whelmed by the result. He had put
Luella Marsh into the altar place Of a
proud mans affection. Every day
since the time she had pledged her
heart to his he had thanked God for
| what had been given him. Her appar-
! ent response to his ambitions, especial
| " noticeable in her correspondence
| during his absence, had exhilarated
him. To find now that she would not
trust her life to him because he had
chosen a career of hardship and loss
| Of physical things struck him the Sc
| yerest blow he had ever experienced
| The failure on the part of his father
| and sister to understand or sympaJnIze
| became Insignificant compared with
this event. AS he walked along he be
gan to torture himself with questions
Had he made mistake in taking bel
answer as final? Had he, as she said
no right to make such test? Was Il
asking too much Of any woman to ash
her to leave a. home Of luxury to which
she had been accustomed from birtf
and go at once into surroundings thai
were repulsive to her? And then sht
had confessed that she did not love thu
people as he did, but-was that an un