Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-12-18

don rose at once to his feet 81 can
never live in Hope House." she added
in low tone.
rs that your answer, thenT He
stood looking at her calmly, but she
did not look up.
yes" she finally replied
"Thcn we must go our separate ways,
so help us Godw he exclaimed in n
sudden burst of passion for his heart
was hot within him.
He paused a moment irresolutely and
then started to go out. She had not
made any motion for lifted her head
to look at him. At the door he turned
for IN instant and saw, to his asionsh-
mont, that her proud head lay on her
arms, which were outstrctched OH the
| table near which she had been sitting.
He was back by her side, kneeling
again and calling her name. When she
! lifted her head. there were tears on her
glowing checks.
"John, | cannot bear to have it so"
"Thon do you love he, Luclla, enough
to share all with mef" he cried.
"Ncs; | love you, John" she said
slowly. But even as she said it she
drew back from him little AT the
same time do not see why it is neces-
sary 10 live at Hope House
"NCt necessarily there, but some
where among the people Luella, DO
you not understand my reasons for
wanting to know the people,
Il am not sure She replied In a
| troubled tone, and then suddenly she
turned away from him and put her
head down on her arms again.
John Gordon rose and walked up and
down the room. Twice as he went
past the table he paused rresolutely,
his mind in a turmoil his heart unccr-
tain The third time he stopped, with
decision in his manner, and placed
his hand on her head.
Il Go not ask you to marry me unless
you can trust everything to me. n
YOU are not able To say without any
fear or doubt. I will 90 with you in
all the way you have chosen do not.
cannot. plead with you. Lucia. Is
that asking too much. dear? Can the
man who loves you ask any lcss?"
mo. no, he can ask no less But,
John. | fear to CO. She had raised
her head and was looking at him with
more agitation than he had ever known
her to show. 81 am not certain that /
am fitted, that | am adapted. for such
life. | have a horror OF the places
thc-I do not love the people. John, 90
Won say you do. Am | to blame for
thatY
She asked the question almost tim
idly, but nothing could soften the hard
ness of the statement to him. He did
not yet see that the one thing that kept
her from coming to him without any
questions was her lack of religious ok.
perience. She did not love the people
because all her life had been so far
devoted to Il love Of the things that
had surrounded her social position.
NO. | do not think you are to blame.
But. oh, Lucia, could you not learn 10
love them? Gould You not come with
me and let the future
Il could not pretend" she began,
with return of her proud attitude
Il do not ask you to pretend. II
you love me. will not all the rest he
pc siblc"
She was silent a moment Then sud
denly she looked 40 and said frankly
u would not be true TO you if kept
anything back. | not Only do not love
the people as you do. but do not see
why you should sacrifice your life to
them, as YOU plan to do. cannot see
that you Will accomplish anything"
And is accomplishment the great
and only thing? Is there nothing in
being or in striving regardless of ac-
complishment? But l cannot argue
the matter. IF you love me enough,
Lucia, all tho rcst win follow: if you
don't it will all be useless to you.'
She still looked at him with the un.
certain, disturbed air that had marked
her manner when he first began to talk
10 her, only the look had docpenod in.
to an expression of doubt and painful
unrest.
Il do not see the need Of all you plan
to do | 90 not see the need" she said
slowly.
You would not have to sec that if
you only loved me-" he replied in a low
tone, and there was a hopelessness in
1t that had not been present before
He stood looking at her, and suddenly
he added
Let us be entirely frank, Luella,
that we may not misunderstood. You
shrink from the thought of living in a
place like Hope House; you hesitate to
commit your future to me because of
the physical losses, the absence in our
future Of these physical luxuries we
have both known, into which we have
been b0rn-is that it? Your love for me
is not strong enough to make this loss
seem siSnilicant-iS that truef'
1t was ,unt question, and he pur-
poscly put ii tluntly, perhaps more SO
than was fair to her, over her face
the color deepened. and she evidently
felt the implied rcproach in his sum
ming up Of her hesitation.
THAT is not quite the truth"
"A part of it,
"Ndu have no right to force such a
question upon me-"
Il have IL right to know the whole !
truth"
You would not understand
Il would understand everything II |
you loved me enough TO go with me