The San Francisco call., 1903-01-18

favor from me- even the slightest. Wan
I9nness e n Is not not among my thousand fa1lts
are sure enough of me in that respect
IN truth, | had almost come to Deneve
you We're too sure. that | had grown
so much as ! thought and hoped for what
had to give, for after that day you
came not near me at all. ! know II was
you should remain away: but had you
cared as much as your prudence would
not nave held you
She hung her head moment in silence;
then. looking at him, almost ready for
tears, continued: "A has no right
,tia 10 speak akin In that way Of woman whose Sse
regret that she has given a gift only that
It may recoil upon her. Little did L
KISS wss s to 90 . RaG n whst ali the
crowns or all the earth | would nave
given them TO you as willingly. Now you
know ta, the value I placed on IT, however
cheerfui giver of that great gift, was
not! And can you find it In your heart
to make of 1t a shame to me-that OF
She stood there with head inclined a
little to one side, looking at him inquir,
lngly as II awaiting an answer. lie did
book felt, however. that he was chang
ing, and was sure her beauty, never more
exquisite than in its present humility,
would yet atone for even so great fault
remissionl Such woman as Mary
rles her Indulgence in her face.
now began to realize for the first time
the Wondrous power of this girl, ana
ceased to marvel that she had always
violent, stubborn man on earth, to her
own wishes. Her manner made her words
eloquent and already, with true feminine
Wrong in nhe ead Pnf he was
wrong in part
Then she quickly went over what she
had said to me-. She told Of her great
visit to Grouches and Its fatal conse-
quences knowing full we'll It would rem
der Henry impervious TO her infiuence
told him of how she was going TO the
King the day after the arrest to ask his
release, and Of the meeting with Buck
ingham and his promise
Still Brandon said nothing, and stood
a II politely waiting for her to withdraw
She remained silent little time. wait
Ing for him to speak. when tears, partly
OF vexation. think. rnoistened her eyes
Tell me at least" she said, that you
know l speak the truth. l have always
believed in you, and now ask for your
est shading of thought-not for heaven
itself-not even for your love and for
giveness, as much as they are TO me, ana
] want TO know that you are sure OF my
see l speak plainly of what your love is
to me- for although, by remaining away,
yOu Hldue Hle lear Ndu D6eH lOO ldFlSh
with my favors-that is every woman
fear-I knew in my heart you loved mel
that you could not have done and SAID
what you did otherwise. Now you see
what faith / have in you, and you man.
whom woman'S instinct prompts 10
doubt How does IT compare with your
stincts OF manly nature should dispose
to trust? 1t seems to be an unwrltten
law that a man may lie to woman con-
cerning the most important thing in life
n
even now ] have all faith in your love
for me, else / surely should not be here.
when 1t might, without blame to you, be
q spoken lie; yet you do not trust me,
who have no world-given right to speak
falsely about such things, and when that
and what | have done full of guilt, II
inspired by aught but the purest truth
mean so much-so much more, I think.
thEn you realize-and are so cruel In
turning to evil the highest, purest i'm
pulse woman can feel-the glowing
lightful privilege Of giving where she
loves How can you? How can your
a9M T,s ta she Ssd was to
but l think Brandon felt that now his
only hope lay in the safeguard Of his con-
stantly upheld dignity.
said.
You did well to employ my Lord OF
Buckingham. 1t will make matters more
interesting when tell you 1t was he who
attacked you and was caught by the leg
under his wounded horse; he was lame,
am told, for some time afterward. /
had watched him following you from the
gate at Bridewell. and at once recognized
him when his mask fell off during the
fight by. the wall You have done well at
''oh, God: to think of It! Had I but
known! Buckingham shall pay. for this
with his head; but how could know?
htrf 4 dfcfr Tod crir1 cIfro fN
make some fatal error. 1 was in such
agony-your wounds-believe me, ! suf-
fered more from them than you could.
Every pain you felt was a pang for me
and then that awful MARRIAGE I was be-
ing sold like a wretched slave to that
old satyr. to be gloated over and feasted
upon. No man can know the horror of
good or bad, To have ones beauty turn
TO curse her and make her desirable only
only as we'll fed cattle are priced. NO
matter how great the manifestation of
such so-called love, ii all the more re-
pels woman and adds to her loathing
day by day. Then there was something
else worse than all''-she was almost
weeping now-'I might have been able
to bear the thought even of that hideous
marriage-others have lived through the
like-but-but after-that-that day-when
you-it seemed that your touch was a
spark dropped into heart full Of finder,
which had been lying there awaiting 1t all
these years. In that one moment the
flame grew so intense l could not with
stand it. My throat ached 1 could scarce
ly breathe, and it seemed that my heart
would burst" Here the tears gushed
forth as she took a step toward him with
outstretched arms, and said between her
sobs: Il wanted you, youi for my hus-
band-for my husband, and l could not
bear the torturing thought of losing you
or enduring any other man. l could not
give you up after that-it was all too
late too late; 1t had gone too far. l was
lost lostP'
He sprang to where she stood leaning
toward him and caught her to his breast.
She held him from her while she said:
Now you know-now you know that l
would not have left you In that terrible
place, had / known It, No. not II II had
taken my life to buy your freedom
II do know; l do know. Be sure
of that; / know It and shall know II al
ways, whatever happens. Nothing can
change me. ! will never doubt you again
1t is my turn to ask forgiveness now"
mo. no; just forgive me; that is all l
ask" and her head was on his breast.
LET us step out into the passage-way,
Edwin, said Jane, and we did. There
were times when Jane seemed TO De IN
spired
When we went back into the room Mary
and Brandon were sitting In the window
way his great cloak. They rose and
came to us holding each others hands.
and Mary asked looking UP to him:
''Shall we tell them?"
foo1-.d Po~