The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1903-07-03
FARMVILLE, VA, FRIDAY, JULY 3, 1903

the moment she lay unieNlNlluB III
his arms, yielding herself TO his ca
resses, then She pushed him back.
"Oh. you must not-you must not,
she cried, struggling in his em-
brace.
lie held her only the tighter, laugh
ing like @ boy at her struggles.
Ralph, Ralph, let me go. You are
mad. You do not know what you are
saying"
Yes" he cried. "Mad mad with
love for you. Answer me-" he
pushed her off from him and held her
by the shoulders that he might look
into her face. do you love me?'
She covered her burning face with
her hands.
Answer me-"
"God help me, yes" she replied,
and sprang from him, dropping white
and trembling into a chair.
His face was radiant as he knelt be-
side her.
Agnes, do not shrink from me. my
darling. Can't you realize how love
you. IL has been like "a living fire in
my heart. ] never meant To say it,,
meant 10 60 away, but now-oh!
you love me, love me, and II want
nothing but you. want you always.
There has never been any woman but
you"
She rested her hand a moment on
his bowed head, and he would have
taken her I'm his arms again, but she
held him back.
"No," she said, softly, like one talk
ing TO q child. you must GO away.
IT must not De. You must go away
and forget me-"
"And if ] will not?'
ooh. you must you must. II not
FOR my sake. for hers" Her words
came thick and fast, as Of one in
pain.
you do not love me-
ct is because l do love you that I
bid You 90 back 10 her-to your duty.
Now. go. for tonight ! must think,
and whatever comes, always remem-
ber that love you and always will
Now. go-piease.'
My darling, my oWn,' he muir
murcd as Dee gathered her once more
in his arms, until tomorrow And
remember, ] will not give you up.
You are mine mine so. until to-
morrow" and ran lightly down the
steps, the light of a great happiness
ON his face.
She watched him go down the street
and then wcarily mounted the stairs
to- her room and threw herself ON the
bed.
"Oh, the shame the shame" She
cried in her agony "and ] love him,
love him as she never cam"
All through the night his was the
burden of her cry, and worn and weary
and looking years older, She called her
maid as the first light of day appeared.
Pack the trunks, Marie, We take
the noon train for a long trip
Yes, madam
Next evening he mounted The steps
and rang The bell, the light Of expect
aucy on his face.
madam is not at home. She left
to-day for am extended trip abroad, ~
told the servant.
Like one who had received a blow in
the face he turned away. his face sud
denly grown old and haggard. lie
could not blame her, be understood
her sacrifice. She had gone away that
She might save the other woman pain.
lie felt her nobleness, and wearily
took up his burden of life and work
again. the never ceasing longing in
his heart, with only the memory of an
hour gone to help him bear.
The old disease had come back on
his wife and teuderly be watched and
cared for her, she accepting him as he
was, perfectly satisfied, never know
ing what She had missed
Two years later a man in tourists
garb walked swiftly across a certain
hotel green and stopped beside a rus
tic bench beneath towering vines,
where a woman sat, roses i'm her hands
and hair.
Agnes" was all he said.
She jumped to her feet with cry
of iov. the roses falling TO the ground.
"She is dead, Agnes. II was a year
ago
Eyes. ! heard"
lie held out his trembling hands to
her. and as she came closer, with a
wonderful light shining in her eyes,
he swept her into his arms.