The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-08-14

Ihus tncy sat III SILENCE. isrnndoffs
I hand resting llstlessly upon the c,ish-
ion between them. Mary saw the elo-
4u"Et movement away from her and
his speaking attitude with Avcrted face;
then the princess went into eclipse. and
tn" imperial woman was ascendant
once more. She looked ut him for n
brief space with softcninC eyes and.
lifting her hand, put it back in his, say
Ing:
| There 1t Is agnin-if you want it"
| Want 1t! Ah, this was too muchI
The hand would not satisfy now. 1t
must be all, all. And he caught her to
his arms with violence that fright
ened her.
Please don't; please! Not this time.
All, have mercy, Charl- Well. There!
There! Mary mother, forgive mcw
Then her woman spirit fell before the
whirlwind Of his passion, and she was
| on his breast, with her white arms
around his neck, paying the same trib-
ute to the little blind god that he would
have cxactcd from the lowlicst maiden
! OF the land.
Brandon held the girl Tor IL n,v...,..>
|
buried his face in her lup.
'lIcavcn heip mew he cried
She pushed the hair back from his
forehead with her hand and rs she
fondled the curls leaned over him and
softly whispered:
Heaven help us both, for love
YOU"
He sprang to his feet. "Don't! Don't,
l pray you," he said wildly. and almost
ran from her.
Mary followed him nearly to the door
Of the room. but when he turned he
saw that she had stopped and was
standing with her hands over her face
as IL in tears.
He went back to her and said, 81
tried to avoid this, and If you had
helped me 1t would never But lie
remembered how he had always de-
spscd Adam for throwing the blame
upon Eve, no matter how much she
may have deserved it. and continucd:
mo. l do not mean that. 1t is all
my fault. l should have gone away
long ago. l could not help it. tried,
oh. tricd!"
Mary's eyes were bent upon the
| A'Si, SiiN WVIV tNtI Itl
flushed cheeks unheeded and uncheck-
ed,
'"rhcre is no fault I'm any one Nei-
ther could help It," she murmurcd
mo. no; II Is not that there is any
fault in the ordinary sense. 1t is like
suicide or any other great self inflicted
Injury with me. l am different from
other men. I shall never recover"
II know only too we'll that you are
different from other mon, and-and I,
too, am different from other women.
Am notf"
"Ah, different! There is no other
woman In all this wide. long world"
And they were in each others arms
again. She turned her shoulder to
him and rested with the support of his
arms about her. Her eyes were cast
down In silence, and she was evident
" thinking rs she toyed with tho lace
Of his doublet. Brandon know her
varying expressions 80 well tltlt hc
saw there was something wanting, so
he asked:
'ls there something you wish to
say;n
mot l." she responded with en-
phasls on the pronouD
Then it is something you wish me
to say?"
She nodded her head slowly, Yes"
What is 1t? Tell me, and ] will say
it."
She shook her head slowly, "No."
What Is 1t? l cannot guess"
"Did you not like to hear me say that
that Loved you:"
"Ah, yes. You know 1t. But-oh,-
do You wish to hear me say itl"
The head nodded rapidly two or
three times, "Ycs." And the black
curving lashcs were lifted for fleet
Ing, luminous instant
1T Is surely not necessary You
have known 1t so long already, but l
am only too glad to say it. l love you"
She nestled closer to him and hid her
face OH his breast
"Now that have said ii, what is my
rewardT' lie asked, and the fair face
came up, red and rosy, with "rcwards,' -
any one of which was worth kings
ransom.
but this IL worse than insanity"
cried Brandon as lie almost pushed her
from him. "We can never belong to
each other Neverw
NO. said Mary, with n despairins
shake of the head, as the tears began
to flow again. mo, nevcrv And fall
Ing upon his knees he caught both her