The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-03-11

John Gordon rose and walked up and
down the room. Twice as he went
past the table be paused irresolutely,
his mind in n turmoil, his heart ULCER
tain. The third time he stopped, with
decision in his manner, and placed
his hand on her head.
81 Go not ask you to marry me unless
you can trust everything to me. If
YOU are not able to say without any
fear or doubt, 7 will so with you in
all the way you have chosen do not,
cannot, plead with you, Luella. Is
that asking too much, dear: Can the
man who loves you ask any less?"
NO, no, be can ask no less! But,
John, I fear to CO. She had raised
her head and was looking at him with
more agitation than he had ever known
her to show. II am not certain that I
am fitted, that I am adapted, for such
life. l have horror Of the places
the-I do not love the people, John, as
you say you do Am ! to blame for
that?'
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 ex-
perience. She did not love the people
because all her life had been so far
devoted to a love Of the things that
had surrounded her social position.
"No, do not think you are to blame.
But, oh, Luella, could you not learn to
love them? Could you not come with
me and let the future
II could not pretend" she began,
with return Of her proud attitude.
"I do not ask you to pretend. If
you love me, will not all the rest be
possible?'
She was silent moment Then sud
denly she looked up and said frankly:
Il would not be true to you If I 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. I 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-
compHshment? But I cannot argue
the matter. If you love me enough,
Luella. all the rest will 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
to her, only the look had deepened in
to an expression Of doubt and painful
unrest.
scI do not see the need Of all you plan
to do. I do not see the need" she said
slowly.
"You would not have to see that If
you only loved me-" he replied in low
tone, and there was hopelessness In
it that had not been present before.
He stood looking at her, and suddenly
he added:
"Let US be entirely frank, Luela,
that we may not misunderstand- You
shrink from the thought Of living in q
place like Hope House; you hesitate to
commit your future to rae because OF
the physical losses, the absence in our
future Of these physical luxuries we
have both known, into which. we have
been born-is that It? Your love for me
is not strong enough to make this loss
seem insignihcant-is that true?"
It was blunt question, and he pur-
posely putt bluntly, perhaps more so
than was fair to her. Over her face
the color deepened, and she evidently
felt the implied reproach in his sum-
ming up Of her hesitation.
'sThat is not quite the truth"
'A part Of it?''
''You have no right to force such a
question upon me-"
81 have q right to know the whole
truth"
"You would not understand
II would understand everything if
you loved me enough to go with me
without question
"Love does not mean being unrea-
sonable"
eyes, Luela, it does, at least this
far-that love viii trust where it can
not always give reasons"
She was silent again.
He took q step nearer.
'Luella, one question only: 1t l de
eide that I must so to live in Hope
House, will you so with me? Or
will you refuse on account of the phys
ical and social loss?'
She looked at him steadily at first,
although her color deepened and her
lips trembled-
"You have no right to ask such a
question"
81 hare-the right Of man who
loves you
"Then I will say not go, not for the
reason you think, but
''It is not necessary to explain" John
Gordon answered sadly. "Luella, it is
plain to me that you do not love me"
you have no right to make any such
test" she exclaimed passionately.
She stood up and faced him proudly,
and he simply looked into her eyes a
moment and then turned and walked
out Of the room. This time he did not
look back. AS he closed the door, Luel-
Ia Marsh fell upon her knees by the
side Of the table, exclaiming:
God pity me! God have mercy!
John Gordon went out Of the house
calmly enough, although his heart was
torn with passionate conflict. AS the
current Of the city swept him on, there
surged up in his soul hot anger that
he had ever loved this woman who
could not have the test Of faith in the
man who loved her. But it was at this
crisis that his real religious experience
rescued him from wreck. Had 1t not
III c&o 1,o6 Davor hipO