The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-29

stow it, she locked it up in her heart
and Kept 1t there through all these sad
years, strong, deep, pure as then but
oDlecteSs, and therefore wasted"
For moment both were stiII-she
seemed to have forgotten that she had
listener. Recollection came to her sud
denly, and she gave little embarrassed
iaugn. she feared she had betrayed
Have I not pleaded weIl?" She asked.
DO you stu condemn the woman UNI
He was slow to answer. Their host
ess mad introduced them hurriedly and
ne mad not caught his companions name
nor had ne felt the necessity subsequent
ly to ask for IT, The strange Fascination
that the woman had for him from the
ilfSt mystifed and delighted him and
ne had yielded to it without attempting
20 prone for its meaning. But during her.
IaSt lmpasSiOned speech something i'm her
voice had with startling suddenness cans
tu a great wave Of profound feeling To
in+a Gver mis- heart. He gazed at her
ItIeHtly Tor a moment, and the mystery
OF her attraction for him was cleared
lie wondered that he had not recognized
H IE peI9re time had changed her so
niue. with mighty bound the love
tnat mad lain dormant in his heart for
twenty years sprang into active life
again and mad impulse to throw him
SER at her feet and once more tn crave
her forgiveness, as he had done rnan,-
years ago, almost gained the mastery
over him. But he was well sche0Icd i'm
seitt-TeS7traint' and his voice was almost
natural When ne answered her question
You have indeed made a noble de-
tense he said. But if that woman
should have been as noble as you havo
tFlaue her out to be. would mercy and
forgiveness nave found no place I'll her
hedrtE Would twenty wears Of unaltereJ
love not have expiated the error Of r.
moment Of passion? Would she blight
MS life. and perhaps hers merely because
IN lit OF Jealousy, prompted after an
by his great love for her he had failed
70 measure up to the impossible high
standard she had set for him? Would
ianlke9'
He saw a dreamy look creep into her
eyes as he spoke. and her voice had
far-away sound to it when she answer
to him.
''If were that woman" she said. "and
ne had indeed proved true to me all
these years: if mis- love for me had dweIt
unchanged through it all. as mine would
have. I should thank God from nv soul
for the blessing Of such a love: and If
he were to come back TO me now
should ask his forgiveness for having
mlsJGdged him so, and would beg him
nnnnblH to take back as a voluntary gift
what ! took from him then But men
are strange-thetr nride is ever stronger
than their love. He would not come
back and my love and nv forgiveness
ana my repentance would never be
known to him"
Her voice had sunk lower and lower
as she spoke and at the last she broke
down and buried her face in her hands
All his heart went out TO her; he bent
over her and touched her hair with his
lips.
Mildred" he said. so softly that he
hardly knew wether he had said it, Rut
she had heard it. and she shrank from
him like a startled fawn. For A long
mome1t she gaZed at him with painful
fntentness; then. without a word She
threw her arms about his neck and
sobbed as If her heart would hreaI,
But joy has never been known to break
a heart