Evening star., 1903-12-26
CHAPTER K.
The Woman Pleads.

declare that l was afraid to go anu 'ii"'
stayed with you. ,-a
"Why will you be so foolish! she asNeu
"Because l love you, ne ouiS.
CHATS the only reason nave 'oi"
hefore but you did not seem 10 peheNe -
at least you did not appear 10 caie' W.
now it won't hurt you to near 1t oii'0 nv
You won't have to hear IL asail iioili ,..
1+,s tho last time. 1 expect every moment
they will be here to summon me oeioie ~
court-martiaI. so 1 must tell you now hoo
are a cruel hearuess coque'ee'
couraged Lacy
'rJ did not!'' Indignantly.
"And you didn't discourage me.
How dare you say so?
last night when held you in my arms
and kissed you-'
II was powerless-
"Uhen I released you you clasped me
around the neck and returned my caress,
TIL swear you did, and all the time you lt'u
another man in your heart :. .oot >
"Another man. she exclaimed IN grea'
astonishment. ,r,
ooh the man on the Wabash!
"Yes You wanted to save him. SO you
played with me. Why weren't you noilese .tsa
about it? Why didn't you tel ME t~Iie ~
truthp But no, you chose to disgrace me me
for him. Well. you succeeded l shail pay
,La DenaIty | shall keep silent for youi
sake. He may have you ana you may Ss+ n,aen ne
him hut NV death Will be ever between
YOU. The burden of obligation VIII De a,;. hesavs
uuon you both, more than you can carry carry,
He had worked himself up into jealous
rage bv this time. His self-conuol "aS
..Who is this MANI" he burst out at last,
while She took wicked joy in his mlsap-
prehension. ,-o ,,orr,v
"His-his-name-is-'' she spoke slowly
,,d ,,,;+b caaminp reluctance as II to spare
..Tben there is a man? Good God! 1 had
hoped. in spite of everything that might
have been mistaken that you acteu SO loi
some other reason. Do you love himE'
yes" family, turning away her head
'sDo YOU really love him, or are you max
ing fool of him as you did OF me?
but I-love you, too" she saiu demure-
", gently dropping her head SO that her
face was half hidden from his intent gaze
"How can you love both of us?' he eX-
claimed angered beyond endurance by her
apparent coquetry.
"IfsNits-diferent," she answered de-
.If Lacy were here 1 suppose he would
understand, but women such as you are De-
yond me-"
at seems so.''
But why prolong this interview longer
Miss Glen? Your secret Is safe with
me- Probably you came here to learn
that l will not allow you to betray IT,
either''-how inconsistent he was, she
thought-"you know that love you, and l
know that you do not love me, that your
heart is with that man on the ship. Won't
you please leave me alone? 1 really shall
need all my self-command. my strength, to
face the court-martial, and you-you-un-
man me. I thank you for coming to see
me, but-forgive my apparent discourtesy-
i would rather be alone. Goodbye"
wait" she said. THAT man on the
Wabash
.fBy heavens," he interrupted savagely-
of h1 s.
sions when he was aroused, and he was
thoroughly aroused then-"have you no
mercy no pity? This is too much! l don't
want to hear word about him. Whoever
stop, sir,'' cried the girl. impressively,
cor YOU will say something for which you
will be sorry.
Sorry! 1 should like to have him within
reach of my hand!" he said, grimly, extend
ing his arm he spoke and his expression
was not pleasant to see. I'd
II am sure" she went on hurriedly, cut
ting him off. you would not do thing to
him If he stood right here
Would l not? And pray, why not?' he
asked her bitterly.
She stopped. reluctant to disclose her Sc
cret Once she did SO her power was gone.
'Because--" she said again.
Tell me. in heavens namei You torture
me!'
Because he-is-my-"
Again she stopped, and again his anxiety
got the better of him. He caught her
hands in his own, and held them with a
grasp that hurt her.
MY God, will you cease this .cruelty2 He
is not your-you are not really married to
him, your"
Hardly. Let go of my hands" she an
swered. striving to draw away; yet for a
fairly strong young woman she exhibited
an astonishing feebleness in her endeavor.
who Is hep with impetuous insstence.
My father-there! Now. will you release
me?'
Your father! And there is no other
manY' in great bewilderment, through
which the glimmering of greater relief be-
gan to shine.
She shook her head.
And you did this for him alone?"
for him alone"
Who else. them"
Il told you last night" she answered,
evasively.
For me?"
"Ye-es," family. II could not bear to see
you lose your-your life"
Slowly she felt herself being drawn
nearer 10 him. She struggled feebly glad
to be overborne by his superior strength. In
another moment she was in his arms for
the second time Her head was bent down
toward his watch pocket Holding her
sate with one arm, he put his hand under
her chin and turned her face upward
There were bushes on her cheeks laugh
ter and tears In her eyes. The interrupted
kiss trembled upon her lips and he-well
this time II was longer than the night he
fore and more satisfying AS he kissed
her her arms went around his neck again
There was no other man." she Whis-
Pered, there never was any one but you
dld wrong. very wrong; but my father
and you-that was my excuse And
loved you all the time"
When there was opportunity some mo-
ments later for articulate conversation he
endeavored to solve the mystery of her
paternity, the understanding of which he
had put by in the face of more pressing
business-or pleasure.
Then your name isn't Fanny Glenn"
That's part of it."
What's the rest of it?"
Fanny Glen Vernon"
ther?"
He IS"
How is that?"
When the war broke out he stayed with
the north was true to his flag he said 1
had seen little of him since my mothers
death, when l was ten years old. was a
southern woman. 1t seemed monstrous to
me. l begged and implored him, but use
lessly, and finally our relations were broken
off. So 1 dropped the name of Vernon, and
came here to work for our cause the rest