Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-12-16
CHApTrR Xxx

mat Rachel had not closed an eye during
zhe long hot night; but she said nothing
shout it, only that she had rather head
ache
Take my advice" said Mrs. Damas
sriskIy, keep yourself quiet this morn
ing and simply do nothing"
'0h, / cannot shirk the class" return
Cd Rachel who had made herself Of great
zse to her friend. who had just started
IN outside studio, to her own comfort
and that of everyone elSe in the house in
south Kensington Square.
let the class taSe care Of itself,
Tied Mrs. Damas, with pleasant laugh.
surely you've not got such a high and
nigaty opinion Of yourself as to think we
iaD't scramble on without you"
Well, ! hardly thought that" Rachel
replied, laughing also; only. as you
know. Dorr thy, hate giving IN"
Peace vas out of the GU ,ion. She
wandered restlessy about, \ * up her
brushes and put touch or two to the
picture Of herself. threw them down
sgain, and finally dropped into a big
chair. thinking over all that the old gen
sral had said the previous day. While
she was still sitting there, lost in thought
and yet fun Of a resolution to act ac-
rordinR to the dictates of her head rather
than her heart. the door was pushed very
gently open and Harrington came in.
Rachel did not hear him. so did not move.
Rachel be said. softly.
She sprang up from herlchair and fac
ed him.
Why have sou Gomez she cried, for
a
ais face that something had happened.
He crossed the studio TO her THE
general sent for me--sent me to you
fIe said that be had seen you, and that
all was right" be said, eagerly. "0h,
Rachel, my love. my love. you have been
hatd upon me; jsst. 5're say. but very
bard. And now that / have learned my
lesson thoroughly. you are going 70 be
Kind 10 me. art you not7 Why-Rachel
--you don't--you cannot mean that he
was wrong: oh. no. no, you couldn't send
me away again you couldn't"
The general came here" she said in a
Voice scarcely above whisper. "apd he
pleaded your cause as well as if it had
been his own | could say nothing
sothing He believes In you; he said that
.gOu were brave and frank and true-~and
good, And shat could | do but let
aim say aught chat he pleased and an
swer nothingf"
All the radiance had faded out Of B
handsome face, and it grew as pale Al
eGi Of pain A. her own.
He would not leg me say word,
would not believe that / have made up
any ini'nd not to marry you He wishes
It, and what he wishes be believes will
come 70 pass. But l never said one word
that could justify him ia sending you
here--not one word.
do you mean that il is all no good,
that you arc still holding ont against
uel" he gasped.
i shall always hold out against You"
she answered Il forgave you long ago.
But forgiveness does not undo what Ii
pas aud beyond alteration. When you
have broken a beautiful vase, you may
be forgiven for IT, but the forgiveness
does not make the vase whole again. 1t
Is Just so with you and me; you broke
the vase Of my faith IN goa, and though
4 forgive you freely and fully, the dam
age remains just the same Oh, don't
you think" she went on pAssi0nate!y.
ssthat would If / could--don't you see
sanG know that I love you still dearly
and yet II were 70 marry you, know
as well as | know that we two are stand
ing here now. that after a very little
while W, should be farther apart than
If the whole world were between us
II should ike TO run the risk Of that,
aarling.o he said. eagerly.
mo. / dare not do that l dare no@
q A. fstxf
haps than have ever done. but should
never trust you--never. | should always
DE suspicious ef what | dreaded would
happen / shoaid see wrong motive In
everything that you said. Ia everything
chat you did. / should grow suspicious
you impatient. wretched perhaps,
even jealous you--oh. don't let Us talk
about it. II can never come 10 pass |
tell yoa wo0ld give half my life aud al
my fame to be able to believe in you as
I did"
"If you send me away now. Rachel. IL
Is for the last time. remember. | shall
neT ar seek you out again. and il | 20
healloug 70 destruction you viii always
bear III mind / hope, that It is your do
ing"
My doingr she echoed
SIZES, your doing. he repeated, fierce,
Nv ia these days a man needs a good
wsznan 10 keep him straight and stand
between him and the world, shall never
Try 10 marry any woman now You
could have done anything that you liked
with me; | have always been like wax
IN your hands. Now il is all Overland
xyben 20 ont of this. hopeless and
d
ing To keep me straight, shall 20 head
Aaug to perdition as fast as Gen, Vande
,eur's liberal allowance will take me- The
quicker 20 the better shall be pleased
and do you always bear in mind that Il
WAS yon who sent me there
You come here" she said. won.
rnan--a lord Of creat'on--and you thr'at
on me. a weak woman. with your de
,struction l am ashamed Of you, Val
rntine Harrington more, | am ashamed
Of myself for having loved yea, And
tel goa that x, when you leave me 10
day, you deliberately cast yourself head
hong to your ruin. the sin will not res
upon my head, but on your own. Y0j
are not a child or weak boy, who doe
not know right from wrong; but a man
ia the very hower of your life, You coma
here and ask me to give my whole If
into your keeping. you a man who cal
actually threaten me with yer eterna
destruction-oh for shamel for shamer
She paused for a momen., ard he stoo
looking at her with his angry eyes shia
ing from his white strained handSom
face; but he cid not speak,
IF I have been hard upon you" sh
went on. remember that | have bee
equally hard upon myself Aud | think