The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1903-11-12
hands; but the one hand Jane gave
him was cold-cold despite the fra

hands; but the one hand Jane gave
him was cold-cold despite the fra
grant warmth of the night
"Ah, Jane" cried Worthington.
the heat of his own emotions
making him impervious for the nonce
to the chill of her demeanor, chow
I have longed for this moment, for
this opportunity to see you, since
that blessed night when you saved
my life; and did far more than saw:
it--made it worth the living by tell,
ing me that you loved me. 1t seems
Incredible that but four days have
passed since then. They seem rather
like four months, SO tagging has been
each moment until I could again be
with YOU"
With an effort. Jane freed her hand
from his strong clasp and moved
away from him to tile edge of the
portico.
Capt. Worthington," she said,
without looking at him, 81 pray that
you will forget that night and all
that occurred then. Let lis cancel it
IRON our memory
"Cancel it?" he gasped. "Cancel
it? Jane, what do you mean? Is
this some joke, some wi,ticisnl, that
I am too dull to see the humor of?'
May" she answered, half turning
towards him and speaking in a voice
whose sweetness was lost in over
tirmness, 'when I tell you that I AM
betrothed to Col. Bessemer you will
possibly-understand."
"Betrothed to Col. Bessemer? And
since when?" He came closer.
"Since when? We're you, perhaps, be-
trothed to him that night when you
risked your life to a V mine; when
what made that life worth the say
ing, was the belief that you glorifed
it by your love? Tell me, Jane. were
YOU betrothed to Col. Bessemer
then?" He laid his hand upon her
arm.
She shrank back. "No-sincn."
"Since? And with the memory OF
that night before you? No, I will
not believe it. You + playing with
me; but seeking to test my love--my
faith in you. Know, then, that there
|sis no test you can bring to bear
Which it will not stand. I believe
in you, in your faithfulness, as I be-
lieve i'll God"
The girl threw out her hand in 4
gesture of despair. How hard, how
bitterly hard, he was making it.
g H. =, ~.4;11 H,1o,.n SsJ-a.1 l..
me, beloved" he said. "Tell me why
you thought it necessary to put me
to this test?'
She clasped her hands in front OF
her. Temptation was pressing hel
close; pressing her to throw herself
into his arms; to tell him all; to &C.
quaint him with that wretclled bar.
gain she had made; but if she SHOULD
yield-if she should tell him? VIVA
then? 1t would mean the forfeit OF
his life or Besseruer;s. She knew that
he would never rest until one life OF
the other had paid the penalty.
No, 10; honor, duty, everything de
1nanded that she herself, no other,
should pay the price. It was she who
hSd done the bargaining; she hal
ss%Sught with her eyes open; and was
The PRICE too great to pay for thal
gvhich She chad hught?9 With ths
wing mary besidRher. could she re
Akret her purchase? If she had it t.
d9 over, would she not again do wha1
she had done? Just to know that he
was i'll the world, was that MOI
enough to pay any price for?
She turned to the figure besid:
her. In stress of excitement, Capt
Worthington," she said. 1--WE oft dc
that which our cooler judgment doe:
not approve. You and / have beer
friends from childhood. I have Ions
looked upon you as a brother. You
life is nearly as precious to me a:
my own brothers. That night, whe1
1 had devised a way to save it ant
you were SO laggard in availing your
self OF the opportunity J."
"Yon?" He bent his dark head to
wards her.
A so%ft-footed, dusky figure had q
minute before lighted the tree 81
candles which stood upon the carved
cabinet within the hall. The light
shone through the broad entrance
and spread across the portico, but
Jane resolutely kept her face turnef
towards the twilight, which wa:
deepening into night, and the bril-
liant glow at her back served rathe1
to throw her features into shadow
than to betray their emotions.
"And you-what, Jane?" Godfrey
proddel gently.
She clasped and %unclasped he1
hands. nervously. The task she hat
set herself was a decorating one, but
she went Oh with it bravely, if falter
ingly. "And it may be that lin my
anxiety that my old-time friend, that
Mary's brother, should not recklessl,
throw the chance of saving his life
away, it may be that in the furry
of the moment, in the press OF
crowding events, lied you to be-
lieve-my feehngs'-she. stopped, anG
then she gathered her determination
and continued-"were of a different
-character-"
"Jane!" The cry wa that of d
wounded animal.
There was a heavy silence, weighed
upon her SIDE with rising fear, with
the strangling of loving impulses;
upon his, with. a gathering torrent
of anuer that 1unc e,.,oo,;,-