Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-05-21


him, still weeping. He was all the
world to me-alT the world. Stay
with meat least until my father Is
better, and the darkest hour Of my
trouble is past Oh, Leah, much as
love you, am ashamed to tell you
the rest"
Hettie buried her face In her hands
and wept aloud; while Lead wondered
why her fate should be so much bet
ter, brighter, and happier than her
sisters.
CHAPTER XIII.
II was some comfort to Hettie to
have her tears kissed away, to feel
loving hands take hers, and loving
lips touch her forehead.
TEL me all about It,, dear, and
then we will forget it. | will try all /
can for the remainder Of your life
and mine to make you happy, AMI to
atone to you for this unhappy love.
u have so little to tell YOU" said
of It. | asked him to stay just little
with me, but he said No he must
igo; and | asked him why. 1t all
came out then, Leah. He did love
me; he loved me with all his heart
All me, If you could have seen his
lace--the sorrow on it which no
words could describe He did love
mo--living and dying, 1t will comfort
me to remember that. shall never
know love again; but he loved me;
there was love unutterable in his
eyes when he looked at me. Only
think Leah, | have had but ten
minutes +, al happiness In my life,
and that was when ! first found out
that he loved me-before knew
what stood between us. Leah, the
great sea lay before us; the vino
brought the brine Of the ocean and
the fragrance from the meadows.
would go through a lifetime OF torture
for one such hour again. He told me
why he must go. What, of all the
reasons in the world, should yon
think it was?"
WAS is that he was rich and you
W'It IVIol, Il'lNlt uShtu Lean,
mo; he cared nothing about that"
WAS it'-aud Leah lowered her
voice" anything about our father,
| llettle?"
mo- he liked my father; he re-
| spoctcd his peculiar ideas, and
would you believe 1t, Leah?-came
often To discuss matters with him,
! No. 1t was nothing about my father.
! You would never guess, Leah: 1t Is
too cruel to guess. He did love me;
and he told me that because he loved
me he must so away and never see
my face again Even while he said II
all his great love was shining in his
| eyes And the reason was this--that
| ho was engaged to marry some one
, whom ! am sure he did not love. He
! told me that certain train of cir
cumstanccs had led to his engage
ment, and that he himself, mistaliins
| the friendly, kindly admiration he
had for the lady for love. had asked
her to be his wife All, Leah, how
much unhappy love there is in the
world, lie told me that this girl
whom he was engaged to marry
would die If her left her, and that un-
known to himself he had learned to
love me and could not ask me TO be
his wfe-then we parted, never in
| this world to meet again"
What a sad story, Hettie!" cried
| Leah.
Ii she had but known, II she had
but guessed who it was that had thus
loved Hettle, she might have died
thcn and there
You must not think" said Hettie,
THAT he was wanting in loyalty and
honor; he was engaged promised,
pledged to this other, and he had no
thought of loving me Neither of MS
knew or though Of it until all at once
me truth came upon MS like great
Finding light; then honor told him
that he must go"
Il think he was cruel to yon.
Hottie" said Leah. all unconscious
whom she was Judging.
No; he did not intend to be cruel
he did not know II came ON us all
at once, just rs when people think
they are wading through shallow
brook and suddenly find themselves
in deep stream He could never
have been cruel; he was the most
gontlo, the most chivalrous'
He should have thought more of
tho danger that you ran; the fact
that you were lonely and frienllesa
should have made him all the more
cautious for YOU"
# do not think that love often rea-
sons, said Hottie There was nor
much harm done"
only two lives spoiled" put in
Leah, sadly.
Il will not call minc spoiled" saia
Hottie. Il would rather have loved
him, and loved him unhapptly, than
have been the beloved wife Of any
other man. Mine will be life apart;
but | will net call IL spoiled That
night, Leah. he kissed me- No man
had kissed me before no man shall
ever kiss me again, On that night,
4 r 49,, l.